“True,” replied the other; “very true.  I see, my dear Newt, that you have had your eyes and your mind open.  And since we are going to act together—­since, in fact, we are interested in the same plans—­”

“And principles,” interrupted Abel, laying his head back, and looking with half-closed eyes at the vanishing smoke.

“Oh yes, I was coming to that—­in the same plans and principles, it is well that we should understand each other perfectly.”

General Belch paused, looked at Abel, and took snuff.

“I think we do already,” replied Abel.

“Still there are one or two points to which I would call your attention.  One is, that you can not be too careful of what you say, in regard to its bearing upon the party; and the other is, a general rule that the Public is an ass, but you must never let it know you think so.  If there is one thing which the party has practically proved, it is that the people have no will of their own, but are sheep in the hands of the shepherd.”

The General took snuff again.

“The Public, then, is an ass and a sheep?” inquired Abel.

“Yes,” said the General, “an ass in capacity, and in preference of a thistle diet; a sheep in gregarious and stupid following.  You say ’Ca, ca, ca,’ when you want a cow to follow you; and you say ’Glorious old party,’ and ‘Intelligence of the people,’ and ’Preference of truth to victory,’ and so forth, when you want the people to follow you.”

“An ass, a sheep, and a cow,” said Abel.  “To what other departments of natural history do the people belong, General?”

“Adders,” returned Belch, sententiously.

“How so?” asked Abel, amused.

“Because they are so cold and ungrateful,” said the General.

“As when, for instance,” returned Abel, “the Honorable Watkins Bodley, having faithfully served his constituency, is turned adrift by—­by—­the people.”

He looked at Belch and laughed.  The fat nose of the General glistened.

“No, no,” said he, “your illustration is at fault.  He did not faithfully serve his constituency.  He was not sound upon the great Grant question.”

The two gentlemen laughed together and filled their glasses.

“No, no,” resumed the General, “never forget that the great thing is drill—­discipline.  Keep the machinery well oiled, and your hand upon the crank, and all goes well.”

“Until somebody knocks off your hand,” said Abel.

“Yes, of course—­of course; but that is the very point.  The fight is never among the sheep, but only among the shepherds.  Look at our splendid system, beginning with Tom, Jim, and Ned, and culminating in the President—­the roots rather red and unsightly, but oh! such a pretty flower, all broadcloth, kid gloves, and affability—­contemplate the superb machinery,” continued the General, warming, “the primaries, the ward committees, the—­in fact, all the rest of it—­see how gloriously it works—­the great result of the working of the whole is—­”