Litchfield enquirer., 1878-02-07

king, or of the intelligent democracy, the cour- tierOr thepOlitican will still sit in high places; but they are no longer supreme in the State. In the highest positions will be found, not al- ways statesmen, indeed, but able and honest public officers
 often happens, however, that quiet and sensible people carry their hatred of dema- gOgues and their distrust of politicians to the extent of losing faith in popular government itself And this scepticism is all the more dangerous because it finds little or no public expression among us. Not many years since the conduct of our people in France was nev- CT ending source of disgust to the crushed and persecuted republicans of Europe. One might naturally have supposed that an odious despo- tism, fastened by treacherOus violence upon an unwilling people, would have found few favor CTS among the citizens of the model mod ern republic. Yet here were crowds of wealthy Americans so fascinated by the gloss and glitter of the Lower Empire as to make frequent and open avowals of their preference of such gilded despotism to the coarse vitali- ty of their own republic. The past seventeen years have demonstrated the terrible weak ness of the one, and the terrible strength of the other yet Abere are still numbers of Amer ic4n men and crowds of American women who heartily dislike democracy, and entertain quiet though decided preference for the de- corOus deadness of European despotisms and aristOcracies- A still larger number look back with regret to the removal of those qualifica- tiOas which during the early years of the re- puhlic deprived the majority of it's adult males of the protection of the franchise and restrict ed fl to property holders.
 While we cannot wonder that the repulsive exterior of democracy among us-its supa-ser- viceabledemagogues, it's pliant politicians, and it's hlAtant, partisan press-have aroused dan gerOus undercurrent of hostility among our more decent citizens, we believe that it carries its worst on its face. Government by the peo- pie. e.@sdevelOpedin these United States coarse, stupid, and noisy though it's outward manifes- t&iiO0s &re-is nevertheless good government zs the world goes. The unpromising exterior eo0ceaIs strong. sound. and in the main an ho7csa heart Indeed it is distinguishing merit of the democratic treatment that it throws the diseases of the body polite to the surface. In many cases detection of itself works cure. The more serious evils are discussed, and ex- plzined and exaggeratedin in all sorts of jour- nzis and in all sorts of representative bodies, and every possible remedy or palliative sug gessed and applied Under despotic or aris- tcczztic treatment, however, fair and decor O1s outside conee2ls to the last all the rotten neSs within 4 nation gradually withers away cr its xtructure of government tumbles into total ruin. with scarcely a word of warning or Cf criticism uttered aloud. except by the out law urthe exile
 Good ruzds and an efficient police are excel lens things-better furnished under despotic than under democratic forms. perhaps-but they are by no means the chief ends of gov erunsni These we take to be two: 1st, to afford the individual the largest practical scope fog devebOpement in the direction best suited to his natural capacity; 2d, to protect so far sS iS practicable the many against the en- CrOacAing seliShness of the abler few.
 The great strength of democracy has al- ways lain in the freedom of individual devel- Opemeut it permits It is often said, indeed, and probably much oftener thought, that good despogism is the best government kD0wu to man This might be the case as far as unre thOrOUghness Of administration is con- crTuei: but. as Mfr. Mill has admirably shown Enhix essay on Representative Government, such syaEen. 10 matter how perfect it may be- on1e. cannot rail, in keeping all its. subjects in PzpesEAl pupilage, to dwarf the growth of the TniTvi.iuaI
 The pahlie ai large remain without informa- ti0a and without interest on all the greater matters Of practice or ifthey have any knowl- SsfSe Of them ii is but a dilettdnte knowl- edge ike that which people have of the me- chAa5cal aFss who have never handled a tool Nor is iE only in their intelligence that they S1HeE. fheir moral capacities are equally stunt cl Wherever the sphere of action of human beings Is srtihciaiiy eircumscribed, their senti- uaeaGs are narrowed and dKarfed in the same pUPoEtioa- The food of feeling is action; even domestic affection lives upon voluntary good ofhces LSf pegs~a kGUe HOkktRg to do t0r hss sssz@fEy rad Ac SiH not care T0r t. It has been said of old that in despotism there is st useSs haf one patriot, the despot himself; and the sagfng rests On a just appreciation of the effects Of absolute subjection, even to a good and wise master.
 2-While full freedom is allowed the in- dlvsazal in liberal aristOcracies like that of Great Britain, little can ordinarily be done un der such a rule to protect the many against the eacrOachs2g selfShness of the governing few In this regard an aristocracy isworse thAza de@pOtisn; for. in the latter case, there ocrzsi0azIly arise wise rulers who govern fol the benefit of the many, and disregard the in te-eSts Of the privileged few. The emancipa. ti0a Of the seFfs of Russia could not have hap. peaea under an 2ristOcracy of shareholders fC<. though individuals might have been un. seAEzh enough to propose such a measure, self. Hsans@ will always control the action of a ca@z& Under despOtism there will be strange alterations of good and bad government, aS good despoes alternate with bad. Under srS<tOe==ciea. however, the general administra- ti0a may be highly respectable throughout, thcagh all the while intensely selfish 90 far az tkeir own class interests are concerned. The ultimate results of such rule are baneful ir the extreme The thousands who govern strengthen their own class privileges, while tkey hedge in the millions under them witf cunning legislation and convenient customs tiH. al lass, they come to own all the land and nOSt of the movable property throughout tht couHa<y- They thus reduce the mass of theil co9nETymen to the condition of laborers anC semais as will. practically unable to attain xhHk freedom of individual development whseA the law in theory offers them.
 lis only a republic, end q republic with unfreTsal suffrage and an independent and AB intelligent population. that can ever save