Theretheelectionofamajorityofthetrusteesofthepublicmoneyiscontrolledbythemostignorantandviciousofapopulationwhichhascometousfromabroad，whollyunpractisedinself-governmentandincapableofassimilationbyAmericanhabitsandmethods。Butthefinancesofourtowns，wherethenativetraditionisstilldominantandwhoseaffairsarediscussedandsettledinapublicassemblyofthepeople，havebeeningeneralhonestlyandprudentlyadministered。Eveninmanufacturingtowns，whereamajorityofthevoterslivebytheirdailywages，itisnotsooftentherecklessnessasthemoderationofpublicexpenditurethatsurprisesanoldfashionedobserver。
　　"Thebeggarisinthesaddleatlast，"criesProverbialWisdom。"Why，inthenameofallformerexperience，doesn'theridetotheDevil？"Becauseintheveryactofmountingheceasedtobeabeggarandbecamepartownerofthepieceofpropertyhebestrides。Thelastthingweneedbeanxiousaboutisproperty。Italwayshasfriendsorthemeansofmakingthem。Ifricheshavewingstoflyawayfromtheirowner，theyhavewingsalsotoescapedanger。
　　IhearAmericasometimesplayfullyaccusedofsendingyouallyourstorms，andaminthehabitofparryingthechargebyallegingthatweareenabledtodothisbecause，invirtueofourprotectivesystem，wecanaffordtomakebetterbadweatherthananybodyelse。AndwhatwiserusecouldwemakeofitthantoexportitinreturnforthepauperswhichsomeEuropeancountriesaregoodenoughtosendovertouswhohavenotattainedtothesameskillinthemanufactureofthem？Butbadweatherisnottheworstthingthatislaidatourdoor。AFrenchgentleman，notlongago，forgettingBurke'smonitionofhowunwiseitistodrawanindictmentagainstawholepeople，haschargeduswiththeresponsibilityofwhateverhefindsdisagreeableinthemoralsormannersofhiscountrymen。IfM。Zolaorsomeothercompetentwitnesswouldonlygointotheboxandtelluswhatthosemoralsandmannerswerebeforeourexamplecorruptedthem！ButIconfessthatIfindlittletointerestandlesstoedifymeintheseinternationalbandyingsof"You'reanother。"
　　Ishalladdressmyselftoasinglepointonlyinthelonglistofoffencesofwhichwearemoreorlessgravelyaccused，becausethatreallyincludesalltherest。
　　ItisthatweareinfectingtheOldWorldwithwhatseemstobethoughttheentirelynewdiseaseofDemocracy。Itisgenerallypeoplewhoareinwhatarecalledeasycircumstanceswhocanaffordtheleisuretotreatthemselvestoahandsomecomplaint，andtheseexperienceanimmediatealleviationwhenoncetheyhavefoundasonorousGreeknametoabuseitby。Thereissomethingconsolatoryalso，somethingflatteringtotheirsenseofpersonaldignity，andtothatconceitofsingularitywhichisthenaturalrecoilfromouruneasyconsciousnessofbeingcommonplace，inthinkingourselvesvictimsofamaladybywhichnoonehadeversufferedbefore。Accordinglytheyfinditsimplertoclassunderonecomprehensiveheadingwhatevertheyfindoffensivetotheirnerves，theirtaste，theirinterests，orwhattheysupposetobetheiropinions，andchristenitDemocracy，muchasphysicianslabeleveryobscurediseasegout，orascross-grainedfellowslaytheirill-
　　tempertotheweather。Butisitreallyanewailment，and，ifitbe，isAmericaanswerableforit？Evenifshewere，woulditaccountforthephylloxera，andhoof-and-
　　mouthdisease，andbadharvests，andbadEnglish，andtheGermanbands，andtheBoers，andalltheotherdiscomfortswithwhichtheselaterdayshavevexedthesoulsofthemthatgoinchariots？YetIhaveseentheevilexampleofDemocracyinAmericacitedasthesourceandoriginofthingsquiteasheterogeneousandquiteaslittleconnectedwithitbyanysequenceofcauseandeffect。Surelythisfermentisnothingnew。Ithasbeenatworkforcenturies，andwearemoreconsciousofitonlybecauseinthisageofpublicity，wherethenewspapersofferarostrumtowhoeverhasagrievance，orfanciesthathehas，thebubblesandscumthrownupbyitaremorenoticeableonthesurfacethaninthosedumbageswhentherewasacoverofsilenceandsuppressiononthecauldron。BernardoNavagero，speakingoftheProvincesofLowerAustriain1546，tellsusthat"inthemtherearefivesortsofpersons，Clergy，Barons，Nobles，Burghers，andPeasants。Oftheselastnoaccountismade，becausetheyhavenovoiceintheDiet。"1
