Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-04-18
MACAULAY OH DEMOCRACY.
Curious Letter From Lord Macaulay
on American Institutions and Pros


Curious Letter From Lord Macauiay
on American Institutions and Pros
pec;s.
1t belongs to an occasional correspondence,
of some years standing, between Lord Ma
cauay and Hon. Henry S. Randall OF New
York author of the "Life of Jefferson" "
HOLLY LODGE. KENsINeToN,l
LONDON, May 23, 1S51J
Henry s. Randall, Esq: Dear Sir-you
are surprised to learn that have not high |
opinion of Mr.. Jefferson, and am surprised
al your surprise. | am certain that | never
wrote line, AMI that never in Parliament.
in conversation, or even on the hHstings-a
place where it is the fashion to court the pop
ulace-uttered a word indicating an opinion
that the supreme authority in Il State ought
to be inrusted to the majority of citizens
told by the head in other words, to the
poorest and most ignorant part OF society. |
have long been convinced that institutions
purely Democratic must, sooner or later, de-
stroy liberty or civilization, or both.
In Europe, where the population is dense,
the effect of such institutions would be al
most instantaneous. What happened lately
in France is an example. In 1s4S a pure
Democracy was established there. During
tn short time there was reason to expect a
general spolatiOn, a national bankruptcy, a
new partition Of the soil, maximum OF
prices, ruinous load OF taxation, laid on the
rich for the purpose OF supporting the poor in
idleness Such system would, in twenty
years, have made France as poor and bsrba-
rous as France Of the Carlovlngians. Hap
PLY the danger was averted and now there
is despotism, a silent tribune, an enslaved
press. Liberty is gone, but civilization has
7 how ha cp,ollaSt hppht
that, if we had purely Democratic gov
ernmcnt here, the effect would be the
same. Either the poor. would punder the
rich and civilization would perish, or order
and property would be saved by strong
military government, aud liberty would per-
isb.
You may think that your country enjoys
au exemption from these evils. l will frank
ly own to you that am of q very different
opinion. Your fate believe to be certain,
though it is deferred by aphysical cause. As
long as you have boundless extent of fer
tile unoccuped land, your laboring popula-
ton will be far more at ease than the labor
ing population of the Old World, and while
that is the case, the Jcffersonian policy may
continue to exist without causing any fatal
calamity.
But the time will come when New England
will be as thickly peopled as Old England.
Wages will be as low ard will 1uctuate as
much with you as with US. You will have
your Manchesters and Birminghams; hun
dreds of thousands of artisans will assuredly
be sometimes out of work. Then your instl-
tutions will be fairly brought to the test.
Distress everywhere makes the laborer
muinous and discontented aud inclines him
to listen with eagerness ID agitators who tell
him that it is q mOnstrous lniquity that one
man should have million while another
cannot get full meal. In bad years there
is plenty of grumbling here and sometimes q
little roting. But it matters little. For here
the sufferers are not the rulers. The supreme
power is in the hands of a class, numerous,
indeed, but select, of an educated class, of Il
class which is, and knows itself to be, deeply
interested in the security Of property and tht
maintenance of order. Accordingly, thu
malcontents are firmly yet gently restraine d
The bad time Is got over without robbing the
wealthy to relieve the iudigent. The spring
of national prosperity soon begin to nov
again; work is plentiful, wages rise, and al
is tranquility and cheeIfulness.
| have seen England pass three or fou
times through such critical seasons as ! bav
des ribbed. Through such seasons the Unitrt
States will have to pass in the course Of III
next century, if not OF this How will yo
pass through them2 | heartily wish you
good delverance. But my reason and m
wishes are at war, aud l cannot help for,
boding the worst. 1t is quite plain that you
Government will never be able TO restrain
distressed and dscontcuted majority. For wit
yon the majority is the government, and hi
the rich, who are always a minority, abs
lutely at Its mercy. The day will con
when, in the State of New York, multituC
of people, none of whom has had more thu
half bro oakfast, or expectto have more tht
I.1f will pbnea a lIUiglnt n r
Is it possible to doubt was sort Of legi
lature Will be chosen? On one side is
statesman preaching patience, respect I
vested rights, strict observance of pub
fath on The right is a demagogue ran,il
about the tyranny of capitalists and usurpel
and asking why ybOdy should be perm
ted to drink champagne and to Tide in ca
riage, while thousands of honest folks are
want Of nccessares. Which Of the two Ca
didates is likely TO be preferred by wor
ngman who hears his children cry for me
bread? | seriously apprehend that you "
in some such season of adversity as l ha
described, do things which will prevent PR
Gritty from returning, that you will act Ii
people who would, in year OF scare
devOur all the seed corn, and thus make
next year not of scarcity, but of a6soll
famine.
There will be, fear, spoliation. The 81
llatlOn Will Increase tne ulslrese. ~
is nothing to stay you Your constitution Is
sal and no anchor. As | said before, wi
tress will produce fresh spoitiaton. Tn
society has entered on this downward pr
ress, either civilization or liberty must p
ish Either some Cesar or Napoleon v
seiz the reins of government with strc
hand, or your republic will be as iearfu
plnndered and laid waste by barbarians
The twentieth century as the Roman EmI
was in the fifth; with this difference, I
The Huns aud Vandals who ravaged the
man Empire came from without, and t
your Huns and Vandals will have been
gendered within your country by your c
institutions
Thinking thus, Of course | can not reel
j. ffrrson among the benefactors Of m
kind. | readily admit that his intent
were gooi and his abilities cpnsidera
obi stories have been circulated at
his 0Iiva'e life but do not know on "
evidence those stories rest, and | thin
prob bile that they are false or monstrol
exagsera ed, / nave no doubt that S
derive both pleasure and information f
your account Of him.
have the honor TO be, dc al sir,
Your faithful servant,
T. B. MAoAuLA'