sent to him by his father. This officer must have had a very conscientious regard for the moral and religious good of the prisoners; but how he could exclude _religious_ books from them, and yet permit them to purchase and read the _lowest_, _dirtiest_ and most _infamous_ books that ever corrupted _either sex_, or disgraced the literature of any age or country, he can tell as truly as I can conjecture. This is not a solitary instance of religious inconsistency in the officers; I could mention more, but my limits will not permit. It shews what mankind are--a selfish, exclusive, unfeeling, and despotic community. Every view which we can take of man, as he comes into contact with circumstances, goes to confirm the maxim, that if he has _power_ he will _use_ it. From the same volume we learn the impolicy of creating _spiritual_ superiors. Christians are brethren. Among them is no allowable pre-eminence. They are to call no man on earth either _master_, or _father_. This is the command of Christ himself, and from the authority with which it is clothed, is obvious the greatness of the crime of disobeying it. Hence the fact that a spiritual despotism is the worst that can exist. Look to Rome; look to England; look into the cells of the Inquisition. May the Lord never, in his anger, curse these United States with a church establishment. _Political_ tyranny is horrid enough, but from _spiritual_ tyranny, good God deliver us! There was once an important officer in the prison who was a _Deist_. He despised all religion, and even insulted and abused the Chaplain. Frequently did he keep some of the prisoners employed in chopping wood on the Sabbath; and when spoken to about this profanation of the Christian's sacred day, his reply was--"_Monday_ is a good day, _Tuesday_ is a good day, _Sunday_ is a good day, I see _no difference_ in them." There was not a single good thing in this man's official conduct. He despised almost every thing that is called good. The prisoners he regarded as an inferior race of animals, and rebuked the Chaplain for calling them "_brethren_." He was too bad even for _that_ office, and as he purchased an ox for the prisoners to eat, which had _died of disease in the heat of summer_, the Superintendent gave him a very sudden and peremptory discharge. "I give you," said he, "till to-morrow morning to clear out, and take away your things." This was good tidings of great joy to all, and the prison rung with Jubilee.