　　[Footnote1:BelowthePeasants，itshouldberemembered，wasstillanotherevenmorehelplessclass，theservilefarm-laborers。
　　ThesamewitnessinformsusthatoftheextraordinaryimpoststhePeasantspaidnearlytwiceasmuchinproportiontotheirestimatedpropertyastheBarons，Nobles，andBurgherstogether。Moreover，theupperclasseswereassessedattheirownvaluation，whiletheyarbitrarilyfixedthatofthePeasants，whohadnovoice，（"RelazionidegliAmbasciatoriVeneti，"SerieI。，tomoi。，pp。378，379，389。）]
　　Norwasitamongthepeoplethatsubversiveormistakendoctrineshadtheirrise。AFatheroftheChurchsaidthatpropertywastheftmanycenturiesbeforeProudhonwasborn。Bourdalouereaffirmedit。Montesquieuwastheinventorofnationalworkshops，andofthetheorythattheStateowedeverymanaliving。Nay，wasnottheChurchherselfthefirstorganizedDemocracy？
　　Afewcenturiesagothechiefendofmanwastokeephissoulalive，andthenthelittlekernelofleaventhatsetsthegasesatworkwasreligious，andproducedtheReformation。Eveninthat，far-sightedpersonsliketheEmperorCharlesV。sawthegermofpoliticalandsocialrevolution。
　　Nowthatthechiefendofmanseemstohavebecomethekeepingofthebodyalive，andascomfortablyaliveaspossible，theleavenalsohasbecomewhollypoliticalandsocial。ButtherehadalsobeensocialupheavalsbeforetheReformationandcontemporaneouslywithit，especiallyamongmenofTeutonicrace。TheReformationgaveoutletanddirectiontoanunrestalreadyexisting。Formerlytheimmensemajorityofmen-ourbrothers-knewonlytheirsufferings，theirwants，andtheirdesires。Theyarebeginningnowtoknowtheiropportunityandtheirpower。AllpersonswhoseedeeperthantheirplatesareratherinclinedtothankGodforitthantobewailit，forthesoresofLazarushaveapoisoninthemagainstwhichDiveshasnoantidote。
　　TherecanbenodoubtthatthespectacleofagreatandprosperousDemocracyontheothersideoftheAtlanticmustreactpowerfullyontheaspirationsandpoliticaltheoriesofmenintheOldWorldwhodonotfindthingstotheirmind；but，whetherforgoodorevil，itshouldnotbeoverlookedthattheacornfromwhichitsprangwasripenedontheBritishoak。
　　Everysuccessiveswarmthathasgoneoutfromthisofficinagentiumhas，whenlefttoitsowninstincts-mayInotcallthemhereditaryinstincts？assumedamoreorlessthoroughlydemocraticform。Thiswouldseemtoshow，whatIbelievetobethefact，thattheBritishConstitution，underwhateverdisguisesofprudenceordecorum，isessentiallydemocratic。England，indeed，maybecalledamonarchywithdemocratictendencies，theUnitedStatesademocracywithconservativeinstincts。PeoplearecontinuallysayingthatAmericaisintheair，andIamgladtothinkitis，sincethismeansonlythataclearerconceptionofhumanclaimsandhumandutiesisbeginningtobeprevalent。Thediscontentwiththeexistingorderofthings，however，pervadedtheatmospherewherevertheconditionswerefavorable，longbeforeColumbus，seekingthebackdoorofAsia，foundhimselfknockingatthefrontdoorofAmerica。Isaywherevertheconditionswerefavorable，foritiscertainthatthegermsofdiseasedonotstickorfindaprosperousfieldfortheirdevelopmentandnoxiousactivityunlesswherethesimplestsanitaryprecautionshavebeenneglected。
　　"Forthiseffectdefectivecomesbycause，"asPoloniussaidlongago。ItisonlybyinstigationofthewrongsofmenthatwhatarecalledtheRightsofManbecometurbulentanddangerous。Itisthenonlythattheysyllogizeunwelcometruths。Itisnottheinsurrectionsofignorancethataredangerous，buttherevoltsofintelligence:
　　"Thewickedandtheweakrebelinvain，Slavesbytheirowncompulsion。"