The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1884-06-12

A Curious Letter from Lord Macauiay OF
American Institutions and Pros pecta.

A Curious Letter from Lord Macaulay ON
American Institutions and Prospects.
The following letter belongs TO m
occasional correspondence, of some
years standing, between Lord Macaulay
and Hon. Henry S. Randall, of New
York, author of the "Life OF Jefferson
HOLLY LoroE, KENsIsGToN,
LONDON, May -. 1887.
Henry s. Randall, Esq:
DEAR SIR-You are surprised TO learn that
have not a high opinion OF Mr. JEFFERSON,
and am surprised at your surprise. l am
certain that never wrote a line, and that
never in Parliament, in conversation, or
even on the hustings-a place where II Is the
fashion TO court the populace-uttered "a
word indicating an opinion that the supreme
authority in q state ought be intrusted TO
the majority of citizens told by the head; in
other words, to the poorest and most igno-
rant part of society. have long been con-
WINGED that institutions purely democratic
must, sooner or later, destroy liberty or
| civilization, or both.
In Europe, where the population Is Dense
| the effect OF such institutions would be
almost instantaneous. What happened lately
| in France is an example. In 1913 pure de-
mocracy was established there. During the
| short time there was reason to expect a
| general spoliation, national bankruptcy, a
| new partition OF tho soil, maximum OF
| prices, a ruinous load of taxation, laid on the
rich Tor the purpose of supporting the poor
In business. Such system would, In twenty
| years, have made France as poor and barba-
rous as France of Carlovingians Happily
| the danger was avertcd; and now there is a
despotism, a silent tribune, an enslaved
press. Liberty Is gene, but civilization was
saved. have not the smallest doubt that, II
we had purely democratic government
here. the effect would be the same. Either
| the poor would plumber the rich, and civilza-
| ton would perish; or order and property
would be saved Ivy strong military govern
ment, and liberty NO I'D perish.
You may think that your country eli oys
an exemption from these evils. l will frankly
! own to you that I am Of a very different
| opinion. Your fate believe 10 be certain,
though IL is doferred by a physical cause. As
| long IA you have boupd1ss eNtcnt OF
| fertile and unoccupicd land, your laboring
| population will DC far more At ease than the
tailoring population Of the oil. world, and
| while this is the case the Jetfersonian policy
may continue to exist without causing any
| fatal calamity.
But the time will come when New England
| will be as thickly pcoped rs old England.
| Wages will be as low and will fuctuate as
much with you rs with ms. You will have
! your Manchesters and Birininghams; hun
dreds OF thousands OF artisans will assuredy
| be sometimes out of work. Then your insti-
tutions will be fairly brought TO the test.
Distress everywhere makes the laborer
mutinous and discontinued, and inclines him
| 10 listen with eagernoss to agitators who tell
| him that it is monstrous mi luity that one
| man should have n million while another
| cannot get full meal. In bad years there is
! plenty OF grumbing hero, and sometimes a
! little rioting. But IL matters little. For
| here the sufferers are not the rulers. Tho
! supreme ver is in the hands of a class, nu-
! merous, indeed, bat select, OF an educated
class, of class which IL, and knows itself to
be, deeply interested in tho security of prop
! erty and the maintenance OF order. Accord
| ingly the malcontonts are firmly yet gently
| restrained The bad time is got over without
robbing the wealthy TO relieve the INDECENT.
| The principles o. national prosperity soon be-
| gin to flow again, work Is plenty, wages rise.
| and III is tran luillity and cheerfulness.
| l have seen England pass three or four
times through such critical seasons as have
described. Through such seasons the United
| States will have to pass in the course
of the next century, If not CT this.
How will you pass through themI
| / heartily wish you Il good deliverance.
But my reason and my wishes are at war,
and cannot help foreboding the worst 1t
! il qu tie plain your government will not be
able TO restrain distressed and discontinued
majority. Tor with you the ma ority Is the
! government, and has tire rich, who arc al
ways minority, absolutely at its mercy.
| The day will come when, in the state of
| New York, multitude OF people, none OF
whom has had more than than half break
| fast, or expects TO have more than half a
| dinner, will choose legislature
l. it possible to do lbt what sort OF Legs-
! lature will be chosen? On one side is a states
man preach ng patience, respect for vested
| rights, strict observance OF public faith: on
| the other is a demagogue ranting about the
| tyranny of capitalists and usurpers, and ask
| ing Why anybody should be permitted TO
| drink champagne and TO ride in a carriage,
| Whit Thousands OF honest folks are In want
of necessaries. Which OF the two candidates
! is likely to be preferred by the workingman
wis hearo his children cry for more b. cad |!
j seriously apprehend that you will, in so ne
| such season OF adversely IA | have described,
do things which will prevent prosperity from
returning; that you will act like people who
would, in a year OF scarcity, devour all the
| seed corn, and thus make tho next year not
| of scar ity, but OF absolute amino.
There will be, Tear, spoliation. The spo-
liation will increase the distress. The dis
tress will produce fresh spoliation. There Is
nothing 70 stop you. Your Constitution Is
! all sail and TO anchor. AS / said before,
| when u society has ente cd on Its downward
progress, either civilization or liberty must
perish. Either some ca sar or Napoleon will
seize the reins OF government with strong
| hand, or your republic Wit be as fear
fully plundered and laid waste by barbarians
| in the twentieth century as tho Roman Elm
pire was in the fifth; with this difference.
that the Huns and Vandals who ravaged the
Roman Empire came from without, and that
your Huns and Vandals Will have been en-
rendered within your country by your own
| ins buttons.
Thinking this OF course / cannot reckon
jefferson among the bene actors of mankind
] readily admit that his intentions were good
and his abilities considerable. Odious stories
have been circulated about his private life;
and / do not know N what evidences those
stories rest, and l think il probab that they
are false or monstrously exaggerated. have
! no doubt that Is all derive both pleasure and
informant from your account Of him.
have the honor TO be, dear sir, your faithful
servant Il. Ii. MACAULAY.