University of Virginia Library

5. CHAP. V.
Containing Reflections.

A Democracy is beyond all question the
freest government: because under
this, every man is equally protected by
the laws, and has equally a voice in making
them. But I do not say an equal voice;
because some men have stronger lungs than
others, and can express more forcibly
their opinions of public affairs. Others,
though they may not speak very loud, yet
have a faculty of saying more in a short
time; and even in the case of others, who
speak little or none at all, yet what they
do say containing good sense, comes with
greater weight; so that all things considered,
every citizen, has not, in this sense of
the word, an equal voice. But the right
being equal, what great harm if it is unequally
exercised? is it necessary that every
man should become a statesman? No more
than that every man should become a poet
or a painter. The sciences, are open to all;

but let him only who has taste and genius
pursue them. If any man covets the office
of a bishop, says St. Paul, he covets a
good work. But again, he adds this caution,
Ordain not a novice, lest being lifted
up with pride, he falls into the condemnation
of the devil. It is indeed making
a devil of a man to lift him up to a state
to which he is not suited. A ditcher is a
respectable character, with his over-alls on,
and a spade in his hand; but put the same
man to those offices which require the
head, whereas he has been accustomed to
impress with his foot, and there appears a
contrast between the man and the occupation.

There are individuals in society, who
prefer honour to wealth; or cultivate political
studies as a branch of literary pursuits;
and offer themselves to serve public
bodies, in order to have an opportunity of
discovering their knowledge, and exercising
their judgment. It must be chagrining to
these, and hurtful to the public, to see
those who have no talent this way, and ought
to have no taste, preposterously obtrude
themselves upon the government. It is the
same as if a brick-layer should usurp the office
of a taylor, and come with his square

and perpendicular, to take the measure of
a pair of breeches.

It is proper that those who cultivate oratory,
should go to the house of orators. But
for an Ay and No man to be ambitious of
that place, is to sacrifice his credit to his
vanity.

I would not mean to insinuate that legislators
are to be selected from the more
wealthy of the citizens, yet a man's circumstances
ought to be such as afford him
leisure for study and reflection. There is
often wealth without taste or talent. I have
no idea, that because a man lives in a great
house, and has a cluster of bricks or stones
about his backside, that he is therefore fit
for a legislator. There is so much pride
and arrogance with those who consider
themselves the first in a government, that
it deserves to be checked by the populace,
and the evil most usually commences on
this side. Men associate with their own
persons, the adventitious circumstances of
birth and fortune: So that a fellow blowing
with fat and repletion, conceives himself
superior to the poor lean man, that lodges
in an inferior mansion. But as in all cases,
so in this, there is a medium. Genius and
virtue are independent of rank and fortune;

and it is neither the opulent, nor the
indigent, but the man of ability and integrity
that ought to be called forth to serve
his country: and while, on the one hand,
the aristocratic part of the government,
arrogates a right to represent; on the other
hand, the democratic contends the point;
and from this conjunction and opposition
of forces, there is produced a compound
resolution, which carries the object in an
intermediate direction. When we see
therefore, a Teague Oregan lifted up, the
philosopher will reflect, that it is to balance
some purse-proud fellow, equally as ignorant,
that comes down from the sphere of
the aristocratic interest.

But every man ought to consider for
himself, whether it is his use to be this
draw-back, on either side. For as when
good liquor is to be distilled, you throw
in some material useless in itself to correct
the effervescence of the spirit; so it may be
his part to act as a sedative. For though
we commend the effect, yet still the material
retains but its original value.

But as the nature of things is such, let
no man, who means well to the commonwealth,
and offers to serve it, be hurt in
his mind when some one of meaner talents

is preferred. The people are a sovereign,
and greatly despotic; but, in the main,
just.

I have a great mind, in order to elevate
the composition, to make quotations
from the Greek and Roman history. And
I am conscious to myself, that I have read
over the writers on the government of Italy
and Greece, in ancient, as well as
modern times. But I have drawn a great
deal more from reflection on the nature
of things, than from all the writings I
have ever read. Nay, the history of the
election, which I have just given, will afford
a better lesson to the American mind,
than all that is to be found in other examples.
We have seen here, a weaver a
favoured candidate, and in the next instance,
a bog-trotter superseding him. Now
it may be said, that this is fiction; but fiction,
or no fiction, the nature of the thing
will make it a reality. But I return to the
adventures of the Captain, whom I have
upon my hands; and who, as far as I can
yet discover, is a good honest man; and
means what is benevolent and useful;
though his ideas may not comport with
the ordinary manner of thinking, in every
particular.