"Mr. Speaker, I don't know much particulars about de constitution, but I know dis; I wouldn't gif a d----d cent for a constitution dat didn't wash in fresh water as well as in salt." The House burst into an uproar of uncontrollable laughter, and the bill passed. So came about this new departure and one of the most beneficent ways of spending government money, and of employing army and navy engineers. Little of the money spent by the Government yields so great a return. So expands our flexible constitution to meet the new wants of an expanding population. Let who will make the constitution if we of to-day are permitted to interpret it. [Illustration: _Photograph from Underwood & Underwood, N.Y._ JAMES G. BLAINE] Mr. Blaine's best story, if one can be selected from so many that were excellent, I think was the following: In the days of slavery and the underground railroads, there lived on the banks of the Ohio River near Gallipolis, a noted Democrat named Judge French, who said to some anti-slavery friends that he should like them to bring to his office the first runaway negro that crossed the river, bound northward by the underground. He couldn't understand why they wished to run away. This was done, and the following conversation took place: _Judge:_ "So you have run away from Kentucky. Bad master, I suppose?" _Slave:_ "Oh, no, Judge; very good, kind massa." _Judge:_ "He worked you too hard?" _Slave:_ "No, sah, never overworked myself all my life." _Judge, hesitatingly:_ "He did not give you enough to eat?" _Slave:_ "Not enough to eat down in Kaintuck? Oh, Lor', plenty to eat." _Judge:_ "He did not clothe you well?" _Slave:_ "Good enough clothes for me, Judge." _Judge:_ "You hadn't a comfortable home?" _Slave:_ "Oh, Lor', makes me cry to think of my pretty little cabin down dar in old Kaintuck." _Judge, after a pause:_ "You had a good, kind master, you were not overworked, plenty to eat, good clothes, fine home. I don't see why the devil you wished to run away." _Slave:_ "Well, Judge, I lef de situation down dar open. You kin go rite down and git it." The Judge had seen a great light. "Freedom has a thousand charms to show, That slaves, howe'er contented, never know." That the colored people in such numbers risked all for liberty is the best possible proof that they will steadily approach and finally reach the full stature of citizenship in the Republic. I never saw Mr. Blaine so happy as while with us at Cluny. He was a boy again and we were a rollicking party together. He had never fished with a fly. I took him out on Loch Laggan and he began awkwardly, as all do, but he soon caught the swing. I shall never forget his first capture: "My friend, you have taught me a new pleasure in life. There are a hundred fishing lochs in Maine, and I'll spend my holidays in future upon them trout-fishing."