he
sages by whom our Allegory was drawn up have not paid quite as much
attention to the phraseology as the importance of the subject demanded."

Here the brigadier laid his finger on the clause in question, and
I returned to a seat to study its meaning. It was conceived as
follows:--Art. IV. Clause 6: "The Great National Council shall, in
no case whatever, pass any law, or resolution, declaring white to be
black."

After studying this fundamental enactment to the bottom, turning it
on every side, and finally considering it upside-down, I came to the
conclusion that its tenor was, on the whole, rather more favorable
than unfavorable to the Horizontal doctrine. It struck me, a very good
argument was to be made out of the constitutional question, and that it
presented a very fair occasion for a new member to venture on a maiden
speech. Having so settled the matter, entirely to my own satisfaction,
I held myself in reserve, waiting for the proper moment to produce an
effect.

It was not long before the chairman of the committee on the judiciary
(one of the effects of the resolution was entirely to change the
coloring of all testimony throughout the vast Republic of Leaplow) made
his report on the subject-matter of the resolution. This person was
a Tangent, who had a besetting wish to become a Riddle, although the
leaning of our house was decidedly Horizontal; and, as a matter of
course, he took the Riddle side of this question. The report, itself,
required seven hours in the reading, commencing with the subject at
the epocha of the celebrated caucus that was adjourned sine die, by the
disruption of the earth's crust, and previously to the distribution of
the great monikin family into separate communities, and ending with
the subject of the resolution in his hand. The reporter had set his
political palette with the utmost care, having completely covered the
subject with neutral tints, before he got through with it, and glazing
the whole down with ultramarine, in such a way as to cause the eye to
regard the matter through a fictitious atmosphere. Finally, he repeated
the resolution, verbatim, and as it came from the other house.

Mr. Speaker now called upon gentlemen to deliver their sentiments. To my
utter amazement, Captain Poke arose, put his tobacco back into its box,
and opened the debate without apology.

The honorable captain said he understood this question to be one
implicating the liberties of everybody. He un