"O king, live forever!" replied President Fraggood. "Thou art a mighty
ruler. Thy dominions are unbounded. Thy rich possessions are found in
every clime. The name of Darius falls on the ears of the kings of the
earth, and they tremble. In thy wisdom thou hast set over the provinces
of Babylon an hundred and twenty princes, and over these thou hast set
three presidents, the first of whom is Daniel, a man mighty in wisdom and
understanding. Now, O king, thou knowest that these provinces are united,
and may the gods forbid that anything should ever transpire to dissolve
this glorious union. Thy servants have some reason to fear that among
some of the inhabitants of these northern provinces there is a
disposition to think that the commands of the king are not absolute, and
that in certain cases they may be disregarded. Far be it from us to think
that this feeling prevails to any serious extent. We are happy to know
that, in all the southern provinces, they are abundantly loyal; and,
indeed, in the northern provinces this rebellious and dangerous
disposition is confined to a few mischievous fanatics; but it is a
poisonous plant, O king, that must be destroyed in the bud. If such
looseness is permitted to go unpunished, how long will it be before our
beloved union is shivered to ruined fragments? We have had this subject
under our most serious consideration. We have thought over it with
throbbing hearts. Some measure must be resorted to that will impress the
inhabitants with the matchless greatness of our king, and convince them
that, when he commands, he intends to be obeyed. Therefore, O king, with
nothing but the good of the nation at heart, thy servants the three
presidents, with all the princes, have enacted this law, and it is now
presented to thee for thy royal signature and seal:

"'It is hereby enacted, for the safety of the Union: Let no person offer
any prayer or petition to any god or man, except the king, for the space