TheframersoftheAmericanConstitutionwerefarfromwishingorintendingtofoundademocracyinthestrictsenseoftheword，though，aswasinevitable，everyexpansionoftheschemeofgovernmenttheyelaboratedhasbeeninademocraticaldirection。Butthishasbeengenerallytheslowresultofgrowth，andnotthesuddeninnovationoftheory；infact，theyhadaprofounddisbeliefintheory，andknewbetterthantocommitthefollyofbreakingwiththepast。TheywerenotseducedbytheFrenchfallacythatanewsystemofgovernmentcouldbeorderedlikeanewsuitofclothes。Theywouldassoonhavethoughtoforderinganewsuitoffleshandskin。Itisonlyontheroaringloomoftimethatthestuffiswovenforsuchavestureoftheirthoughtandexperienceastheyweremeditating。Theyrecognizedfullythevalueoftraditionandhabitasthegreatalliesofpermanenceandstability。
Theyallhadthatdistasteforinnovationwhichbelongedtotheirrace，andmanyofthemadistrustofhumannaturederivedfromtheircreed。Thedayofsentimentwasover，andnodithyrambicaffirmationsorfine-drawnanalysesoftheRightsofManwouldservetheirpresentturn。Thiswasapracticalquestion，andtheyaddressedthemselvestoitasmenofknowledgeandjudgmentshould。
TheirproblemwashowtoadaptEnglishprinciplesandprecedentstothenewconditionsofAmericanlife，andtheysolveditwithsingulardiscretion。
Theyputasmanyobstaclesastheycouldcontrive，notinthewayofthepeople\'swill，butoftheirwhim。Withfewexceptionstheyprobablyadmittedthelogicofthethenacceptedsyllogism，-democracy，anarchy，despotism。Butthisformulawasframedupontheexperienceofsmallcitiesshutuptostewwithintheirnarrowwalls，wherethenumberofcitizensmadebutaninconsiderablefractionoftheinhabitants，whereeverypassionwasreverberatedfromhousetohouseandfrommantomanwithgatheringrumortilleveryimpulsebecamegregariousandthereforeinconsiderate，andeverypopularassemblyneededbutaninfusionofeloquentsophistrytoturnitintoamob，allthemoredangerousbecausesanctifiedwiththeformalityoflaw。2
[Footnote2:Theeffectoftheelectrictelegraphinreproducingthistroopingofemotionandperhapsofopinionisyettobemeasured。TheeffectofDarwinismasadisintegratorofhumanitarianismisalsotobereckonedwith。]
Fortunatelytheircasewaswhollydifferent。TheyweretolegislateforawidelyscatteredpopulationandforStatesalreadypractisedinthedisciplineofapartialindependence。Theyhadanunequalledopportunityandenormousadvantages。Thematerialtheyhadtoworkuponwasalreadydemocraticalbyinstinctandhabitude。Itwastemperedtotheirhandsbymorethanacentury\'sschoolinginself-government。Theyhadbuttogivepermanentandconservativeformtoaductilemass。Ingivingimpulseanddirectiontotheirnewinstitutions，especiallyinsupplyingthemwithchecksandbalances，theyhadagreathelpandsafeguardintheirfederalorganization。Thedifferent，sometimesconflicting，interestsandsocialsystemsoftheseveralStatesmadeexistenceasaUnionandcoalescenceintoanationconditionalonaconstantpracticeofmoderationandcompromise。Theveryelementsofdisintegrationwerethebestguidesinpoliticaltraining。Theirchildrenlearnedthelessonofcompromiseonlytoowell，anditwastheapplicationofittoaquestionoffundamentalmoralsthatcostusourcivilwar。Welearnedonceforallthatcompromisemakesagoodumbrellabutapoorroof；thatitisatemporaryexpedient，oftenwiseinpartypolitics，almostsuretobeunwiseinstatesmanship。
TheSuccessOfAmericanDemocracy-SuffrageHasnotthetrialofdemocracyinAmericaproved，onthewhole，successful？
Ifithadnot，wouldtheOldWorldbevexedwithanyfearsofitsprovingcontagious？Thistrialwouldhavebeenlessseverecouldithavebeenmadewithapeoplehomogeneousinrace，language，andtraditions，whereastheUnitedStateshavebeencalledontoabsorbandassimilateenormousmassesofforeignpopulation，heterogeneousinalltheserespects，anddrawnmainlyfromthatclasswhichmightfairlysaythattheworldwasnottheirfriend，northeworld\'slaw。ThepreviousconditiontoooftenjustifiedthetraditionalIrishman，who，landinginNewYorkandaskedwhathispoliticswere，inquirediftherewasaGovernmentthere，andonbeingtoldthattherewas，retorted，\"ThinI\'maginit！\"WehavetakenfromEuropethepoorest，themostignorant，themostturbulentofherpeople，andhavemadethemoverintogoodcitizens，whohaveaddedtoourwealth，andwhoarereadytodieindefenceofacountryandofinstitutionswhichtheyknowtobeworthdryingfor。Theexceptionshavebeen（andtheyarelamentableexceptions）
