among them now.  Salt rose to $25 a sack.  The authorities prohibited the holders from charging more than $12, the present price.  Pins are $1.50 per paper; jeans $5 per yard; and everything else in proportion.

One word in comment.  Every additional fact of the deplorable condition of things in the slave States is an additional reason why the North should firmly meet the cause of this misery.  If the North should have the manhood to strike a blow at slavery now, still a generation must pass before harmony would ensue; but if the North evades and dallies, scores of generations must live and die before America sees unbroken peace again.

* * * * *

While the war goes on, the contrabands go off.  A writer in the Norfolk Day Book complains that slaves are escaping from that city in great numbers, asserting that they get away through the instrumentality of secret societies in Norfolk, which hold their meetings weekly, and in open day.  No one can doubt that this war is clearing the Border of its black chattels in double-quick time.  Why not strike boldly, and secure it by offering to pay all its loyal slave-holders for their property?  Of one thing, let the country rest assured—­the friends of Emancipation will not brook much longer delay.  It MUST and SHALL be carried through,—­and we are strong enough to do it.

* * * * *

Thurlow Weed grows apace, and occasionally writes a good thing from London—­as, for instance, in the following:—­

At breakfast, a few days since, a distinguished member of Parliament, who has been much in America, remarked, with emphasis, that he had formerly entertained a high opinion of ‘JUDGE LYNCH,’ looking with much favor upon that species of impromptu jurisprudence known as ‘Lynch law,’ but since it failed to hang FLOYD, COBB and THOMPSON, of BUCHANAN’S cabinet, he had ignored and was disgusted with the system.

What would the distinguished member have said had he been familiar with the Catiline steamer case, the mysteries of shoddy contracts, the outfitting of the Burnside expedition, and innumerable other rascalities?  The gentleman was right,—­Lynch law has proved a failure; and, if we err not, another kind of law has of late months been not very far behind it in inefficiency.  Our Southern foes have at least one noble trait—­they hang their rascals.

* * * * *

‘Non dum,’ ‘not yet,’ was the motto of a great king, who, when the time came, shook Europe with his victories.  ‘Not yet,’ says the Christian, struggling through trial and temptation towards the peace which passeth understanding and a heavenly crown.  ‘Not yet,’ says the brave reformer, fighting through lies and petty malice, and all the meanness of foes lying in wait, ere he can convince the world that he is in the right.  ‘Not yet,’ says