I do believe that I am in America, and not in Russia, after all. The film is departing from my mental vision. An idea strikes me. It is this. In this country, under certain circumstances, _well_ understood by the public, bills of _exceptions_ are frequently filed. Aye, now I have it This is a Republic; and a Republic is a government intended for the benefit of _all_, with the _exception_ of the Mormons to-day, and of some other religious sect to-morrow; and so on, as avarice, or bigotry, or the tyranny of a moneyed aristocracy may dictate, to the end of the chapter. The republicans of the State of Illinois have determined that the Mormons shall not remain among them. “Oh! consistency, thou art indeed a jewel” For the benefit of persons visiting Illinois, I shall close with a quotation from the Old Testament, not remarkable, perhaps, for elegance of diction, but having a claim to attention for its truthfulness. It is this:—-“It is useless to search for a _jewel_ in a swine’s snout.” END OF THE OLD TESTAMENT. THE NEW TESTAMENT INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER on THE FACTS AND PERSONAGES OF THE NEW TESTAMENT TO these persons who can take, without fear, a correct view of Jehovah’s dealings with his chosen people, as recorded in the Old Testament, it must appear, that the Jews, as a nation, did not, in any way, do honor to his choice; for, as it regards religion, they neither were at any length of time faithful to Jehovah, nor did they obey his laws. The dreadful punishments inflicted on them, together with the teaching of the Prophets, did not cure them, so as to prevent them from worshipping other gods. To men of common sense, it is clear that the Jewish God undertook to make of the seed of Abram that which never took place. The attempts to keep them as true worshippers of Jehovah, continually failed; and he, in the language of regret and complaint, says:—“I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.” And here we may inquire, how were they brought up? The answer is at hand. They were taught to consider themselves, as a nation, more valuable than any people on earth; and this pride caused them to act with hostility in their intercourse with, the Gentiles, and to rob and murder all nations less powerful than themselves; for doing which, they had from the Lord a direct order. To _show mercy_ was forbidden, and they were punished for so doing. The command was—“_Thou shall do no murder._” This command had to do with Jews only. To others it was said, “_Spare not a soul alive_.” Again, “_Thou shall not steal,_”—that is, from Jews: from all heathens, steal all you can. “_Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife,_” &c. Remember!—the wife of a Jew; but when the Lord commands, you must murder other men’s wives, and take their daughters for the most wicked purposes. This is the manner the seed of Abram were brought up; and, in these particulars, they seldom disobeyed the Lord.