MAGNETIC TELEGRAPH. 29 



be an increase and diffusion of the knowledge that 

 he was the friend of the farmer, and that was 

 of more importance to him. The Secretary, sur- 

 rounded by a few earnest friends, and prepared 

 for the assault, sat in the back seat of the 

 theatre quite unnoticed, kindling with righteous 

 indignation at this nefarious plot to confiscate 

 the funds of which he was the chosen guardian, 

 and to destroy the institution devised by his intel- 

 lect, reared by his unceasing efforts, and guarded 

 so far by his sleepless vigilance. 



When the popular applause following the 

 " Little Giant's " popular speech had subsided, 

 the Secretary arose. In measured and digni- 

 fied words he presented himself as the guard- 

 ian of that fund, bound, so far as in him lay, 

 to defend it from spoliation. He first developed 

 the moral aspects of the question, and appealed, 

 over the head of the advocate, to the honesty 

 of the constituents he represented ; expressing the 

 most generous confidence that the farmers of this 

 country would never consciously be parties in an 

 attempt to seize that which belonged to mankind 

 in general, or seek by a forcible partition to destroy 

 the unity and efficiency of the fund. 



The legal aspect of the question he next dis- 

 cussed like an equity lawyer ; and denounced in 

 scornful sentences that attempted breach of trust 

 which was implied in the resolution. 



