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The life and works of William Cullen Bryant
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CHAPTER
TENTH.
THE
LAW
ABANDONED.
A.
D.
1822-1824.
IT
was
at
this
time,
I
am
disposed
to
believe,
that
Mr.
Bry
ant
s
political
opinions
underwent
certain
modifications
which
it
is
important
to
notice.
He
was
still
a
Federalist,
attended
the
meetings
of
his
party,
served
on
committees,
and,
when
ne
cessary,
discussed
the
character
and
claims
of
candidates
for
office
in
the
newspapers.*
But
a
great
change
had
been
going
*
If
one
may
judge
from
the
following
jeu
d
esprit,
however,
found
among
his
papers,
he
was
more
disposed
to
make
fun
of
the
politicians
in
general
than
to
take
part
in
their
contests
:
& quot;
All
things
must
have
an
end
empires
and
thrones
Speeches
and
messages
though
ne
er
so
long
There
is
an
end
to
smiles,
an
end
to
groans,
To
C
s
sermons
and
to
B
s
song.
All
things
must
have
an
end
that
high
behest
Has
brought
the
Sixteenth
Congress
to
its
close,
(a)
And
packed
its
members
off
to
East
and
West,
To
Florida
in
flowers
and
Maine
in
snows.
& quot;
Some
carry
home
the
unspoken
speech
again,
Some
mourn
a
luckless
bill
to
its
long
sleep
Untimely
sent,
as
dies
upon
the
plain
The
tender
poppy
trod
by
huddling
sheep.
Some
glory
to
have
proved
their
length
of
wind,
Some
that
a
starveling
measure
struggled
through,
One
sighing
statesman
leaves
his
heart
behind,
Another,
some
cool
hundreds
lost
at
loo
!
(a)
The
Sixteenth
Congress
closed
March
3,
1821.
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