monthly returns since the year 1838, it will be left to the wisdom of the Legislature to ascertain this desirable information. The Auditor General of Pennsylvania having, on the 5th of October, made a demand for these monthly returns, has met with no reply!* Nor has any one written a letter to Mr. Adams, assuring him that "the bank is strong"an assertion which was made in 1837, and appeared afterwards to be incorrect, the bank of the United States having, in three or four months, lost half of its specie basis. Perhaps, however, we must interpret the expression "strong" after the manner of an editor in Baltimore, who made the notable discovery some time since, that "the less specie a bank has, the stronger it is."

Having paid so many of their creditors, the banks profess to have found themselves in a dilemma-obliged "to adopt one of two alternatives-either to force the community, by sacrifices of its property, to pay its debts to the banks in gold and silver, to be shipped forthwith to England, or else to resort to a temporary suspension until the banks could have time to recover from the effects of their foreign troubles." Let us examine the first alternative. Passing over the absurdity of calling the debtors to the banks (about one individual in five hundred) the community, we may inquire why the banks should force their debtors to pay them gold and silver? When a customer of a bank gets a discount, he receives no gold and silver; if he claimed it, he would run the risk of having all his future applications rejected-"not done." He borrows bank-notes, and ought to pay nothing better. Besides, the banks are obliged, by their charters, to receive their own notes in payment of debts due them. It therefore appears that this alternative is no alternative at all, the banks wanting both the right and the power to "force the community" in the manner proposed. Why the gold and silver forced from the debtors of the banks were to be "forthwith" shipped for England, is by no means clear. It would appear more correct if every bank would distribute the money forced from its debtors among its creditors at home; nor is it any clearer what the "foreign troubles" of the banks are, excepting, indeed, the troubles of Mr. Jaudon, of which the banks in Philadelphia had not heard when they suspended, and which could have had, therefore, no influence on their decision upon the question of suspension. A hypocritical pretence of preferring the suspension as being best for the "interests of the State," is now brought forward with a few ad captandum flourishes, that a child of ten years of age could see through, and must smile at. We are gravely told that they have been liberal contributors to "every loan wanted for the service of the State;" and they add, "nor is it an exaggerated estimate that four-fifths of the funds for the internal improvements of the State have been contributed by the banks." Well, admitting that the banks have taken loans, what have they done

* Since this was written, the monthly statements have been made from the bank.

with the certificates from the State? Sold them whenever they could get more money for them, or pawned them when their own credit needed support. So much for the patriotism of the banks. The report of the Auditor General of Pennsylvania of 1837, is lying before us, and it is curious to observe how little of the State stocks was then held by the banks, which, according to their own accounts, originally owned fourfifths of it! The bank of Pennsylvania held $86,566 46 of Pennsylvania State stock on January 4, 1837, and not a dollar during the rest of the year. Twelve other banks in the city and liberties of Philadelphia heid not a cent's worth during that year, if their own statements are to be believed. Their glowing affection for the State to which "they owe their existence," does not seem to have prevented their selling her stocks whenever it would "put money in their purse."

Having suspended, (for the real alternative of paying their honest debts does not seem to have crossed the minds of the authors of the suspension,) they most magnanimously desire it to be understood that they "would not cast the remotest censure on those institutions which pursue a different course." This is the ne plus ultra of impudence. They do not mean to hurt the feelings of those who are both able and willing to pay their debts! With equal propriety might the prostitute declare that, in walking the streets, she means to cast no censure upon the virtuous women of the community, and the criminal, about to draw the cap over his face, assure the sheriff and the clergyman who have pursued a different course, that he disclaims all intention of hurting their feelings by his suspension.

In conclusion, the banks "respectfully, but anxiously wait the opinion of the Legislature of Pennsylvania."

During the last suspension, the Senate of Pennsylvania contained a majority of Whigs and Anti-Masons, and the lower house a majority of Democrats. The banks of Pennsylvania then pretended that they sus pended payment because the banks of New York set them the example. The Lower House passed an act naming a day for the resumption; the Senate rejected the bill, thinking that five-cent plasters were a "perfect currency." Every Democrat in the Senate voted for specie paymentsamongst the rest, David R. Porter, now the Governor of the State. Comment is hardly necessary. The old and inveterate enemy of the people, the United States Bank, now lies at the feet of the Legislature of Pennsylvania. Shall she receive that mercy which will be mercy to the people-the coup de grace, or shall she be permitted to defy the laws, and bully the people with impunity, and be a curse and a scourge to our children and our children's children? This must be soon decided.

MEDITATION IN A GROVE.

Father! I feel thy presence in this wood-
In this deep solitude I know Thee near;
Thy spirit's unseen wings around me brood,
While I am tending for thy worship herc-
In this, thine unhewn temple, I rejoice
To catch the whisper of thy holy voice.

Father! 1 feel I worship not alone:

These aged oaks, their shade which o'er me fling; This breeze that lulls me with its gentle tone,

And fans my forehead with its waving wing; This placid lake, which giveth back each ray That, through the leafy net-work, finds its way;

These simple wild flowers that around me bloom;
Yon bird that sails on the blue depths above;
That orb whose light now breaks the forest's gloom:
All seem to mingle in the prayer of love.
Lord! all thy works in earth, and air, and sea,
Join with the spirit-born to worship Thee.

