p.

12

opinion that a sure remedy and the only remedy for the
evil is to be found in a republican form of government.

Both these opinions, carried to the extent, are incorrect.
The governments in the civilized parts of Europe, with
kings at the head of them, are not tyrannies. So far from
it, that the citizens in those countries consider themselves
as free as they wish to be, and perfectly well protected in
their rights. I leave out of this representation the oppres-
sion which the people of England suffer from old establish-
ments and monopolies, which had their origin in ages of
ignorance; for these are, in many cases, extremely oppres-
sive. But to the form of the government, to royalty, and to
the general administration of the laws, the people have no
objection. On the other hand, they are strongly attached
to them, and would by no means exchange the form of the
government for any other.

Equally incorrect is the opinion, that a republican go-
vernment is of course a free government, or one that of
course will secure to the citizens all their just rights. So
far is this from being true, that democracies and republics
may be, and have often been, as tyrannical as monarchies.

The principle that our statesmen have universally
adopted and proclaimed that the people in a state or com-
munity are the only legitimate source of power, is just;
all government ought to have its origin in the will of those
who are to be governed. But in the application of this
principle, our theorists and statesmen have overlooked, or
not sufficiently regarded one important fact, that in framing
a constitution, it is as necessary to guard against the tyranny
of the people as it is to guard against the tyranny of kings
and nobles.