friends the spoils of office? Has the good of the State been our lofty $19. Britain aim? or mean, selfish, filthy lucre ? and America to be friendly not occasioned fortuitous cir New ships than old. change or we It must be admitted that thus far the British system, granting ex- The superiority of British clusive privileges to a few of their Aristocracy, has produced superior Aristocracy. results to our American free system; for it will be evident in the sequel, that we have not prospered because of good management, but from peculiar circumstances attending the settlement of a new country of immense area, and with unequalled advantages. One needs only to look into our Our success unwieldy, confused, contradictory mass of statutes that every State and by skill, but every lawyer, even from Philadelphia, is perplexed with, and scrutinize cumstances. the views of our leading statesmen as presented by Professor Fowler, in his Sectional Controversy, and glance at the mistakes and wrongs of our present Administration, to discover that our success is not to be attributed to Aristocratic skill employed in sailing our ships of State. New ships will bear a deal of maltreatment and abuse, that would founder bear more an old one; and were we old States like Britain, with such management We must continued, as has been ours, we should soon be in the deep ocean buried. shall founder. We must have a more perfect Aristocracy, and make of it a better More Aristocuse. A pure Democracy is our special abhorrence. We are Republican- sary. Democrats, having a much more perfect Republican basis, than any Democracy of which we have knowledge. We shall adhere to Republicanism if we are to prosper and preserve our liberties; and in choosing our Aristocrats Executives, Legislators, Judges and other officials, our aim is to be, must be, rulers. more and more to put forward into public life our best men, our Aristocrats. Our chief difficulty has been, that hitherto proper regard has not been This has been neglected. paid to this important point. Yet had we done pretty well in the main, till that pernicious principle came into vogue, "to the victors belong the "To the vicspoils ; "since which, the strife has been both by electors and elected, spoils," perless with reference to qualifications for office, less to the plans of Government, State or Federal, less to the protection of faithful subjects, and the advancement of the glory of these Sovereignties; than to the profits to be made out of the office by the recipient, and the patronage to be bestowed on his followers. We must discover and apply an effective Must be ameremedy to this evil, or we go to destruction. racy neces must be our tors belong the nicious. died. of Federalism escape from have given us And here again may it be observed in passing, we see the beneficial The excellence influence of Federalism over a wide country. These evils have been felt proved in our much more in the North than in the South. Had we in the North been these evils. by ourselves, the consequences would doubtless have been more injurious; but the South have continued in the main to give to the Federal service The South their best men, their Aristocrats, as from the beginning, and there is no more Arismeasuring the value of Southern influence in directing our Federal concerns. The North will in time reciprocate these benefits, if they have not checks of already. We cannot dispense with the checks and balances of North South indisand South, East and West. tocrats. North and pensable. up an Aris We shall make rapid progress in building up an Aristocracy as we We shall build come to understand the nature of our Government, the study of which tocracy. and America it. $19. Britain this war has forced upon us. A mixture of it is quite as essential to our to be friendly. Democracies as to Britain's Monarchy. We have laid a proper groundwork for its development, particularly in the North, in our system of Our free school free schools, which enables a poor man's son to look forward with equal system favors probability of becoming an Aristocrat, as if his father were a millionaire. Some of the best bloods of England, as of America, fall into reduced circumstances; but it is far more difficult to recover there than here. Great wealth is not requisite to a proper Aristocracy, but a competency is, which may easily be acquired in this country, with a small portion of a man's time properly bestowed on business, leaving the larger portion to be We shall have employed in qualifying himself to be an Aristocrat. Space must not here equal to Brit- be taken to discuss this interesting topic; but we shall endeavor hereafter to prove, that we shall surely establish an Aristocracy in these Democratic States, equal if possible, perhaps even superior, to that of Britain. an Aristocracy ain. Strife between racy. An interesting feature in the friendly struggle for supremacy in ArisAmerica as to tocracy is to be, the ascertaining whether the hereditary system of Britain, hereditary and free Aristoc- securing privileges to a part, is equal or superior to the free system of America. Of paramount importance is the subject to us, for the whole problem of maintaining popular Governments, rests upon this one quesA high Aris- tion. If we cannot have and perpetuate a high grade of Aristocracy, from which our rulers shall be almost uniformly elected, we can never sustain free Governments. Revolutions and anarchy must be our fate, till we find relief in Despotism; and then, fortunate shall we be, if by establishing an hereditary Aristocracy, with all its burdens, we shall reach as free a condition as Britons enjoy. tocracy necessary to us. We shall earDestly maintain it. Citizens tocracy. Our inhabitants, too, of every grade will earnestly maintain Aristocracy. We live and labor for our children, are more regardful of the interests of posterity than of this generation; and the more cultivated we are, the more strongly this sentiment will possess and actuate us. Even Our humble in the humbler walks of life, among those making no pretension to Arisfriends to Aristocracy, though often better entitled to rank among Aristocrats than many who look down upon them with contempt; among the sons