And amid these “discoveries of genius” to which “we owe all that we now have,” bearing the seeds of intellectual life and improvement to “the most distant posterity” what treasures are richer than those which the Latin brings? Architecture, Agriculture, Manufactures, Commerce, Civil Engineering, Finance, Legislation, Religious Organization, Sculpture, Painting, Music, Literature, Science, the wedding of the Fine Arts to Religion—in each and every one of these fields _his_ genius has been creative and masterful. _Upon our civilization the Latin has imposed, as an everlasting blessing, an imperishable Public Debt._ What does civilization owe to the negro? Nothing! _Nothing!!_ NOTHING!!! _Amending the Constitution_ I am not one of those who believe that the Constitution of the United States is a flawless piece of workmanship. It was not so considered by those who made it nor by those who adopted it. It never would have been ratified had it not been that amendments were promised and misrepresentation made as to the character of the instrument. There has been a great deal of discussion recently about making a new Constitution or amending the old. When the Constitution was adopted _a government was created_ of which the Constitution is the supreme law, and _this cannot be changed except in the manner prescribed in the instrument itself_. If two-thirds of the states composing the Union, acting through their legislatures, shall apply to Congress for “a Constitutional convention for proposing amendments,” and these amendments should be ratified by three-fourths of the states, then a practically new Constitution might be framed; but in no other legal way could the people alter the fundamental law. Congress can take the initiative by a vote of two-thirds of both Houses, and can propose amendments which, if adopted by three-fourths of the states, would become a part of the Constitution; but it must occur to all that this method of effecting reform is slow and cumbrous to the last degree. _The framers of the Constitution meant that it should be so._ In a very able article in the last number of this magazine Mr. Frederick Upham Adams discusses the necessity for amendments to the Constitution. He cites four changes that should be made. First.—The election of President and Vice-President should not be decided by a majority of the states, but by a majority of the people. Second.—United States Senators should not be elected by legislatures, but by direct vote of the people of the states. Third.—The states should be represented in the Senate according to population. Fourth.—The powers and functions of the Federal Judiciary should be enumerated and limited. I heartily concur with Mr. Adams in his view of the Federal Judiciary. It has usurped functions and powers unprecedented in the history of judicial tribunals.