"That successor, I need not say, of course," continued General Belch, "must be a good man and a faithful adherent of the party. He must be the consistent enemy of a purse-proud aristocracy." "He must, indeed," said Mr. Enos Slugby, whisking a little of the ash from his cigar off an embroidered shirt-bosom, in doing which the flash from a diamond ring upon his finger dazzled Abel, who had turned as he spoke. "He must espouse the immortal cause of popular rights, and be willing to spend and be spent for the people." "That's it," said Mr. William Condor, whose sinecure under government was not worth less than twenty thousand a year. "He must always uphold the honor of the glorious flag of our country." "Excuse me, General Belch, but I can not control my feelings; I must propose three cheers," interrupted Alderman MacDennis O'Rourke; and the three cheers were heartily given. "And this candidate must be equally the foe of class legislation and the friend of State rights." Here Mr. Bat moved his head, as if he were assenting to a remark of his friend General Jackson. "And I surely need not add that it would be the first and most sacred point of honor with this candidate to serve his party in every thing, to be the unswerving advocate of all its measures, and implicitly obedient to all its behests," said General Belch. "Which behests are to be learned by him from the authorized leaders of the party," said Mr. Enos Slugby. "Certainly," said half of the gentlemen. "Of course," said the other half. During the remarks that General Belch had been making his eyes were fixed upon Abel Newt, who understood that this was a political examination, in which the questions asked included the answers that were to be given. When the General had ended, the company sat intently smoking for some time, and filling and emptying their glasses. "Mr. Bat," said General Belch, "what is your view?" Mr. Bat removed his eyes from General Jackson's portrait, and cleared his throat. "I think," he said, closing his eyes, and rubbing his fingers along his eyebrows, "that the party holding to the only constitutional policy is to be supported at all hazards, and I think the great party to which we belong is that party. Our principles are all true, and our measures are all just. Speculative persons and dreamers talk about independent political action. But politics always beget parties. Governments are always managed by parties, and parties are always managed by--" The dried-apple complexion at this point assumed an ashy hue, as if something very indiscreet had been almost uttered. Mr. Bat's eyes opened and saw Abel's fixed upon him with a peculiar intelligence. The whole party looked a little alarmed at Mr. Bat, and apprehensively at the new-comer. Mr. Ele frowned at General Belch, "What does he mean?" But Abel relieved the embarrassment by quietly completing Mr. Bat's sentence-- --"by the managers."