KENNEDY'S SWALLOW BARN.

Swallow Barn; or, a Sojourn in the Old Dominion. By J. P. Kennedy. Revised edition. With twenty illustrations by Strother. Putnam.

[We remember reading this book when it first came out, some twenty years ago, or more, with considerable interest, and thinking it a very pleasant production to while away a vacant hour withal. We shall be pleased, of course, to look into it again, as soon as we can find a little leisure for the purpose. In the mean time, we take the following brief notice of it from the Literary World, which we dare say is all fair.]

Swallow Barn is such another reproduction of the life of Old Virginia as Bracebridge Hall is of the cheerful Old England. Both we fear are pictures of fading and half forgotten existences; but they will remain happy types of the minds of their respective authors, genial, graceful views of human nature and social life, ideals which, even in the most troublous times, will be always more or less realized-for the heart will always answer to scenes of quiet and friendship, traits of domestic happiness, and carefully nurtured home humors. Mr. Kennedy drew such a picture of life some twenty years ago in his Swallow Barn. He intimates to us now in the preface to the new edition of the work, that all this romance of the Old Dominion is becoming traditional. It is doubtless so, and much to be regretted is the fact of the changes coming over our old national manners of the era of the Revolution; but we have the guarantee in the favorable reception of works of this class that the spirit is not extinct. Sure we are that what was amiable and happy in those old times will be reproduced again in new and stranger forms, perhaps, but in the ancient vitality.

Mr. Kennedy's book is and will remain a favorite picture of the South. Its very languor is characteristic of the topic. You have no keen sensations or closely-packed energetic writing, but a leisurely induction of incident and anecdote. There is time enough before us all: "old Virginia never tires;" and of a long summer afternoon or winter's fireside, Swallow Barn may be safely entertained as among the most cheerful of companions. Its sketches are commonly of

the Irvingesque type, amiable in temper, but not withont an occasional touch of humorous satire to relieve them from the insipidity of dull eulogy.

Of the illustrations we can say they are additions to the work, on a favorite theory of our own that any pictures help the imagination.

THE LINDEN LEAF.

Sweet Leaf of the Linden, that borne on the stream,
Art passing away with the sun's setting beam,
Ah why didst thou leave that fair tree on the hill
That bore thee so bravely and cherished thee still;
And the light rustling leaves too, a musical throng,
That danced in wild glee to the mocking-bird's song?
And thou wert as airy and gladsome as they,
Until that young Zephyrus stole thee away.
Ah why didst thou let that false, flattering wind,
Persuade thee to leave all thy kindred behind;
The fond mother tree that remembers thee yet,
And the sweet sister leaves that can never forget;
To wander with him-though thou knewest not where ;
But to pine and consume in a green-yellow care!
And where is he now, that gay, volatile breeze?
O playing with all the fresh leaves on the trees;
And whispering to them the same fanciful tale
That he knows, the sly spirit, will always prevail.
And what cares he now for the credulous leaf
That he lured, and has left in disconsolate grief?
Ah! what cares he now for her desolate state?
Or what will he care for her piteous fate?
And what shall that be? But thou needst not reply ;.
For what can it be but to wither and die.

IGNOTUS.

Various Intelligence.

THE CONVENTION.

This body adjourned on the 1st of August last, after a session of eight months, having at length succeeded in forming the plan of a Constitution which is to be submitted to the people of the State for adoption or rejection, on the 4th Thursday in this month, the 23rd inst. We note some of its leading features as follows:

Every free white male citizen of the age of 21 years, who has resided two years in the State, and one year in the county, city, or town where he offers his vote, shall have the right of suffrage.

The General Assembly shall consist of a House of Delegates of 152 members, to be chosen biennially, and a Senate of 50, chosen for four years, and apportioned among the different sections of the State by an arrangement (the result of a compromise) which gives a majority of 14 to the West in the former body, and of 10 to the East in the latter. Bills and resolutions may originate in either house.

No session of the General Assembly, after the first under this constitution, shall continue longer than ninety days, without the concurrence of three-fifths of the members elected to each house, in which case, the session may be extended for a further period, not exceeding thirty days.

The Governor shall be chosen by popular vote, for four years, and shall be ineligible for a succeeding term, and to any other office during the period of his service.

A Lieutenant Governor shall be elected at the same time, and for the same term as the Governor: he shall be president of the Senate, but shall have no vote in the body.

