The Hillsborough recorder., 1877-08-08
MACAULAYsLETTE TO RAN
DALI.

cNulhy Hfrt tetttF W mT. ntHuiii. ~ u
dated Holly Lodge, Kenslngton, London
May Oath 1857 and reads as follows:
lhave long been convinced that in
stitutions purely democratic must, sooner
or later, destroy liberty or civilization, ol
both. In Europe, where the population
Ia dense, the effect OF such institutions
would be almost instantaneous. What
happened lately 10 France is an example
In is4s a pure democracy was established
there. During short time there was
reason TO expect general spoliatlon, a
national bankruptcy, a new partition Of
the soil, a maximlm Of prices. aruinous
load OF taxation laid on the rich for the
purpose Of supporting thepoorin ldleness.
Such system wonld, In twenty years,
have made France as poor and barbarous
as the France of the Carlovingians
Happily the danger was averted; and
now there Is despotism. a silent tribune,
an enslaved press. Liberty L. gone, but
civilization has been saved. Ihave not
thesmallest doubt, II we had a purely
Democratic government here, the effect
would be the same. Either the poor
would plumber the rIch. and civilization
would perish, or order and prosperity
wouldbe saved by strong military
government, and liberty would perish.
You may think that youi country enjoys
an exemption from these evils. Twill
frankly own to yon that lam Of very
different opinion. Your fate believe TO
be certain. though Il Is deferred by a
physical cause. AZ long as you have n
boundless extent of fertile aud unoceupied
land, your laboriag population will be far
more at ease than the laboring population
ofthe Old World. aud. while that Is the
case, the Jefferson politics may continue
10 exist without causing any
fatal calamity. But the time will come
when New England will be as thickly
peopled as old England. Wages viii be
an low, and will fiuctuate as much with
YOU as with Us. You will have your
Manchesters and Birminghams, anu In
those Manchestes aud Blrminghams.
hundreds OF thousands OF artisans will
he sometimes out Of work.
Then your institutions will be fairly
brought 10 the test. Distress everywhere
makes the laborer mutinous and discon-
tented, aud inclines him 10 listen with
eagerness TO agitators who tell him that
Il Is monstrous iniquity that one man
should have million while another can
not get full meal. In bad years there
is plenty OF grumbIing here. ID some
times a little rioiing. But Il matters
little. For here the sufferers are not the
rulers. The supreme power Is In the
hanis ola class, numerous indeed, but
select; Of an educated Glass; ofa class
which n. and knows itselfto be, deeply
Interested Ia the security Of property and
the maintenance Of order. Accordingly,
The malcontents are firmly yet gently
The bad time Is got over With
out roibIng the wealthy 70 relieve the
INDECENT. The springs ofhational pros
perity soon begih TO How again: work is
wages rise, and AL is tranquil
Ity and cheerfulness. I have seen Eng
land PASS three or four times Through
such critical seasons as have described.
such seasons the United States
will have 10 pass IN the next century,
u not ofthis. How will you pass through
the,n9 ! heartily wis, you good dcliv-
erance. But my reason and my wishes
are at war, and cannot help forcbodiug
the worst. tits quito plain that your gov-
ernment will never lie able 10 restrain q
distressed and dIscontented majority. For
with ybu the majority il the government,
and has tho rich, who are always a
absolutely al lis mercy. The
day will come when In the State Of New
York multitude ofpcople, none ofwhom
has had more than half n breakfast, or ex-
poets to have more than hal. dinner,
will choosea Legislature Is 1t possible
10 doubt what sort ofa Legislature will be
chosen? On one sido Is statesman
patience, respect for vested
rights, strict observance Of public faiih.
On the other Is ademagogue ranting about
the tyranny Of capitalists and usurers,
and asking why anbody should be per-
mitied to drink Champagne and 10 ride
III n carriage while thousands ofhcnest
folks are in want of neceeseries. Which
of the two candidates is likely TO- obe pre-
ierred by the working inan who hears his
children cry for more bread? ? seriously
npprchend that you will, IN some such
lesson Of adversely as have described,
do things which will prevent prosperity
from returning; that you viii act like
people who should I'M year Of scarcity
devour nII tie seej.corn, and thus make
the next a year not Of scarcity, but Of eh-
solutc famine There will be, ! fear,
spnliation. Thespoliation viii Increase
the distress The Distress will produce
-. ......ff.tto, T,l,aro IN nnthin9 "a atom