citizens lefs enlightened and incapable of reasoning upon the subject into a multitude of errors. Such men have no ideas of morality except those which are imparted to them by the laws; they will perplex themfelves concerning the nature of their duties, and not difcover what are the vices the perpetration of which it behoves them the most studiously to avoid.

Having fignified my hopes, it will not become me to conceal my fears. I fubfcribe to your opinion that a democracy ought to serve as the basis of every government, the leading views of which are to facilitate and accomplish the best poffible arrangements in favor of the citizens. And, indeed, perpetual experience has convinced us that it is only by this mode that the multitude can learn to feel an interest in the welfare of their country, and, ferving it with equal zeal and courage, to affociate themselves, in fome degree, with the wisdom of their con E ductors.

ductors. Yet, at the fame time, you, doubtlefs, will allow that this democracy muft be managed, attempered and established with the greatest prudence. Let me intreat you to keep in view the incontrovertible pofition that the multitude, degraded by various wants and those particular occupations which condemn them to remain plunged in ignorance, and overwhelmed with low and abject sentiments, enjoy neither the means, the leisure, nor the opportunity to raise themselves, by their meditations, into the power of investigating and following up the principles of a well-regulated fyftem of judicious politics. Suffering themselves to be governed intirely by their prejudices, they will measure their judgment concerning the welfare of the state by their own particular interests, and ascribe wisdom to that alone which they have found useful.

It is not poffible for the people to fuppose themselves free without experiencing an inclination

clination to abuse their liberty, because the nature of their paffions continually ftimulates their endeavours to live more at eafe, The hopes which they indulge prepare their minds for greater indocility; they cannot avoid envying the lot of their fuperiors, and, confequently, they become anxious either to exalt themselves into equal eminence, or to reduce those citizens who are above them to a level with themselves. What follows? Thofe of the first class have, alfo, their paffions, which (if I may use the expreffion) take fire at the pretended infolence of the people. They will accufe them of forming projects for their own aggrandifement, even whilft they yield only to the current of arifing circumftances. They must endeavour to appeafe, and they will irritate them. For the purpose of preserving their credit, they will feek to augment it; and (fuch is the delufion of the paffions! that) afpiring foon to tyranny, they will confider themselves as labouring firmly to establish

establish the public peace and order. On these occafions, the temper becomes exafperated, to the first injustice succeeds, of courfe, a second, and one injury treads quick upon another. The only fyftem of politics becomes revenge. Revolutions follow each other, and fortune alone decides concerning the fate of the republic. Arguing in this manner, I cannot eafily fuppose that I am led away by groundless apprehenfions. The occurrences which have conftantly taken place, amidst all nations, where the liberty of the citizens was not established and foftered with a degree of prudence equal to that recorded to have prevailed at Lacedæmon, ought to serve as a leffon to legislators not to employ democracy in a republic, but with extreme pre

caution.

I fhall, perhaps, be told, that the laws of America are borrowed from the laws of England, the wisdom of which has proved a theme

a theme of praise and admiration to a multitude of writers. I grant the fact; but, for the fake of your happiness, I wish that it were poffible to difpute it. In your laws do we perceive the fpirit of the English laws; but, let me intreat you to take notice of the prodigious difference which exifts between your fituation and that of England. The English government received its form in the very midst of the barbarism of the fiefs. It was imagined that William the Conqueror and his fucceffors alone poffeffed the whole public power; and fo far were the People from not fuppofing that they were born to fervitude, that even the barons conceived that they held their prerogatives as dependent upon the munificence of their prince. It is a truth which cannot be difputed, after an attentive perufal of the Great Charter which the barons extorted from John Lackland, and which became, at once, the principle of all the convulfive motions experienced by the nation,

and