Ponola [sic] weekly register., 1843-07-29

/ ruler is wise or virtuous, but whether he
lis a democrat. Does democracy give
knowledge and integrity to a mani
/ Does the Bapse of democrat, necessarily
/ imply that he is not fool? Is democ-
racy instead Of reason the test Of truth?
None are good laws but those that are
/ democratic, shouts out the dogmatical
blockhead. A ruler to perform well his
duties should possess knowledge-should
have keen, comprehensive, and discri-
minating mind-should be able to pene-
/ trate into the truth, and understand the
/ philosophy of things, but democracy
embraces in'its very name all these. !
am adetnocrat! shouts out the, ro.;Iical
demagogue-therefore you must elect
me. | have no other claims can lay be-
fore you. neither wisdom, nor talents
nor honesty; but can lay before you
what is infinitely better-a democratic
/ heart. Yes! heart that has ever been
constant TO you-whose every throb has
/ been fer the good cause, save some in
! dignant throes at the mention of rascal
! Iy kings and aristocrats. 80! people
wont you elect such good democrat?"
See how completely the master. idea
psurped possession Of the republican
soul-how it has swallowed up all other
other ideas, and destroyed all their re-
lative importance. How can you -ex-
p6ct oisdone from democratic principles,
when a favorite sentiment has thus
usurped the place CT Nature, and made
instead of her, the test of all political
opinions? Correct Judgment is the off
spring of the calm and clear sunshine
ofthe mind, not Of the wild storms Of
passion and preudices. Conservatism is
exempted from these passions and pre-
) iudices. It's rulers are lifted high above
the influence of the. mass.
Men who are chosen for their wis
dom and worth, not for their opin-
: ions, many Of whom are hereditary ru.
: lers, and whose absorbing object of life
: is political knowledge. From such user
} it5onlysSeara you expect jaSt and propei
) laws.
: There is some truth in all this, and
: much carieature.. But cannot we demo
gratis deny; that exemption fr{g,9 Il % passion
r end prejudice th- ,onsea tists claim
There may be individuaf Prejudices in
Ronarchs and mobiles, as we'll as in the
/ multitude. They have too, their nasteI
, idea, which lords it as completely ever
, their souls. as democracy; doesoEer tbs
souls of democrats. This master ides
: may be love Of conquest-it may be self
. aggrandizement. This last is most uni
! versal in its existence.
: 1t is a law Of nature, that the class o.
d community holding the Legislative
. power will legislate for itself irrespec
tive of the interests Of other classes.
0 legislation benefits at all the last, it i:
2 the unforeseen and accid entail consequen
. ces Of laws intended for the interest o
t the first. Allowing then wisdom tc
| conservative rulers, whore is its advsn
tage when SO small a portion of commu
3 nifty as particular class is benefited
} Can just and proper laws proceed frou
, such rulers? They may be just anc
proper in regard to themselves, in thei
relations with one another, but they mus
necessarily be unjust and wrong in re
gard to all others. Even Britain, hos;
{ conservatism is Of the least cdious char
acter-whose aristocracy is so uniyer
. sal as to embrace the whole of her land
: ed and commercial classes, yet even sht
! has the mass Of her inhabitants pressed
down by as severe burdens as the pa
: tience Of slaves can endure. The mas
are virtual slaves to the few-eyery in
+ dividual moment Of their existence mus
i be sacred>to the acquisition of scant,
!. subsistence. They are chained down
Gf not slaves in law, slaves in circum
! stances generated by law to the soil el
: to the machine.
Every country governed by consery
E alive institutions, is either country o
: lords and serfs, or landlord and ten
: ants. This distinction must be preserv