on
principles that are eternal."

"Will you suffer me to inquire, colonel, if it has any affinity to the
social-stake system?"

"Not in the least. That, as I understand it, is a stationary, while
this is a rotatory system. Nothing is simpler. We have in Leaplow two
enormous boxes made in the form of wheels. Into one we put the names of
the citizens, and into the other the names of the offices. We then
draw forth, in the manner of a lottery, and the thing is settled for a
twelvemonth."

"I find this rotatory plan exceedingly simple--pray, sir, does it work
as well as it promises?"

"To perfection.--We grease the wheels, of course, periodically."

"And are not frauds sometimes committed by those who are selected to
draw the tickets?"

"Oh! they are chosen precisely in the same way."

"But those who draw THEIR tickets?"

"All rotatory--they are drawn exactly on the same principle."

"But there must be a beginning. Those, again, who draw THEIR
tickets--they may betray their trusts?"

"Impossible--THEY are always the most patriotic patriots of the land!
No, no, sir--we are not such dunces as to leave anything to corruption.
Chance does it all. Chance makes me a commodore to-day--a judge
to-morrow. Chance makes the lottery boys, and chance makes the patriots.
It is necessary to see in order to understand how much purer and useful
is your chance patriot, for instance, than one that is bred to the
calling."

"Why, this savors, after all, of the doctrine of descents, which is
little more than matter of chance."

"It would be so, sir, I confess, were it not that our chances centre in
a system of patriots. Our approved patriots are our guarantees against
abuses--"

"Hem!"--interrupted the companion of Commodore People's Friend, with an
awkward distinctness, as if to recall himself to our recollection.

"Sir John, I crave pardon for great remissness--allow me to present my
fellow-citizen, Brigadier Downright, a gentleman who is on his travels,
like yourself; and as excellent a fellow as is to be found in the whole
monikin region."

"Brigadier Downright, I crave the honor of your acquaintance.--But,
gentlemen, I too have been sadly negligent of politeness. A banquet that
has cost a hundred promises is waiting my appearance; and, as some of
the expected guests are unavoidably absent, if you would favor me with
your excellent society, we might spend an agreeable hour, in the further
discussion of these important i