Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-06-02
PUBLIC LEDGER.
THE OPINION OF AN ENGLISH
MAN ON AMERICAN GOVERN.
BIENT

M ENIs
We publish below the letter of Lord
Macaulay, written on the subject OF our
Government, and before results con-
frmed in this country that Democracy
must at last prove q failure. 1t IS
clearly time for men, who nave
endured, as we have, the tortures
Of n Democratic despotism, 10 think
and reason about the future which
must be pregnant with important changes
Therefore, we give the opinion of dis
t;nguisned historian on the Jefferson sys-
TEN, and which was the Democracy that
controlled the Government for seventy
five years.
The old politician who is alive to-day
will look back on these halcyon days OF
the Republic with eyes swimming in
affection, and sigh for the return OF their
brightness, which lasted bat short
period. and then was obscured by the
dark passion and corruption OF our peo-
ple. The very foundation upon which
this temporary structure was built con-
tanned little silken worm, which soon
burst its covering, and then began to
feed upon the very life Of the govern
ment. the effect of which can be easily
traced in our times. Democracies have
in all ages Of the world history contained
the germ from whence springs into exis'
teuce the many-headed monster, that
consumes its life after having pulled
down the temple wherein the Goddess
of Liberty was wont to dwell. 1t is the
extreme of folly for men now to think
of rebuilding our old Government upon
the ideas of Jefferson and Jackson, who
Int conferred brief benefit upon their
race; and as for the country now, it
would have been better they had never
lived This is the letter referred 10
above:
HOLLY LoDaE, KEssIseroS. Lospos,
May % 1881.
Henry s. Randall. Esq,
DEAR DIX. l. Ou arc w ice-i
that have not high opinion OF Mr.. JET
ferson, and am surprised at your sur
prise. / am certain that never wrote
line. and that | never in Parliament, In
conversation, or even on the hustings-a
place where it is the fashion to court the
rooulace-uttered word indicating an
npinion that the supreme authority in
State ought to be entrusted TO the msJo
ity of citizens told by the head; ia other
words, to the poorest and most Ignorant
mart of society. have long been con-
WINGED that institutions purely Demo
cratic must sooner or later, destroy lib
eriy or civilization, or both.
In Europe, where the population is
dense. the effect Of such institutions
would be almost instantaneous. What
happened lately in France is an example.
In l849 a pure Democracy was estab-
iished there. During short time there
was reason to expect q general spoliatlon
"a natural bankruptcy, q new partition
OF the soil, a maximum OF priees, rum
Gus load of taxation laid on the rich Tor
the purpose of supporting the poor IN
Idleness.
Such system would in twenty years
have made France as poor and barbarous
az France of the Carlovingisns. Hap
pily The danger was averted; and now
there is despotism, a silent tribune, and
.nslayed press. Liberty is gone, but
civilization has been saved. j have not
the smallest doubt that if we had purely
Democratic government here, the effect
would be the same. Either the poor
wouId plunder the rich, and civilization
would perish, or order and property
would be saved by strong military gov
eminent and liberty would perish. You
may think that your country enjoys an
exemption from these eVila. ] will
frankly own to you that / am Of a very
different opinion. Your fate believe Ia
TO be certain, though it is deferred by a
pbysical cause. As long az you have a
boundless extent of fertile aud unoccu.
MED land, your lsboring classes will be
far more at ease than the laborers Of
the Old World; and while that is the
case, the Jeffersonisn policy may con
tinue to exist without causing any fata
calamity. Bat the time will come wher
New England will be as thickly peoples
as Old England Wages will be as loV
and will fnctuate as much with you a
with us. You will have your Manches
tiers aud Birmiughams; and in these Biz
minghams and Msnchesters hundreds o
Thousands Of artisans will assursdly b
sometimes out of work. Then your in
etitutions will be fairly brought to tn
test
Distress every where makes the lahore
mutinous and disconnected, and incline
him TO listen with eagerness to agitators
who tell him that it is q monstrous u
iquity that one man should have mi
lion while another cannot get full mea
In bad years there is plenty cf grnmbhn
here, and little rioting; but 1t matter
little; for here the sufferers are not th
rulers-the supreme power is in the hand
of class numerous indeed. but selec
of an educated class-of a class which
and knows itself to be deeply intereste
in the security Of property and the maiI
tenance Of order. Accordingly, the ma
contents are firmly, yet gently, restrained
The bad time is got over without robbin
the wealthy to relieve the INDECENT Tn
springs Of rational prosperity soon begi
10 dow again; work is plentiful, wage