The earth is thy vast temple, Holy One!
The everlasting hills its altars are;
Its lamps the silver stars and golden sun,

And nature's every voice a hymn or prayer
Of that glad worship which to Thee she gives,
Whose word created, and in whom she lives.

When this material temple shall decay,

Its golden and its silver lights grow dimIts firm and rock-based altars melt away,

And nature cease her Author's praise to hymnThe soul of man, from earth and sin set free, Through its eternal years shall worship Thec.

B. F. T.

VOL. VI. NO. XXIV.-DEC. 1839.

F F

THE BIRTH DAY TREE.

From the German of Stolle, by Mary L. Plumb. '

It was long after harvest: field and garden fruits had been brought home to the cheerful dwellings. A few red and yellow leaves still hung on tree and bush, through which the unfriendly north-wind wailed most drearily. But the steward of the castle of Eichberg daily entered the garden of the castle, and closed the gate carefully behind him. He would steal secretly down the avenue and disappear behind a grove of yew trees. When he came out, his face was seen to wear a thoughtful expression; his manner was full of mystery; he shut himself up in his chamber, and pored over the leaves of a folio book.

"I will find it out!" said Lips, the footboy to Mistress Catharina, the housekeeper, who was burning coffee in the kitchen-" I will find it out! I will dig a hole under the wall behind the trees and creep in after him."

"And get yourself whipped and driven out! The steward is no friend of yours. Lips! Lips! you had better keep away."

"Well, Mistress Catharina, you will see," said Lips confidently, taking at the same time a roast potatoe out of the coals.

Just then in came Lisette with a pitcher of water; she set it down, and, throwing herself on a bench, exclaimed

"Oh! I shall die!"

"For what?" asked Lips, quietly eating his potatoe.

"What is the matter?" asked Catharina.

Lisette drew a long breath and said, that, being near the garden and seeing the gate open, she went to shut it, but first looked in to see who was there she saw the steward running wildly. He pushed passed her and ran to the castle.

"I'll find it out!" exclaimed Lips.

Presently Florian, the old and infirm coachman, came into the kitchen to warm himself by Mistress Catharina's good fire.

"Mr. Florian," began Lips, "you are an experienced man; you have served under the great Emperor Napoleon. What do you think of these mysterious garden promenades of the steward?”

"Nonsense," said Florian; "what do you kitchen boys know? Perhaps he hunts moles."

"Moles!" repeated Lips. "Who ever heard of moles after harvest? And I suppose he shuts the gate to keep them from escaping. Wind! Mr. Florian, wind!"

But Lips

"Satan's brat," muttered Florian, seizing the poker. sprang quickly out of his way, and, with a knowing air, said-“ Mr. Florian, you may believe me or not, but I tell you the steward digs for treasure."

"For treasure!" exclaimed Catharina; and Lisette, and even Florian looked astonished at the bold speaker.

"Yes, for treasure!" pursued Lips; but his argumentation was most prosaically broken. A pair of hands seized him by the ears and dragged him out of the kitchen; and the steward, to whom the hands. belonged, observed-" Mistress Catharina, you must keep this boy more strictly at his work."

II

In an easy chair by the window reclined the fair invalid, Adeline. Her sweet face wore an expression of sadness, as she looked out upon the bright evening sky. At her feet sat her young sister, Pauline, striving with gay jest and story to enliven her. Brother Henry, the student, was reading at the other window. With sweetness, wit, and nairete, the good Pauline endeavoured to chase away the gloom of the invalid; but a mournful smile, which occasionally played about her face, was the only reward of her affectionate cares. The evening sun was fast sinking, and its last rays threw a rosy gleam on the Madonnalike brow of Adeline.

"How fair thou art," whispered Pauline, as she kissed the alabaster hand of her sister, who still sat immovable, watching the declining

sun.

"The sun, too, must die," said she, after a pause, earnestly and sadly. "Who talks of death?" said Henry, interrupting his sister; then closing his book, he came near her, and added in a reproachful tone"Adeline, I will consult the doctor"

"Brother!" said Pauline imploringly, at the same time redoubling her tender caresses; but Henry was gloomy and morose, and went on while he paced to and fro in the chamber-" Her folly will drive me out of the house; and because I speak the truth she cannot endure me!" The nervous Adeline sank back in her chair. Pauline threw her arms round her brother's neck, and begged him to be silent.

"Oh! she is very ill!" said she, sobbing.

"Ill! ill! 'tis all imagination," said her brother as he left the chamber. Adeline grew paler at these words, for she was greatly pained. Pauline flew to her, and, by her tender care, succeeded in restoring her.

III

The next day the Baron Von Eichberg and the steward entered the castle-garden together, and, carefully closing the gate after them, walked silently down the principal avenue and behind the grove of yew trees.

"I have often," said the baron at length, "learned a lesson from the play of Nature; and I always watch it with pleasure."