Year: 1872

The Americans are often accused OF undue
| comoIaccncy in regard to their own system of
government One of the favorite subjects of
English carcature is the Yankee whiting
his shing!c and guessing that lie has about
hit the correct thing in political institutions.
The force of the caiicaturc lies in the prcju-
dice of the artist, for the thing he draws is
absolutely true. Every American worthy OF
the name regards the system of government
under which we live as tho best at present
possible. There are q few ignOblc spirits,
upOn whom the curse of Canaan has fallen
with especial force, making them servants of
servants forever, who sigh for the tlcsh-pos
of the Tuieries, and deny their coun-
try in the atmosphere of Hyde Park
They are not unknown even in this
great city Of OURS. They think politics
a low business, and so leave them to Tweed
and his kind. They thoroughly believe in
money, which they may get, and in blood,
which they know nothing of, and in titles,
which are worth very little to their wearers.
OF the worth and dignity of genuine Repubh-
canism they have no dream. They look with
wonder and contempt upon the efforts of in
teIgent men in Europe to gain the advan-
tages of democratic government, and with a calm
unconsciousness of their own ignorance assure
them that there is nothing in Democracy worth
working for. This class of nuisances is of
course very small. But unfortunately large
proportion of them go to Europe, and exercise
an influence utterly disproportioned TO their
real insgnificancc.


On the other hand, the leading liberal minds
of the Old World clearly recognize the fact
that the American system of government is
I4I.o t,, pfo oil hat boy
been evolved from the intelligence of man
and the force Of circumstances. We do not
mean that they think of adopting our COnst-
tuition and our organization III lump, nor do
we have the presumption to say that such ac-
ton is desirable. Bat the universal opinion
of intelligent and liberal men i'll Europe is
that we have found the form of government
which suits us best; that our government is
final and permanent; that we are, so FAR
"a human sagacity can determine, outside OF
the possibility of violent revolution. They also
recognize the fact that no monarchy III Europe
has anything resembling that immunity from
change. Consequently the Study of the
American system engages the attention of
all who are interested in the problems of gov


ernmcnt. BY observing the nature, the
method and the result of our Democratic syS-
ten, it may be possible to settle upon some
analogous form which may meet the require


mcnts of those peoples of Europe who desire
TO better their condition. There is to-day not
a country in Europe in which the fundamental
| principles of government are not Il subject of
daily discussion. For more than half CEN
tury we have ceased to think of these things.


We discuss measures, but not the form of
government. There is a natural desire in


Europe to understand by what means a peo-
Die arrives at the point OF not discussing the
| form of government.


| This interest, and we may say this tacit
acceptance of the American standard, is not
confined to liberal or progressive politicians.
Tie Conservatives never deny the eXccences
of democratic government when these are
brought forward by their opponents in debate.
They merely reply that these principles are not
practically applicable to the condition of the
country. Prim never said word against the
| Republic in all his debates in the COrtes. He
merely said, "You cannot have Republic with
"Out Republicans. and there are none in Spain"
A French Orleanist will tell you " the Republic is
"a beautiful dream--we are not worthy of it,"
| All Conservatives seem to have agreed to call
the Republic Utopia, something too bright
and good for human natures daily food. 1t
is not astonishing that this style OF remark
has had the effect Of leading most thinking
| men to examine our system, To determine Tor
themselves whether it is too good for them.
The principles of our Constitution are now
constantly discussed in clubs in newspapers.
and even in legislatures. The proposition for
the modification of the communal ana pro-
yincial laws in Italy has induced the Opinione,