Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1855-06-29

vented hy his denth from our.triniing Robeapierre
himself III popular favor."-lVol.t 81, y. llS, 2Ol
In dcscrlhing the advantages otAhe Democratic
pony, i.u ID. hes done with fidelity, but III speak
ing "i the natural Tendencies Of this FINN of govern
mcit, ms imagination seems to dave Been disturbed
by the horrors nt the French revolution. x perfect
government can never he male by imperfect man;
and power, wherever lodged, is lnllt 10 b abused
The udvncatcs Of Democratic government have, how
ever, maintained that when the sovereign power has
been reserved ny the people they less liable 10
abuse it than when II is cunfded to a monarch
arsincracy. The propriety of establishing the De-
m0rrniic form OF government and the prospect of its
duration in any particular country, depend primarily
and essentially upon the moral character, general n
ciIincucc and political experience of is inhabitants
Conscious of human fraty, it is reasonable to sup
pose, TINT the people, in framing their organic lnw,
would provide guarantees against the improper mdul.
gcnce ui their pssIDIs as well III host OF their
rulers. Men rarely abuse power, exccpt with view
10 their advantage and, III general irteineh have
the sayac 10 perceive and the dispnsitlont to promote
their own interests Ii tocrnbly we'll informed, they
would hurv incur the hazard "f civil war or rcvou-
ton by u deliberate abuse of their power As entire
coiucideuc of political views never yer Prc'aiie1
amoHg any free people, 1t II unpnil"Sophica
t" predicate any argument upon 80 wiz suP
position. Parties have always exissted III Tree
States. Tue majority may be large, but iii'
minority ALA, the opposition party, Will be respecla
b and not without influence III restraining that pro
cyity To excessive action which Ii 80 often manifest
ed by the temporary majority. Lord Is. maintains
that public opinion, 'fruR the nature OF the thing,
could impose no restraint upon the majority yea I'll
exists not the people themselves being those whose
sentiments are meant when pubic opinion IS spoken
ol." When dwelling upon the virtues of the delnn'
cratic turm, ho recognises tue existence oi PuoIc
opinion and the necessity OF conforming 10 IL Us
OF the characteristics of Democratic government
H. then, the people feel the restraining Iniincncs OF
public opinion, md POSSESS that general sobricty,
"honesty," public spirit umd sclt-denal' which Lord
B. says "arc the common growth OF democratic soil.
hut little danger need bc apprchcnded because there
il no earthly tribunal which can prohibit them from
exercising sovereign power In cXaggcrailng tho
power of the majority, he has merely adopted and re.
tcraed the errors nt De Tucqucvle. "ln the United
Sncs Us all travellers agreed isaya Lord b.
thc tyranny of the multitude exceeds the bounds at
all moderate popular influence. y" person darcs
say anything thnt thwarts the prevailing pre-
uliccs or the popular opinions Of the day The III
correctness Of these remarks IL apparent to all who
acquainted with the people o our country.
While we by no means Justify the crimes and cx'
ces.es committed during the French Revolution, we
do not acknowledge the force of Lord Brousham' =
lu"ic in a-crbng them the natural tendency"f De-
Inucrutic government. With whatever pnrtiay De-
nurratic government has been regarded III The ao-
strac, no rational has maintained that tins form
uf government wus adapted tor every age and every
country and without reference ~ the manncrs and
customs, us we'll us political attalnments OF the
people. The capacity Tor selI-goyernment has been
always considered the prerequisite inr the cs'
tnblishment of the Democratic form, and instead
uf drawing any Inference unavornb!e IL thls
kind of government from the events ot the French
Revolution, they only prove, that it is mpo!ltlc
and hazardous 10 c0uflc pr,at power, at once
to MISSES wholly unaccustomed to its exercise
and inprriccty acquainted with It's Responsibilities
that some practical knowledge, some political dlsci
iplinc and training. are essential 10 qualy men to
free government. The cXcesses of the French kevo
luton Instead OF resulting from the natural tendency
OF the Democratic poliiy, as supposed by Lord Is.
NAV more Justly be deemed the natural reaction 10 Dt
anticipated from the serious expressions under whlci
III. people laborcd. In the time Of Louis Nv the pco
pie were systematically excluded from all iulportah
Offices but the burthcus ui taxation were thrown prn
cipally on them. Tho mobiles and the clergy possess
ci two thirds of the land, and all ot their land wa
exempted from taxation under the absurd sophsin
that the nrstorracy fought nnd the clergy prayed io
the natiun and il therefore the duty ot the remain
der OF the people 10 pay taxes. The taxes were one
rous UNEQUAL and particularly obnoxious 10 lar
ners The forest laws were also tyrannlcal. GaIn
of the most destructive kind such wild boars an,
herds OF deer, permitted 10 70 at large throuI
the whole districts the serious loss OF the crops
the farmers having enclosures AMI being prohioil
ed from shooting the game. Sometimes hnclnT nn'
wedding were prohibited, lest the young partridge
should be killed.
