CHAPTER LXXIII.
THE BELCH PLATFORM.
"My dear Newt, as a friend who has the highest respect for you, and the firmest faith in your future, I am sure you will allow me to say one thing." "Oh! certainly, my dear Belch; say two," replied Abel, with the utmost suavity, as he sat at table with General Belch.
"I have no peculiar ability, I know," continued the other, "but I have, perhaps, a little more experience than you.

We old men, you know, always plume ourselves upon experience, which we make do duty for all the virtues and talents." "And it is trained for that service by being merely a synonym for a knowledge of all the sins and rascalities," said Abel, smiling, as he blew rings of smoke and passed the decanter to General Belch.
"True," replied the other; "very true.

I see, my dear Newt, that you have had your eyes and your mind open.

And since we are going to act together--since, in fact, we are interested in the same plans--" "And principles," interrupted Abel, laying his head back, and looking with half-closed eyes at the vanishing smoke.
"Oh yes, I was coming to that--in the same plans and principles, it is well that we should understand each other perfectly." General Belch paused, looked at Abel, and took snuff.
"I think we do already," replied Abel.
"Still there are one or two points to which I would call your attention.
One is, that you can not be too careful of what you say, in regard to its bearing upon the party; and the other is, a general rule that the Public is an ass, but you must never let it know you think so.

If there is one thing which the party has practically proved, it is that the people have no will of their own, but are sheep in the hands of the shepherd." The General took snuff again.
"The Public, then, is an ass and a sheep ?" inquired Abel.
"Yes," said the General, "an ass in capacity, and in preference of a thistle diet; a sheep in gregarious and stupid following.