The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1839-03-09
Lesson on Government,

Teacher. What is a Republican government?
Scholar. Republican government is one in
which the laws are made, and explained and ex'
ecuted by agents, chosen appointed directly OF
indirectly, by the people themselves.
Teacher. What is Democratic government
Scholar. 1t is government where all the peo-
pie assemble in one place, and make the laws
without the Intervention or employment of agents
or representatives for that purpose.
Teacher. Mention one great difference that re-
suits necessarily from these definitions Of a Re-
publican and a Democratic government
Scholar 1t is clear, that a Republican govern
ment may extend over vast territories, because
agents or representatives can be chosen and sent
to some central place, there to make laws for the
whole people; and officers can be appointed, with
nothing else to do but to explain and enforce the
laws but if the territory were large, the people
could not leave their homes to 60 great distances,
to make the laws. There are in Massachusetts
nearly one hundred thousand voters, and some of
them live more than two hundred miles from each
other. They could not all 60 to one place to vote.
If all could travel that distance, there is not any
one place, which could accommodate so many per-
sons. The consequence would be that only such
rich men as could afford the expense, and such
healthy men as could perform the journey, and
such men of leisure as could spare the time could
travel to the metropolis, or place for assembling,
to assist in making the laws. And another conse-
quence would be, that the voters who lived near
by could attend, without spending much time or
money, and thus they would have an advantage
over those living at distance, and they might
make laws more favorable to themselves than to
their distant fellow citizens.
Teacher. What is Monarchical government !
Scholar. 1t is government in which one man,
or woman, has the power of making laws for all
the people. Generally, however, the rulers, in
Monarchichal governments, are subjected to some
restraints, that their will is not always law. If
there is no restraint, then the sovereign is called
an Absolute monarch.
Teacher. Are there different kinds of Monarch
ical governments
Scholar Yes, some Monarchical governments
are electiUe others are hereditary. An electric
Monarchy is one, where the monarch is chosen
by the people, in such way as has been pre-
scrbed by statute law or by usage. An hered-
itary Monarchy is one, where a son or daughter
of the sovereign has legal right to succeed to the
throne, upon the death of the father or mother; or
where some heir of a former sovereign succeeds
to the throne if the deceased monarch leaves no
children.
Teacher In governments where one man has
the sole power making all the laws, is there not
some chance, if he is an ignorant man or a wick
ed man, that the people will be deplorably misgov
erned and cruelty oppressed?
Scholar. No! there is no chance about it; for
it is certain that they will be. And therefore,
where the people are intelligent and good, should
like Republican government almost infinitely
better than Monarchical one but to tell how
much better government would be, if it had
hundred thousand ignorant and vicious voters as
its rulers, than if it had but one ignorant and vi
cious man to rule it, is sum never could cipher
School Journal.