The c0rrf,S, Ur obligation to work on the roads wa
not only heavy burthen on the laborers oi the c"u
try, but ruad-makimg was often executed III an 'P
pressive manner. In filling up one valley III lLor
riane three hundred persons were reduced 10 Dcggary
Tie administration of justice was partial and cor
rupt. The decisions Were often influenced Oy couf
favor liberal presents, the smiles of handsome wife
&c. The national debt was urgr-the treasury cx
hal,stcd and the anmHm G,EcHm in the finances exceed
ed Srrcn DuNOaS S!rrl!n.. Such tile condition
France. Other causes, 10 which we ,need not nov
advert, contributed to bring on the Revolution
The people will as soon revolt without oppression
rs the ocean will heave in pillows without the wind,
said Rubcspcrre "Truc," replied Fcrgnaud, "bu
wave after wave will roll upon the shore alter IN
fury uf the winds is stled.'
The monarchy was uverhrown, Louis bcheaded
md republic formed. The right of suffrage
was soon made almost universal III II country "ncr'
the p,.asanry were ignorant that not one III MI.
could read. The national assembly was composed
upwards of 700 members, few of whom were nc
quaintr with the rules Of Legislative bodies As ma
ny as hundred members were sometimes OH thei
feet at once. The President WAS appointed once
fortnight and the spectators in the galleries were al
lowed IN applaud aud hiss. The cause OF freedom
was placed under the protection of moDs ana the Ja
Goblin club. Aspiring and unprnclpled men ga" ron
the dawn of the revolution the disposition Vi me 'nu'
tlldc 10 be roused and their power wlieh cXcltcd.-
They sought to crafty this dispositnn-to remove al
restraints and 10 recommend extreme courses. In
deplorabc consequences are well known. a vloen
tornado is not the criterion by which we should esti
mate the Justice and wisdom of the Deity nor should
we condemn Democratic government on account
the anarchy hnd Dluodsheu "h''" h"'0eou'4 ''
French revolution.
TL.t Lord Brousham docs not think the then peo
plc of France capable organizing and maintaining
D,,nocrntc government is fairly inforrlble from tn
following observations "All the experiments "ihci
buv, hitherto been made of republican governmcn
in aid sncirtics have begun at the wrong end. Ih
ncope have been called TO the difficult task of self
government without having served their apprentice
Shin by learning political science aud practical WIS
dom The failure of these trials has therefore beer
inevitable and it has been complete But II IL Yer,
fnr indeed from proving that no old country can D
.,nyrrncd drmncracally. 3rl y. H2.)
Ficklencss nf the people and instability of the con
.,tutinns and laws u-gcd by Lord Is. as defects
the popular form Of government. There Is no denr
of iicklccss among the people, whether they 1--we un
der II Democratic or Il mixed government like that Il
Great Britain. Had he thought fit, Lord b. nigh
have reminded his readers that The injustice OF m
neopic of Bristol rejected the services OF Mr. Burke
and the caprice of the voters of Westminster dr"v
Charles Fox from Parliament. We will not deny IN
truth If the charge brought by Lord B The de'noc
rorv of Athens were prnvcrbiul for their tckenc-s
md many eminent became the victims oi inc os
trucism While no Democratic government III mo
L.ru times hus formally revived the Athenan ostra
csm, it must be admitted that the people have some
times, and apparently through hckleness, Rejected III
services of distinguished and experienced statesmen
who were capable of rendering important AID 10 incl
country. . -,
of modern origin and Developments. Inc puolc al
fairs of Athens were not cohducteu oy rep ea.na
tiyes, but by popular assemblies government be
ing what political writer. define as Pre- Drmncrac!
nnd not representative Democracy, OF which last ou
system is an example. Large popular assemblies ar
mare impusivc and READILY influenced Dv uech
nation. bv eIoquence md sympathy thnn small rep
rrsnrtntivc bodra selected for the purpose of can
and deliberate Legislation The art Of printing De
ing then unknown there was no Po'i ,;S ~ e;r
Iiuhtcn or TO influence public OPINION, ana tiis c'r
cunstnnce enhanced the effective power "f Athena
orators. These two causes account 10 some extent
for the ticklcness prevalent in Athens.
In the United States the extension OF the Demo
cra,;c nr;uriuc, and the diffusion of knowledge hav
e,;n,rIaa,eJ ambition. and greatly multiplied cand
dates for popular favor. Tho sovereign Peaptr, lik
all n,hrr ,1rfrcigns, are sonewha: fond Of novelt,
and being courtcd and solicited by many aspiranti
do not always act according to tnolr luaGm"n1, pmu m
H., ;r and sutfrappB 10 men who