A Secretary of the Commonwealth, Treasurer, and an Auditor of Public Accounts shall be elected by the joint votes of the two houses of the General Assembly, and continue in office for the term of two years, unless sooner removed.

For the Judiciary department, there shall be a Supreme Court of Appeals, District Courts, and Circuit Courts; the jurisdiction of which tribunals, and the judges thereof, except so far as the same is conferred by the constitution, shall be regulated by law. The judges for these courts shall be elected, in the sections, (five in number,) by the voters therein, five to form the Court of Appeals, to hold office for twelve years; and in the circuits,

(twenty-one in number,) by the voters therein, twenty-one, to form the Circuit and District Courts; holding office for eight years.

There shall be a County Court in each county with the same jurisdiction as that of the existing County Courts, except as far as it is modified by this constitution, or may be changed by law. At every election of a Governor, an Attorney General shall be elected by the voters of the Commonwealth, for the term of four years.

Taxation shall be ad valorem; slaves under twelve years exempt, those over that age to be taxed for an amount not exceeding that levied upon 300 acres of land; white males to pay a capitation tax equal to that upon 200 acres of land; one half of which shall be appropriated to primary education; incomes, salaries, and licenses may be taxed at the pleasure of the Legislature.

The liability to the State of any incorporated company can not be released.

The credit of the State can not be pledged for the debt of any corporation.

Lotteries are prohibited.

Divorces may be granted by the court, as shall be provided by law.

Laws shall be passed for the registration of voters, and of marriages, births and deaths, of both whites and blacks, and for taking a census of the State at intervals of five years from the date of the United States census.

Laws may be passed disqualifying those taking part in a duel, either as principals or seconds, from holding any office whatsoever of trust or emolument under the Commonwealth; but no such law shall have any retrospective action.

Laws may be passed providing for the relief of the Commonwealth from the free colored population, by removal or otherwise.

Emancipated slaves can not remain more than twelve months in the Commonwealth, under penalty of being again reduced to slavery.

There shall be set apart annually, from the accruing revenue, a sum equal to seven per cent. of the State debt existing on the first day of January, 1852. The fund thus set apart shall be called the Sinking Fund, and shall be applied to the payment of the interest of the State debt, and the principal of such part as may be redeemable.

Whenever, after the said first day of January a debt shall be contracted by the Commonwealth, there shall be set apart in like manner, annually, for thirty-four years, a sum exceeding by one per cent. the aggregate annual interest agreed to be paid

thereon, at the time contracted, which sum shall be part of the Sinking Fund, and shall be applied in the manner before directed.

This plan of a new Constitution was not passed by the Convention with entire unanimity; but only by a vote of 75 to 33. It seems to be taken for granted, however, on all sides, that it will be adopted by the people, by a very large majority. And indeed the Convention seems to have forestalled this result by determining that it may be voted for or against, not merely by their constituents, but by all the new voters on whom it proposes to confer the right of suffrage after its adoption.

THE LATE GOVERNOR MCDOWELL.

The Hon. James McDowell, sometime Governor of our State, and subsequently a member of Congress, died at his residence in Lexington, on the 24th of August last, in the 56th year of his age.

Governor McD. was born in Lexington some time about the year 1795, and, in early youth, acquired the elements of a liberal education at Washington College in that place. Thence he afterwards repaired to Yale, and subsequently to Princeton, where he finished his college course, with distinction, in 1816. Returning to his native town, he continued to pursue his studies, to store his mind with useful knowledge, and to cultivate his talents with assiduous care.

Thus qualified, his first appearance in public life was in 1830, when he came into the House of Delegates, (the first under the new constitution,) where he was highly respected, but was not immediately distinguished among the lights of the hall at that period. In the following year, however, 1832, he came out with great eclat in the famous debate on the subject of slavery, (kindled by the then recent insurrection in Southampton,) and was thenceforth always recognised as one of the most able and eloquent speakers in the House. He had not, indeed, the readiness or tact of a prompt debater, and was understood to be rather slow and laborious in his preparations; but he spoke always in a handsome flowing style, and with great weight and effect.

Increasing in public estimation, in 1832, he was elected by the Legislature Governor of the Commonwealth; and discharged the duties of the office for his term of three years, with a dignity and propriety that seemed to shed new lustre on the chair of state, as well ason himself.

Retiring from this post to private life, he was soon afterwards elected a member of Congress for the district in which he re