has so much altered for the worse, in so short
a time."

"That unequalled pecuniary prosperity should sensibly impair the
manners of what is termed the world, By introducing suddenly lame
bodies of uninstructed and untrained men and women into society, is a
natural consequence of obvious causes; that it should corrupt morals,
even, we have a right to expect, for we are taught to believe it the
most corrupting influence under which men can live; but, I confess, I
did not expect to see the day, when a body of strangers, birds of
passage, creatures of an hour, should assume a right to call on the
old and long-established inhabitants of a country, to prove their
claims to their possessions, and this, too, in an unusual and
unheard-of manner, under the penalty of being violently deprived of
them!"

"Long established!" repeated John Effingham, laughing; "what do you
term long established? Have you not been absent a dozen years, and do
not these people reduce everything to the level of their own habits.
I suppose, now, you fancy you can go to Rome or Jerusalem, or
Constantinople, and remain four or five lustres, and then come coolly
back to Templeton. and, on taking possession of this house again,
call yourself an old resident."

"I certainly do suppose I have that right. How many English,
Russians, and Germans, did we meet in Italy, the residents of years,
who still retained all their natural and local right and feelings!"

"Ay, that is in countries where society is permanent, and men get
accustomed to look on the same objects, hear the same names, and see
the same faces for their entire lives. I have had the curiosity to
inquire, and have ascertained that none of the old, permanent
families have been active in this affair of the Point, but that all
the clamour has been made by those you call the birds of passage. But
what of that? These people fancy everything reduced to the legal six
months required to vote; and that rotation in persons is as necessary
to republicanism as rotation in office."

"Is is not extraordinary that persons who can know so little on the
subject, should be thus indiscreet and positive?"

"It is not extraordinary in America. Look about you, Ned, and you
will see adventurers uppermost everywhere; in the government, in your
towns, in your villages, in the country, even. We are a nation of
changes. Much of this, I admit, is the fair consequence of legitimate
causes, as an immense region, in forest