Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1865-01-07
DAILY LEADER.
sATURDAY, JANUGRY :.
ArlstOeratIo opinions OF DemOcrac


tions made against Democracy by those
European writer's whose prejudices incite
them against form Of government hostile
to themselves, or whose honest convictions
lead them to look with apprehension upon
the wonderful progress which Democracy
is making The present momentous s!Fug-
gle in which the nation is engaged, whose
influences are felt in every civilized nation
on the globe, gives new zsst and value to
the discussion which is now going on as TO
the various tendencies Of these two forms
Of government The Champions Of Aris-
tocracy in Europe have made our unhappy
civil war the occasion for hurling their
most envsnomed shafts against Dsmocra-
cy. While on the other hand, the cham
pions Of the latter, have been reused to q
more vigorous defence thsn they have ever
ventured upon before.
The rebellion has given rise TO repeated,
doleful prophecies among the Aristocrsts Of
Europe as to the instability of our institu-
tons. They hsYe declared, over and over,
that even should the people of the North
succeed in suppressing the rebellion, they
would do SO by the less Of selfgo7ernment,
surrendering sll to the control of some one
who had gradually made himself. dictator.
Althslgh events have not justified their
solemn va.icinations; although thestrength
of great people has been put forth in
more gigantic proportions Than hiss ever
been witnessed, and although the people
Of the North are to-day in the enjoyment
of as much personal liberty as ever, yet
these prophets of evil have not failed, un
cessingly, to lift up their voices in denun-
citation Of the inevitable tendencies of De-
mocracy. They see that It is rapidly
usuping control of the civilized nations Of
the earth, ard affect to view its progress
with pious horror. 1t is this class Of
writers that the article above alluded to Is
intended to meet. In judging Of Demoe-
racy, or 'the principle of Equality" as
II. de Tocqueville phrases it they look
upon the United States, especially the
North, as an exempliacation of the inavi-
table consequences Of Democracy. They
say it is fatal to high degreeef excellence
in the arts, science, literature, statesman
ship; thstitfavors medioerity in all things;
that # makes materisl prosperity the su-
prsme good; that it scouts polish, and re-
anement and intellectual culture; that its
party strifes are hercely bitter that it
mskes the scramble for wealth q more dig
nifed pursuit than the lsbors Of the
scholar. It. therefore looks with dread
to the time when the civilized world
shall be given up to the proud spirit
of Democracy. Whether these accusations
sre justly made, and are the inevita-
bic fruits of S democratic form Of
government or whether they grow
one Of the peculiar circumstances Of the
people of this country, Is made the subject
of inqairy by the writer in question.
These things which have been charged
upon cur institutions, have such founda-
tion of truth that they are readily recog-
nized and lamented by mEny of our people
Undoubtedly, too, they have with The aris-
toeratic writers of the old world, IN many
cases, considered them as the inevitable
concomitants of our form of govern
ment. It Is highly gratifying, therefore,
70 have these phenomena referred TO their
true cause, and Democracy not made re-
spJnsible for what would inevitably take
place, no matter what form Of government,
so long as the physical condition of the
people were the same as our own. The
article in the North american, wisely and
logically, refers all these phenomena over
which aristocratic writers lament to the
frontier life which our people have led
ever since the Revolution. After achiev-
ing their Independence, the restless spirit
which always follows a war, began its
msrch westward from the sea coast. The
invention of the steamboat for Western
rivers and the railroads for WesterR VIII
dernesses has kept alive this adventurous
spirit for the past eighty yesrs. Society
has had no chance to solidify or crystal
ize in the West. The vast resources of
the country have stimulated the pursuit of
wealth team extraordinary degree. Old Gus
toms and traditions and maxims have been
ignored, as each newadventurer into the west
has been compelled chiefly to rely on him
self. Wherever democratic society has
been compacted and the power of old laws
and customs held sway, there the phe-
nomena usually referred to Democracy it
self have not been manifest. Strong indi-
vidualism, contempt for experience eager
ness for material gain, want of respect for
training, profound faith in natural quail
ities, the absence of a strong sense of social
or national continuity and Of taste in art
and literature and oratoFy, all of which
have been charged upon Democracy are
shown to be chiefly due to the frontier
mode of life which we have lived. As
society grows older and sOlidi6es we may
expect that Democracy viii deYo'
tion TO all the higher fruits of civilization,
such as Aristoorsey even has never known,
Even now, in all those things which bring
the largest good to the largest number
we excel any Of the Monarehies or Aris-
tocraciss of the world. The men who now
deplope seme of the so-cslled tendencies Of
Democracy, but really Of the physical con.
ditions of cur people, will be followed by
othermen, who will see in its extension
throughout the earth the crOwning glory
Of mankind. -s--i rex a