Within the last half-century or so,either the Universe or else the heads of men must have altered very much.Half a century ago,and down from Father Adam's time till then,the Universe,wherever I could hear tell of it,was wont to be of somewhat abstruse nature;by means carrying its secret written on its face,legible to every passer-by;on the contrary,obstinately hiding its secret from all foolish,slavish,wicked,insincere persons,and partially disclosing it to the wise and le-minded alone,whose number was the majority in my time!
Or perhaps the chief end of man being ,in these improved epochs,to make money and spend it,his interests in the Universe have become amazingly simplified of late;capable of being voted on with effect by almost anybody?"To buy in the cheapest market,and sell in the dearest:"truly if that is the summary of his social duties,and the final divine message he has to follow,we may trust him extensively to vote upon that.But if it is ,and never was,or can be?If the Universe will carry on its divine bosom any commonwealth of mortals that have higher aim,--being still "a Temple and Hall of Doom,"a mere Weaving-shop and Cattle-pen?If the unfathomable Universe has decided to reject Human Beavers pretending to be Men;and will abolish,pretty rapidly perhaps,in hideous mud-deluges,their "markets"and them,unless they think of it?--In that case it were better to think of it:and the Democracies and Universal Suffrages,I can observe,will require to modify themselves a good deal!
Historically speaking,I believe there was Nation that could subsist upon Democracy.Of ancient Republics,and Demoi and Populi ,we have heard much;but it is pretty well admitted to be hing to our purpose;--a universal-suffrage republic,or a general-suffrage one,or any but a most-limited-suffrage one,never came to light,or dreamed of doing so,in ancient times.
When the mass of the population were slaves,and the voters intrinsically a kind of kings ,or men born to rule others;when the voters were real "aristocrats"and manageable dependents of such,--then doubtless voting,and confused jumbling of talk and intrigue,might,without immediate destruction,or the need of a Cavaignac to intervene with can and sweep the streets clear of it,go on;and beautiful developments of manhood might be possible beside it,for a season.Beside it;or even,if you will,by means of it,and in virtue of it,though that is by means so certain as is often supposed.Alas,the reflective constitutional mind has misgivings as to the origin of old Greek and Roman leness;and indeed ks how this or any other human leness could well be "originated,"or brought to pass,by voting or without voting,in this world,except by the grace of God very mainly;--and remembers,with a sigh,that of the Seven Sages themselves fewer than three were bits of Despotic Kings,[Gr.]Turan ,"Tyrants"so called (such being greatly wanted there);and that the other four were very far from Red Republicans,if of any political faith whatever!We may quit the Ancient Classical concern,and leave it to College-clubs and speculative debating-societies,in these late days.
Of the various French Republics that have been tried,or that are still on trial,--of these also it is needful to say any word.
But there is one modern instance of Democracy nearly perfect,the Republic of the United States,which has actually subsisted for threescore years or more,with immense success as is affirmed;to which many still appeal,as to a sign of hope for all nations,and a "Model Republic."Is America an instance in point?
Why should all Nations subsist and flourish on Democracy,as America does?
Of America it would ill beseem any Englishman,and me perhaps as little as aher,to speak unkindly,to speak unpatriotically,if any of us even felt so.Sure egh,America is a great,and in many respects a blessed and hopeful phee.Sure egh,these hardy millions of Anglo-Saxon men prove themselves worthy of their genealogy;and,with the axe and plough and hammer,if yet with any much finer kind of implements,are triumphantly clearing out wide spaces,seedfields for the sustenance and refuge of mankind,arenas for the future history of the world;doing,in their day and generation,a creditable and cheering feat under the sun.But as to a Model Republic,or a model anything,the wise among themselves k too well that there is hing to be said.Nay the title hitherto to be a Commonwealth or Nation at all,among the [Gr.]ethne of the world,is,strictly considered,still a thing they are but striving for,and indeed have yet done much towards attaining.Their Constitution,such as it may be,was made here,there;went over with them from the Old-Puritan English workshop ready-made.
Deduct what they carried with them from England ready-made,--their common English Language,and that same Constitution,or rather elixir of constitutions,their inveterate and ,as it were,inborn reverence for the Constable's Staff;two quite immense attainments,which England had to spend much blood,and valiant sweat of brow and brain,for centuries long,in achieving;--and what new elements of polity or nationhood,what le new phasis of human arrangement,or social device worthy of Prometheus or of Epimetheus,yet comes to light in America?Cotton crops and Indian corn and dollars come to light;and half a world of untilled land,where populations that respect the constable can live,for the present without Government:this comes to light;and the profound sorrow of all ler hearts,here uttering itself as silent patient unspeakable ennui,there coming out as vague elegiac wailings,that there is still next to hing more."Anarchy plus a street-constable:"that also is anarchic to me,and other than quite lovely!