The nomination took him at unawares. That it momentarily dazzled his ambition, even unconsciously to himself, I think it is apparent enough from the facility with which he persuaded himself to acquiesce. That it brought him nothing but anxiety and disquiet, and that he very soon wished himself rid of it, is equally clear. He found some indemnity for these discomforts in the abundant manifestations afforded by the newspaper press, of the kind and considerate respect which his personal worth attracted even from his political opponents. The press was singularly good-natured, and paid an honest tribute to his virtues. Scarcely a word was said to his disadvantage.

The whole of this political episode, which stands strangely out of the general harmony of Mr. Wirt's life, shows how little he was adapted by nature or by education to the sphere of the party politician. Simple and direct in his estimate of duty, courageous in conforming to it, candid, confiding and credulous, all these qualities of his character were successfully invoked by the Convention which conferred upon him the nomination. He accepted it in perfect good faith, and with an earnest persuasion that he was performing a duty of the highest import to his country. He thus suddenly found himself made the centre of a political combination of the strength of which he positively knew nothing, and from whose very constitution, a little reflection would have shown him, it derived no other. power than that of mere frustration by dissent. It was a discord in the general politics of the nation. Mr. Wirt vainly hoped that it was to be made an instrument of harmony. More wary and practised statesmen had refused the offer which he accepted. They stood aloof from an engagement, which they foresaw was to lead to an unprofitable division of forces, which, marshalled in the most compact array, would have entered the field with but doubtful hopes. Mr. Wirt did not stop to inquire why they had refused. If he had done so, he would have learned what they thought of the practicability and expediency of organizing a party upon an ephemeral question, which had no substantial affinity with the higher operations of government;—which was, at best, but a question of police,-better adapted to the municipal notice of the States than to the sphere of federal jurisdiction. He would have seen that this was but the effervescence of a sudden discovery, which had heated the minds of some sections of the country,

without, in any degree, disturbing the equanimity of the great body of the nation that men of ardent imagination and temperament had so magnified an abuse of social organization,-a grievous and most flagitious abuse, we admit-as to put its correction above all other duties connected with political administration. It was an abuse which was already corrected. Its discovery was, in itself, a full and absolute correction. It could not possibly recur.

The organization of the party was tainted with another fatal weakness. It was, in its very conception, an exasperation and an offence to a large and respectable mass of upright and intelligent citizens of the country-all that body of masons who were as ignorant of the New York outrage as they were innocent of the principles upon which it was alleged to be justified. Nothing could reconcile them, under any condition of things, to take part or lot in the movement which was now conducted under the name of the new candidate. Not even Mr. Wirt's estimable character, his great talents, his gentle and just nature, could disarm their implacable hostility. The result proved all this. The Anti-Masonic force was insulated, incapable of coalescing with, or attracting others. It was short-lived: a few paroxysms of political effort, in subsequent years, were followed by utter dissolution. The country heard no more of Morgan abductions, no more of masonic persecutions. Masons are now inoffensive citizens. The discovery, as I have said, was an effective and ample remedy. Parties of the same kind have been attempted since. Even now we are not without them. They will sink, like this prototype, into oblivion.

Every one who observed the movement, of which I have given the history, will do full justice to the sincerity and conscientiousness of Mr. Wirt's whole course in reference to it. His most confidential letters, from which I have made extracts, speak the honest truth of a guileless and earnest mind. Happy would it have been for the country, if even this incident had elevated such a mind to the control of its affairs! It is a pleasant subject of contemplation to see such simplicity of character, so unpractised in the tactics of political management, so unskilled in counting the chances of the adventure, so direct in the recognition of public duty, obeying its own impulse to do what is right. A man of masterly ability, of the highest cultivation

of mind and refinement of taste, and of the most unaffected virtue, in such a position, is a rare sight in any government. The success of such a man in any, is an index both of social and political excellence to which few nations have ever attained-or, having attained, have long preserved.

CHAPTER XX.

1833-1834.

UNDERTAKES TO MAKE A SETTLEMENT OF GERMANS IN FLORIDA. MR. GOLDSBOROUGH TAKES CHARGE OF IT. PARTICULARS OF THIS ADVENTURE. HOPES OF SUCCESS. ITS FAILURE. MR. WIRT'S HEALTH VARIABLE.-A RE-NOMINATION FOR THE PRESIDENCY SUGGESTED. MR. WIRT'S ANSWER TO THIS.-NULLIFICATION.-LETTER TO CARR ON THE RIGHT OF A STATE TO SECEDE FROM THE UNION.-LITERARY SUBJECTS.-LETTER TO CARR. ADVICE TO STUDENTS.-CHRISTMAS LETTERS.-MR. WIRT VISITS WASHINGTON. HIS ILLNESS.-DEATH.-NOTICE OF THIS EVENT BY THE SUPREME COURT AND BY CONGRESS.

