5338. MONARCHY, Evils of.—[continued].
I am astonished at some
people's considering a kingly government as a
refuge [from the evils of the Confederation].
Advise such to read the fable of the frogs who
solicited Jupiter for a king. If that does not
put them to rights send them to Europe to
see something of the trappings of monarchy,
and I will undertake that every man shall go
back thoroughly cured. If all the evils which
can arise among us from the republican form of
government from this day to the day of judgment
could be put into a scale against what
this country [France] suffers from its monarchical
form in a week, or England in a month,
the latter would predominate. Consider the
contents of the Red Book in England, or the
Almanac Royale of France, and say what a
people gain by monarchy. No race of kings has
ever presented above one man of common sense
in twenty generations. The best they can do
is to leave things to their ministers, and what
are their ministers but a committee, badly
chosen? If the king ever meddles it is to do
harm.—
To Benjamin Hawkins. Washington ed. ii, 220.
Ford ed., iv, 426.
(P.
Aug. 1787)
