The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-01-17
Lord Macaulay Playing Pr 0phet.
He Thinks Democracies Cannot Hold
Together Long.

Harper's Magazine for February will CON-
tain a number of letters from the late Lord
Macaulay to H. S. Randall, author of the Life
of Jefferson and, although written nearly
twenty years ago, are particularly timely at
this moment. Macaulay did not believe in JEFF
ferson, or the Jeffersonian policy and he ex-
pressed himself very freely to Mr.. Randall
We quote in advance of its publication few
extracts from a letter dated May 90, 1851
You are surprised to learn that have not a
high opinIon OF Mr.. Jefferson, and L am sur
prised at your surprise. L am certain that
never wrote line, and that 1 never, in parlia-
ment, in conversation, or even on the hustlBgs
"a place where i: is the fashion to Court the
populace-uttered word indicating an opln-
ion that the supreme authority In a state
ought to be intrusted to the majority of cti-
zens told by the head; in other words, to the
poorest and most ignorant part OF society. l
have long been convinced that institutions
purely democratic must, sooner or later, de-
stroy liberty or civilization, or both In Eu
rope, where the population is dense, the effect
of such institutions would be almost instanta
neous. You may think that your coun-
try enjoys an exemption from these evils:
frankly own to you that am of very differ
though it is deferred by physical cause. As
long as you have boundless extent of fertile
and unoccuped land your laboring population
will be far more at ease than the laboring
population of the Old World, and
while this is the case, the Jeffersonian
causing any fatal caiamity. But the time will
come when New England will be as thickly
peopled as Cd England. Wages will be as
low, and will fluctuate as much with you as
with US. You will have your Manchesters and
Birminghams, and in those Mauchesters and
Rirmi pUb nf fhOusanAs Of rti
sans will assured'y be sometimes out of work.
Then your institutions will be fairly brought to
the test. 1t is quite plain that your
government will never be able to restrain a
distressed and discontented majority. Fer
with you the majority is the government, and
lutely at its mercy. The day will come when
ip the state of New York multitude of peo-
pc none of whom has had more than halt a
breakfast, or expects to have more than malt
dinner, will choose a legislature. Is it possible
to doubt what sort of a legislature Will be
chosen? On one side is a statesman preaching
patience, respect for vested rights, strict OBJ
seryance of public faith. On the other is
demagogue ranting about the tyranny of cap
talists and usursrs, and asking why any
body should be permitted to drink cham
payne and ride in carriage while thousands o.
honest folks are in want of necessaries
Which of the two candidates is likely to bt
preferred by a workingman who hears hi
children cry for more bread? l seriously ap
prehend that you will, in some such season o.
adversity as have described, do things which
will prevent the prosperity from returning
| that you will act like people who should in {
| year of scarcity devour all the seed corn, ant
| thus make the next year not of scarcity, bu
| of absolute famine. There will be L fear
| spoliation. The spoliation will increase thu
| distress The distress will produce fresh spol
| iation. There is nethipg to stop you. You
constitution is all sail and no anchor. AS
| said before, when a society has entered on thi
! downward progress either civilization. or lbert,