Bates. — On Democracy. 109 



tions on American democracy, "It is an old saying that 

 monarchies live by honour and republics by virtue. The 

 more democratic republics become, the more the masses grow 

 conscious of their own power, the more do they need to live 

 not only by patriotism, but by reverence and self-control, and 

 the more essential to their well-being are those sources whence 

 reverence and self-control flow\" 



It would be fatal to ignore the fact that democracies 

 are liable to special difficulties and dangers. The objection 

 sometimes urged against popular government, that the people 

 at large lack the requisite training and ability, may be met 

 by saying that " it is not necessary they should be competent, 

 the essential thing is that they should be interested." True 

 as this may be, there are, notwithstanding, grave abuses to 

 which democracy as such is peculiarly subject. Experience 

 proves this beyond dispute. To take but one point, the 

 administration of the law : It is of vital importance to a 

 democratic community that when laws are made they should 

 be strictly and impartially enforced. The stability of the 

 community rests upon this. Any disposition and effort on the 

 part of an orderly people to shield offenders from the due 

 reward of their deeds are wholly mischievous, and tend to- 

 wards anarchy. It cannot be too often repeated that the firm 

 and just administration of the law is of the first moment to 

 any State. 



Does not a danger also lurk in the change that is coming 

 over the "representative"? He is turning into the paid 

 delegate, a sort of salaried official. We all know the reason 

 given for the payment of m.embers of Parliament. The reason 

 is probably sound, but the danger remains. The candidate 

 for parliamentary honours would now be laughed at who 

 should venture to say, as Burke did to the electors of Bristol, 

 " It ought to be the happiness and glory of a representative to 

 live in the strictest union, the closest correspondence, with 

 his constituents. Their wishes ought to have great weight 

 with him ; their opinions high respect ; their business un- 

 remitted attention. It is his duty to sacrifice his repose, his 

 pleasure, his satisfaction to theirs; and, above all, ever and 

 in all cases to prefer their interest to his own. But his 

 unbiassed opinion, his mature judgment, his enlightened con- 

 science he ought not to sacrifice to you, to any man, or to 

 any set of men living. . . x\uthoritative instructions, man- 

 dates issued which the member is bound blindly and im- 

 plicitly to obey, to vote, and to argue for, though contrary 

 to the clearest convictions of his judgment and conscience, 

 these are things utterly unknown to the laws of this land, 

 and which arise from a fundamental mistake of the whole 

 order and tenour of our Constitution." Any candidate ven- 



