p.

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been devoted to democratic principles, and who thus became
the master of the people, who were supposed to be able to
govern themselves without a master.

The truth is, many of our leading political men, during
and after the revolution, were visionary enthusiasts, who
had read history without profit, or due application of histo-
rical facts. Their ideas were crude, and utterly at variance
with the truth of history, and with all experience. They
seem to have supposed, that to obtain liberty, and establish
a free government, nothing was necessary but to get rid of
kings, nobles, and priests ; never considering that the same
principles of human nature, and the same disposition to
tyrannize, exist in all other men, and that the people, when
they have the power, will abuse it, and be as tyrannical as
kings. This mistake has led to deplorable consequences ;
one of which is, that people mistake the nature of tyranny
or oppression, supposing that the sovereign people may do
that which a king cannot do without oppression. One judge
has publicly declared, that if a small number of persons are
guilty of violating law, they may be indicted ; but if a great
multitude outrage law and rights, they cannot be indicted or
punished. It is painful to the friends of a republic that such
a monstrous doctrine should be uttered by any man whose
duty is to carry laws into effect.

We continually hear eulogies on the happy con-
dition of the citizens of the United States ; resulting
from the freedom of our government. These eulogies, to a
certain extent, are well founded. Our active, industrious,
and enterprizing citizens, possessing a vast extent of fertile
land, growing and profitable manufactures, and a commerce
that reaches every spot on the globe, enjoy blessings be-