wherethesehordesofignoranceandpovertyhavecoagulatedingreatcities。
Butthesocialsystemisyettoseekwhichhasnottolookthesameterriblewolfintheeyes。Ontheotherhand，atthisverymomentIrishpeasantsarebuyinguptheworn-outfarmsofMassachusetts，andmakingthemproductiveagainbythesamevirtuesofindustryandthriftthatoncemadethemprofitabletotheEnglishancestorsofthemenwhoaredesertingthem。Tohaveachievedeventheseprosaicresults（ifyouchoosetocallthemso），andthatoutofmaterialsthemostdiscordant，-Imightsaythemostrecalcitrant，-arguesacertainbeneficentvirtueinthesystemthatcoulddoit，andisnottobeaccountedforbymereluck。
CarlylesaidscornfullythatAmericameantonlyroastturkeyeverydayforeverybody。HeforgotthatStates，asBaconsaidofwars，goontheirbellies。
Asforthesecurityofproperty，itshouldbetolerablywellsecuredinacountrywhereeveryothermanhopestoberich，eventhoughtheonlypropertyqualificationbetheownershipoftwohandsthataddtothegeneralwealth。Isitnotthebestsecurityforanythingtointerestthelargestpossiblenumberofpersonsinitspreservationandthesmallestinitsdivision？Inpointoffact，far-
seeingmencounttheincreasingpowerofwealthanditscombinationsasoneofthechiefdangerswithwhichtheinstitutionsoftheUnitedStatesarethreatenedinthenotdistantfuture。Therightofindividualpropertyisnodoubttheverycorner-stoneofcivilizationashithertounderstood，butIamalittleimpatientofbeingtoldthatpropertyisentitledtoexceptionalconsiderationbecauseitbearsalltheburdensoftheState。Itbearsthose，indeed，whichcanmosteasilybeborne，butpovertypayswithitspersonthechiefexpensesofwar，pestilence，andfamine。Wealthshouldnotforgetthis，forpovertyisbeginningtothinkofitnowandthen。Letmenotbemisunderstood。
Iseeasclearlyasanymanpossiblycan，andrateashighly，thevalueofwealth，andofhereditarywealth，asthesecurityofrefinement，thefeederofallthoseartsthatennobleandbeautifylife，andasmakingacountryworthlivingin。
ManyanancestralhallhereinEnglandhasbeenanurseryofthatculturewhichhasbeenofexampleandbenefittoall。Oldgoldhasacivilizingvirtuewhichnewgoldmustgrowoldtobecapableofsecreting。
Ishouldnotthinkofcomingbeforeyoutodefendortocriticiseanyformofgovernment。Allhavetheirvirtues，alltheirdefects，andallhaveillustratedoneperiodoranotherinthehistoryoftherace，withsignalservicestohumanityandculture。Thereisnotonethatcouldstandacynicalcross-examinationbyanexperiencedcriminallawyer，exceptthatofaperfectlywiseandperfectlygooddespot，suchastheworldhasneverseen，exceptinthatwhite-hairedkingofBrowning\'swho\"LivedlongagoInthemorningoftheworld，WhenEarthwasnearerHeaventhannow。\"
TheEnglishrace，iftheydidnotinventgovernmentbydiscussion，haveatleastcarrieditnearesttoperfectioninpractice。Itseemsaverysafeandreasonablecontrivanceforoccupyingtheattentionofthecountry，andiscertainlyabetterwayofsettlingquestionsthanbypushofpike。Yet，ifoneshouldaskitwhyitshouldnotratherbecalledgovernmentbygabble，itwouldhavetofumbleinitspocketagoodwhilebeforeitfoundthechangeforaconvincingreply。Asmattersstand，too，itisbeginningtobedoubtfulwhetherParliamentandCongresssitatWestminsterandWashingtonorintheeditors\'roomsoftheleadingjournals，sothoroughlyiseverythingdebatedbeforetheauthorizedandresponsibledebatersgetontheirlegs。Andwhatshallwesayofgovernmentbyamajorityofvoices？ToapersonwhointhelastcenturywouldhavecalledhimselfanImpartialObserver，anumericalpreponderanceseems，onthewhole，asclumsyawayofarrivingattruthascouldwellbedevised，butexperiencehasapparentlyshownittobeaconvenientarrangementfordeterminingwhatmaybeexpedientoradvisableorpracticableatanygivenmoment。Truth，afterall，wearsadifferentfacetoeverybody，anditwouldbetootedioustowaittillallwereagreed。
Sheissaidtolieatthebottomofawell，fortheveryreason，perhaps，thatwhoeverlooksdowninsearchofherseeshisownimageatthebottom，andispersuadednotonlythathehasseenthegoddess，butthatsheisfarbetterlookingthanhehadimagined。