of poverty and toil, do men understand that their little boys may rise to eminence and power, and become the leading Aristocrats of the land. They have stronger inducements, even, than the rich man, to preserve the present order of the State, which, more than any other, gives to true merit a liberal chance for promotion. In these States emphatically, "Worth makes the man, want of it the fellow." Aristocracy not under These things have not been well understood; and we in middle life stood by us. and on the decline, may never fully comprehend them; yet with the Soon will be. practical good sense of Americans, most will soon discover that they are no patrons of the pernicious doctrines of equality so much in vogue, to help greedy politicians to places of power, that they might plunder the public coffers. The plain People want our institutions perpetuated, which can only be done by changing our system, and electing true Aristocrats. to office. Most of our Citizens. thank GOD, are farmers, and know that Our farmers understand this thing of blood. and America least equal to occasionally a mare drops a foal that, without a pedigree, gives indication § 19. Britain of superiority, which care and training render famous. Good blood is to be friendly. there, and no one doubts it; though it may be several generations back, and untraceable. So will many a son, with parentage unknown to fame, in Their sons at this land of true equality-equality of right to qualify for the highest grade a horse. of Aristocracy, and to obtain it—rise to places of eminence and power. Sherman came from the shoemaker's bench; Burritt and Corwin from Examples. the anvil; Douglas from the cabinet wareroom; Webster from the farm; and a host of others could be named, all from the plain common people; and no one doubts their having good blood from some ancestor. Thousands Blood will tell. more such instances are to be seen, if our institutions are preserved, of unknown blood cropping out to the glory of the family, and State, and Union; to the good of the world. What a stimulus has the humble The interest of Citizen, or even the humblest subject, who never aspires to the high citizen or subject to predignity of Citizenship for himself, to labor to preserve our Aristocracy, serve our instiand bring it into power, that his descendants may enjoy this inestimable privilege of Citizenship, and have an equal chance of preferment to the highest ranks of Aristocracy! And the next and succeeding generations, generations are to be much better instructed on this subject than are we. the humble tutions. Succeeding will understand this. seem to have yet the South tocracy. treated. are kept in office. Though we in the North are far in advance of the South in laying a The North solid basis of Aristocracy in our educational plans, which must continue, the advantage, too, owing to the large plantation system of the latter; their Aristocracy is lead in Arisnow more prominent, and has been of much more service to themselves and to our whole country, than ours. Living on their estates, with well chosen libraries of the best authors ancient and modern, their solid And why? thoughts not all frittered away with newspapers and magazines (which in moderation have also their right place) and with "yellow-covered litera- Minds more thoroughly ture," they study more thoroughly into subjects than most do in the cultivated. North. Then, too, those genuine Aristocrats are better treated than are Are better ours. The science of Government, the noblest of all, receiving their They study special attention, they are qualified to become political leaders, and term politics, and after term they fill the same office, or are promoted. This training and advancing are the means of making eminent statesmen; but in the North, when a cub has sucked long enough in the opinion of his partisans, the North. he is choked off the teat; and usually, after a single official term, when he Frequent begins to be a little qualified to serve his constituents and his country, he gives way to a successor. Ever after the spoils, and without regard to Our object the qualifications, as a general thing, we devote our efforts and votes to that spoils. candidate who can give us and our party most probable success; and the measure of success, is the amount of public plunder secured. The true Our AristoAristocrat of the North, the wise and good Citizen, who has leisure to give to study, and has qualified himself to fill with honor the highest places of power, is seldom brought forward into the political arena; but the brawling partisan, contemptible pot-house politician, carries all before ing partisans him, and the country may go to-one place or another. This difference This enables between the two sections, accounts for the control the South have had rule. Different in changes. crats have no chance. -only brawl elected. the South to and America A sudden change not expected, -therefore $19. Britain in our public affairs, to which they are fairly entitled by the superiorto be friendly. ity, in both political knowledge and experience, of the statesmen they put forward. And it is because a change must be a gradual work of many years, that the remark has been previously made, that we in the West will look to the South to devise measures of Government, and will give the votes to put them in operation. We will not be separated from the South, and all we ask is, that they shall plan as well in the future as in the past, and almost their every project shall have success. We should have been worse situated than we are now, but for the South. the West desire a new Union with the South. A change will be made. rule. ment to be tocrat. No cause of discourage ment. verse influ ences. In time, we shall find some means in the North of guarding ourselves from these harpies of office seekers and public plunderers. Then will the Aristocracy to Aristocracy have rule, and by improved practice, we shall develop much further the excellence of our compound system of free Governments. Study Govern- Let every reader study into the science of Government in particular, and come an Aris- set his children at the same work, for an high Aristocracy cannot be otherwise attained. We