The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1884-06-12

MACAl'LAi ON DEMOCRACY.
A utious letter from, Lord Maeaulay OH
American Institutions and Prospects.

~ OHttOhs Letter rom I0fO MaeauHy OH
American Institution. and Prospects,
The following letter belongs to an
occasional coifesptndcnce, Of some
years standing, between Lord Macaulay
and Hon. Henry u. Randall, of New
York, author OF the "1ifo OF jefferson;
Holly Lot az. kESsiSaTos,
lospoS, Mat ~, 1877.
Henry \. Randall. Eau.,
DEAH Silt You nrn surprise 10 learn thaf
have not a high opnion OF Mr.. jefferson,
nnd | ain stifnfikul ~ your surprise ! nin
certain thai never wrote u line. aud that
never in Parliament. IN conversation, or
even On tho husiiags-a rluar where II v I'll"
fashion to court tic popnllct--tttnrc1
wurl indicating nh opinion that the supreme
authority ~ Il state ought he intrasted 10
thr mn t3ur;ty OF ctigrna told by tho head. in
other words, to the poors Il and most isno.
rant part vi society. hase long been tol-
vinced ihut iastltliions purely democratic
mnst sooner or ntcr, destroy liberty or
civilization, or both.
In Europe. where tie population fs dense,
tho effect uf such tnatitutions would be-
alnost instantaneous. Whit happened iatnly
IN France is nn example. In lsls pure de-
niaeraee was nstah ishea there. During the
short timr there Nas reason to eslcct a
general srulIation, \ national bankruptcy. \
new partition uf the soil maximum OF
pr,ces n rulnoi,s load of taxation laid on the
III Tor tie purpose OF supporting the poor
III business. Such system would, IN twenty
years. haNc made trnnce as poor and harhn-
ruus II Fgnnce OF Carovingans. Happily
the danger was userttd; and now there IL Il
dcspptitm silent tribune, I'm cnsaved
rrr,s. liberty II gone. but civilization was
saved. | have no, the smallest doubt that, IL
We had Il purely democratic government
hcre, the effect would lie the same Either
the lour would plumber the rich. and csilza-
tion would perish; or order and property
would lc Sns Oh hy a strong military govern.
ment and liberty wollt perish.
ion may think that your country en- oys
an cxeml tion from thcsec,ils. will frankly
own To you that | am oi u very diacrcnt
Opinsua. Your fate believe 10 hc certain,
though IL Ia deferred by a phA steal cause. As
long n yoa have bonndlcss extent OF
fertile aud unoccupicl land, your laboring
population VIII lc far more ut ease than ths
lahoring population Of the old world, aud
while this Ii the case the lcilcrsonian policy
may continue to exist without causing any
fatal calamity.
Tut the time will come when New England
will hc m thtcklv lruplcd as old England.
Wages viii bc "a low and will iiuctnate rs
much with yon rs with us You will have
your Manchcstcrs aud Birminghams; hun.
drcds OF thousands OF artisans will assurcdly
hc sometimes out Of work. Then Your insti
tuttons will hc iairly brought to the test
Distress everywhere makes the laborer
mutinous and discontcnted, an1 inclines him
10 listen With eaycrncss to aRitators who tell
him that II IL = monssrous ni luity that one
man ehould have u million while another
cannot get fun meal In bad years there Il
plenty of rrumhing here, and sometimes q
little riotinR. hut II matters lite. FOL
here the sufferers arc not tho rulers The
supreme power Is in the bands OF class. nn
meroaa indeed, BIT select. of an educated
class, OF class which Is, aud knows itself Il
he deeply interest d in the security OF prop
crts and the maintenance of order. Accord
inSls the malcoascnts are firmly yet gently
restrained The had time il got over withou
rohhing tho wealthy to relieve the INDECENT
Tho principles 0. nat onal prosperity soon be
Rin To dow again, work Is plenty, wages rise
and NIL 10 tran utility aud chcerfnlness.
have seen England pass thres or -four
times through such critical seasons as hav,
described. Through such seasons the Cn,tcs
States viii have 10 pas in the cours,
OF the next century. u not CT this
How win you pass through them
heartily wish you Il good delverance
hut my reason and my wishes are at war
and cannot help rnrchodn1 the worst. |
l. uM tc pain Your government will not d
able IL restrain distressed and discontentct
majority, Tor with you tho ma arite Is th
government. and has tie rich, who are al
u
The day will come. when. In the state o
New York, multitude OF pcoale, none o
| whom has haa more than than half break
fast. or expects to have more than half
dinner, viii choose u Legislature.
Il II possible to DO sbt Whit sort OF 4 Lcgi'
| .atare viii TIC chaScng TN one side Il a states
| man preaching patience. respect FOR Scste
rights, strict observance of public faiths q
1 the other IL n dcaagogue ranting about tn
| tyranny ofcapstalssts and nsmrpars, and ask
\ ng Mhy anybody should bc permitted I
| drink champagne aud 10 ride In a carriap,
white thousands OF honest folks are In wan
/ Of ncecssaries. Which of the two candidate
Il ltke'y 10 ~ rlcicrsed by the workinEma
\ whs hearo his children cry Tor more bread
l seriously aprrchcad that you will in son
such season III advcrsits ~ have describe,
| do things which will prevent prosperity frol
| rctarnings that YOU VII act like peop'c VIII
/ would. ina year OF scarcity. dcvonr all tn
sccd corn, and thus make the next year no
4 OF scarcity, but oil absolute famine.
| There will he, lear, snoliation. The sps
4 liatioa will increase the distress. The iii
tress win produce fresh spoliatien. There
nothing IL stop YOU. Your Constitution
| all sail and 10 anchor. AS said hetor,
| when n society has entered on Its downwar
| prosrcss, either civilization or liberty mus
perish, Ether some c. sar or Napoleon wi
| seisc the rcins of government with a stron
hand. or Your republic will be AS fea
| fully plenacsed and laid waste by barbarian
| in the ,wcnticlh century as the Roman En-
| pire was In the tiths with this dincrcnc,
| that tho Huns and Nanaals who ravaged th
| Roman Empire cams from without, aud tina
Your Huns and Nandals will have been cl
| pcndsrct within Your country by your ow
! institutions.
Thinking this, of course cannot rccko
Jefferson anon. the henotactors of mankin,
readily admit that his intentions were goo
| and his abilities considerable. uaious storit
! have been circulated about his private lift
ana | do not know on what evidence tho.
stories rest, and think il probabc that the
are false or rmonstrously exaggerated. l has
no doubt that shall derive both pleasure al
Information from Your account Of him.
! have the honor To be. dear sir, your fnithfi