MR. WIRT had now passed his sixtieth year. Many a pleasant vision of future repose had fled from his perspective: many a daydream of affluence and leisure had vanished. Those fond fancies of rural comfort, which sparkle so pleasantly through his correspondence -the villa, the library, the grove,—

"Mollia prata, gelidæ fontes, vivoque
Sedilia saxo,-"

these captivating castles in the air which had haunted his reveries and beguiled his hopes through so many years of toil, luring him with the thought of a happy old age devoted to literature and friendship,—all these had sunk before the sad realities of disease, incessant labour, affliction, public care. Religion alone, the truest guide of life, the sincerest friend of age, made good the promises of youth, and more than accomplished all that it ever led him to hope. There was no

disappointment which it did not indemnify, no grief which it did not

compose.

Through nearly forty years of devotion to professional life, the greater part of this term holding eminent position at the bar, he had not yet amassed sufficient wealth to render him independent of labour. He had a large family. Of twelve children, eight were yet alive. These had been educated with every advantage which the country could supply. His hospitality was liberal; his expense was necessarily large. A prosperous practice of the law, under these circumstances, left him no great residue for accumulation. We have already adverted to the establishment of his son-in-law, Judge Randall, in Florida. Mr. Wirt had purchased large tracts of land there, and had long indulged the hope of removing to that region, where, in its genial climate and in the cultivation of its fertile soil, he might enjoy the comforts of a serene old age. His second daughter, Elizabeth, had recently married Lieutenant, now Captain Louis M. Goldsborough, of the Navy-a gentleman who deservedly attracted the warmest affection of the family to which he was allied, and the special confidence and esteem of the father. Upon his advice, Mr. Wirt determined to make the experiment of settling and cultivating his Florida lands with a large number of German emigrants. It is only necessary for me here to say, that the experiment was made at considerable expense, and that it soon proved to be a failure. About a hundred and fifty emigrants were transported to the settlement, where, after a brief sojourn, they faithlessly abandoned their contracts and the service they had undertaken to perform. The following extracts from the correspondence of this period, will furnish some amusing and instructive insight to this speculation :

"If the project succeeds, there will be a safe and ready and peaceful refuge for my family in the event of my death.

"If I could live to see them comfortably established on their own lands in Florida, life would go out with me as sweetly as a babe sleeps. Do not infer from this that I am in ill health or despondency.

I am uncommonly well and quite cheery. My family and friends are surprised at my good looks, but I have had admonitions enough, by my own attacks and by the death of friends, to be anxious to set my house in order.

"I have been uneasy for several years, at your being destitute of churches and ministers of the gospel, and am rejoiced to hear you are, at last, meditating an establishment of that kind. I see no objection to Episcopalians and Presbyterians uniting in the support of a minister of either Church. I am no doctrinarian - but I hope I am a Christian. I count all Christians, of whatever denomination, my brethren. I would support a Baptist or Methodist, if he were a good Christian and a good preacher, as soon as a Presbyterian. Nay, I would support a good Roman Catholic preacher. What Christain would hesitate to acknowledge Massillon for a brother? A sincere and humble Christian, a true believer, a Christian in spirit and in truth, is all that I care for in religion. If to this be added such a knowledge of the English language as will enable the preacher to speak grammatically, and with sensibility enough to clothe his subject with interest and bring it warmly to the heart, I would have all I should demand. But, for so many children to be growing up without ever seeing the inside of a Church, or hearing the word of God, or having that most interesting of all subjects impressed on their young hearts, is most afflicting to think of. I can scarcely do so without tears. -If I lived in the country, I would have family prayers every night and morning. It is an appropriate mode of opening and closing the day, and puts the heart in fine tune, either for business or peaceful repose. It has so excellent an effect, too, upon children, to see their parents in earnest on that subject of eternal consequence. Whereas, seeing those they so much revere, living without God in the world, is an example of the most awful consequences both to parent and child.”

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"There are many Germans of sober and industrious habits, walking on the Avenue here. They have their wives and children. Many of them are mechanics, carpenters, mill-wrights, bricklayers, &c. How would it do to send a hundred and fifty of these people out, under Louis Goldsborough, to work my lands on shares? Might not such a colony be made profitable? They would have no negroes mixed with them, but would form a settlement of their own. I should have to supply a year or two's provision, with all the stock, tools, &c. Such an establishment has succeeded very well at Lanark, in Scotland,-why should it not do here?

"I am extremely desirous to get out of the gears if I could. It