their term of office is at an end, the trust which has been placed in their hands falls back into the hands of those by whom it was given, into the hands of the sovereign people.  The chief of the commonwealth, now such no longer, leaves his seat of office, and takes his place as a simple citizen in the ranks of his fellows.  It rests with the freewill of the Assembly to call him back to his chair of office, or to set another there in his stead.  Men who have neither looked into the history of the past, nor yet troubled themselves to learn what happens year by year in their own age, are fond of declaiming against the caprice and ingratitude of the people, and of telling us that under a democratic government neither men nor measures can remain for an hour unchanged.  The witness alike of the present and of the past is an answer to baseless theories like these.  The spirit which made democratic Athens year by year bestow her highest offices on the patrician Perikles and the reactionary Phokion, still lives in the democracies of Switzerland.  The ministers of kings, whether despotic or constitutional, may vainly envy the sure tenure of office which falls to the lot of those who are chosen to rule by the voice of the people.  Alike in the whole Confederation and in the single Canton, re-election is the rule; the rejection of the outgoing magistrate is the rare exception.  The Landammann of Uri, whom his countrymen have raised to the seat of honour, and who has done nothing to lose their confidence, need not fear that when he has gone to the place of meeting in the pomp of office, his place in the march homeward will be transferred to another against his will.

E. A. FREEMAN.

[Notes:  Uri. A Swiss canton which, early in the 14th century, united with Unterwalden and Schwytz to form the Swiss Confederation.

Sempach (1386) and Morgarten (1315), both great victories won by the Swiss over the Austrians.

——­Charles the Bold of Burgundy was defeated by the Swiss in 1476 at Morat.

_ Perikles_.  A great orator and statesman, who, in the middle of the 5th century, B.C., guided the policy of Athens, and made her the centre of literature, philosophy, and art.

_ Phokion _.  An Athenian statesman of the 4th century B.C., who opposed Demosthenes in his efforts to resist Philip of Macedon.  His reactionary policy was atoned for by the uprightness of his character.]

* * * * *

       LIBERTY.

       ’Tis liberty alone that gives the flower
       Of fleeting life its lustre and perfume;
       And we are weeds without it.  All constraint,
       Except what wisdom lays on evil men,
       Is evil:  hurts the faculties, impedes
       Their progress in the road of science:  blinds
       The eyesight of Discovery; and begets,
       In those that suffer it, a sordid mind
       Bestial,