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11

tablishment and continuance of tyrannical govern-
ments in the western portion of Europe. Men un-
derstanding the principlles of freedom, and possess-
ing property, can not be reduced to the vassalage of
former ages.

3. The kingdoms of France and England are not, in the
true sense of the word, monarchies. Their govern-
ments are a mixture or union of aristocracy and re-
publicanism. The kings are hereditary executive
magistrates, but they have not the power to make a
single law, and of course cannot exercise arbitrary
government over the citizens. In this respect, the
kings are as essentially restrained from acts of ty-
ranny, as the president of the United States. The
house of peers is an aristocratical body, possessing
powers of government by virtue of title or rank; but
the commons, elected by the people, are a republican
body. These houses are complete checks upon
each other, by which the rights of both are secured;
and both are a complete check upon the king.

Now the great source of mistake in this country, is,
that monarchies have generally been characterized by ar-
bitrary and oppressive government; and particularly in rude
ages and uncivilized countries, where the mass of the popu-
lation have had neither learning nor property. This fact
being well known, and incessantly proclaimed by our patri-
otic conductors of the revolution, has produced in the minds
of American citizens, an extreme odium against all mo-
narchies, leading them to make royal government and ty-
ranny synonymous terms, and impressing the belief or

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