Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1843-05-24

and potent than the aris,ocrat of blood
1t is against this undying power that
the individual man has now to strive
On the two arms Of the social lever these
two forces are placed, and of course the
chances for keeping the balance even are
very small. Ga one side stands This g:an1
representative combination of organized
thought, feeling, prejudice, and on the
other, the interior energy Ia the one per-
son. The grea. mass, potent In lis anti
quity,in its stagnation, in lis pre.possession,
against the Individual, having only fresh.
ness Of thought, and hopeful aspiration to
sustain him. 1t seems, after all, 10 be
scarcely possible TO invent system more
fatal TO human growth than this Of repre-
sentative government. There is possibly
in it the means of preventing The great
mass of the population from falling below
Il certain average of wealth, intelligence.
or morals. say possibly for it is by no
means yet certain that we are saved from
excessive poverty, ignorance, or crime
Bat that there is a sort ofcasl iron pattern
work ia it by which the Individual char
acter is very much confined in the up
ward moral tendencies is quite manifest.
The quality of samen ess In the North
American republic is observable by the
most superficial Social, moral, tempera-
mental identity is more remarkable than
that Of language. In no other part Of The
world perhaps is SO much space occupied
BY SO many people with so great similar
ity in nature For after taking into ac-
count all the varieties in religion, in poll
lies, in occupation, this remark sill re-
mains. These varieties are but medal,
and the substratum continues unchanged.
Al this fact one cannot marvel. 1t was
rational enough for people who had en-
ergei by combined exertions from state
Of provoking and calling thradom to
make an effort to render permanent the
forms Of that successful combination. II
is sort Of gratitude 10 means, rather than
to princi pies, which induces men 10 sane
lily mere institutions. But the time has
arrived for a fresh appeal to principle;
yet not more now than ever; for recur-
renee TO principle is proper at all times.
Until men have better plans placed clear
~ before them they are bound By law
IN their nature to hold fast 10 such as they
nave. This representative plan was the
peoples choice no better one is yet a2-
parent TO them, aud if any uncomfortable
results now fall upon them, they attribute
these to the imperfect working of the ma.
.chlnery; and not 10 the unsui;ab,ity Of
the machine as whole. Under these
circumstances their hope rests in the be,-
.tering of the system, in some further pol
ishlng or improvement as ii is called
But we must require the pablo to exercise
a keener and broader sight. The Wis
ion must not be bounded by The object ",
| ing closely about Us. but mus! be extend.
ed TO new scenes. The sghtmust become
an insight. have just had he pleasure
of communing with an Eoglish friend
who passed the greater part Of last year
in Appenyell, Switzerland, This canton
is not republic, but a pure democracy
The government is not representative, bul
all the males above Is years of age may
and the greater part do, actually vote OF
all questions brought before the assembled
canton, Of which the population amount.
10 10000 persons. They choose their
Llndemann, Counsellors and other off
GERS, whom they ray BY small salaries O
about 100 dollars each; and in this man
ner for 400 years they have found it prac
ticable to pass permanent and temporary
laws, and 10 carry on all needfuI function:
OF government. Al the death Of a propri
etor his property is divided equally
! amongs. the children whether he make {
will or not. Even in this defective sci
government, in comparatively great ig
norance. they have managed to be tolera
bly, happy for ages, and what may b.
i Ssranges, of all ftcts 10 republican eyes
they have neither poor house nor prison
10 this extensive population Of 40,0oi
souls. .~.-:.. ==..: ~.....
Such facts as these, withheld from pop