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。