have no cause of discouragement, not in the least. Considering our circumstances, the short period we have had to accomFormer ad- plish what can only be done by persevering efforts of generations, and also the erroneous ideas as to freedom and equality generally prevalent among us, notwithstanding our correct enunciation of principles in our Our progress Declaration of Independence and our Bills of Rights; it is quite remarkable that we have made so much progress in true Republican, antiDemocratic, institutions. We subscribe to the observation of Dugald natural Aris- Stewart: "I before took notice of that natural Aristocracy, which we Works, ix. 417. find in every community, arising from the original differences among men, in respect of intellectual and moral qualities. That these were intended to lay a foundation for civil Government, no man can doubt who does not reject altogether the inferences which are drawn from the appearances of design in the human constitution." remarkable. DUGALD tocracy. A mixture of sary-not of We must have the mixture of Administration-not of Sovereignty, tion, neces- the Right of Command, which, being one and indivisible, is incapable of Sovereignty. mixture with anything—the mixture of the exercise of Sovereignty, which has worked so admirably for centuries in the mother-land, for almost a century with us their offspring; and at the same time study sufficiently into the theory of Government to learn, that, while we have an Aristocracy, we are still Democracies, though Republican, our Sovereignty Examples in being in these several Peoples; as Britain, with her Aristocracy, is still a Monarchy, though Limited, her Right of Command being in her excellent Majesty, the Queen. Britain and America. Mixture not a new idea. ELL, 1644. This idea of mixture, and yet preserving Sovereignty one and entire, is no modern invention to gull the People, or deceive Monarchs. "James JAMES HOW- Howell, Esquire, one of the Clerks of his Majesties Most Honourable Privy Council," wrote in the time of the Long Parliament (the date is 1644) an interesting paper on "The Preheminence and Pedigree of Parlement," which we find in that invaluable collection, Lord Somers' Tracts, from which we shall draw several treasures. Says Howell: and America ny. So I may say to have cause to rejoyce that I was born a Vassal to the § 19. Britain Crowne of England; that I was borne under so well moulded and tempered a Govern- to be friendly. ment, which endowes the Subject with such Liberties and Infranchisements, that beare Rejoices he is up his naturall Courage, and keep him still in Heart, that free and secure him eter- under so good nally from the Gripes and Tallons of Tyranny: And all this may be imputed to the Government. Free of tyranauthority and Wisdome of the High Court of Parlement, wherein there is such a rare Co-ordination of Power, (though the Soveraignty remaine still entire, and untrans- Because powferrable in the Prince) there is such a wholsome Mixture 'twixt Monarchy, Optimacy, er is divided, and Democracy; 'twixt Prince, Peers and Communalty, during the time of Consulta-bile Sovereignty is tion, that of so many distinct Parts, by a rare Co-operation and Unanimity, they make entire. but one Body-Politicke, (like that Sheafe of Arrows in the Emblem) one entire concen- The different tricall Peece, and the Results of their Deliberations, but as so many harmonious in one body parts united Diapasons arising from different Strings. politic. 1688. And we shall learn, I think, that at the settlement of the Crown on No change in William and Mary, great care was used not to change the ancient Constitution. The documents and debates, which have been examined and will be quoted, seem to prove that Sovereignty was granted as of yore, William and so that William and Mary could rightfully grant their faithful subjects in Mary full sovMassachusetts the charter with such privileges and powers, as enabled Could grant those Colonists, when forsaken by the King's representatives, the Gover- a charter. nor and Lieutenant-Governor, as they were, to appoint those officers for themselves. ereigns. Massachusetts tain Aristoc interfere with best. Let the Nobility of Britain understand, that they have in us earnest we will maincoadjutors to maintain Aristocracy; and if they choose to make a part of racy. theirs hereditary, not only do we freely admit that it is none of our con- We will not cern, that we have no right in any shape or form to interfere; but fur- Britain's hereditary ther, we see clearly, that it is the best means of establishing a permanent Aristocracy, and reliable check upon Monarch and People, indispensable in that form of Government. While we cannot have their form, most probably ours They can is not adapted to them, at least they think so; and the British People judge what is have not only ability to judge for themselves, but a long experience of the benefits of their Government, should make them slow to change essen- Should be slow to change. tially, while with due inquisition they ascertain abuses, if any there be, and make such improvements as may be in their power. We need desire To equal them no more success than that attained and attaining, in Britain's progress us. past and present. We Anglo-Saxons glory in our mother-land. bless and prosper her for many centuries to come, as in centuries past; land and when we shall have attained her present age, may we be able to show as honorable a record. would satisfy GOD Prosperity on the mother should have disagreement. The time has come for Anglo-Saxons of Britain and of these States, Anglo-Saxons to have a better understanding. Two of the leading powers of earth, friendship. neither acknowledging any superior; being the two best examples of the opposite forms of Government, Monarchy and Democracy, one or the Possibility of other of which every nation will, probably, in time imitate; we seem at first glance to be rivals, between whom concord is doubtful. Let us see. The competition in commerce and manufactures should give no occa. As to comsion of difficulty beyond what arbitration can remove, already several manufactures. times successfully employed; and when our Supreme Court shall be merce and |