GOVERNMENT. 



almost that of universal suffrage ; in most in- 

 stances, every male citizen above twenty-one years 

 of age who has resided a year in the state is an 

 elector. 



With an immensely large unoccupied territory, 

 and general thinness of population, it is impossible 

 to draw any just inference as to the stability of 

 this still comparatively new and untried republican 

 government. It has exhibited many forms of cor- 

 ruption, and the most respectable citizens have, 

 for the most part, entirely withdrawn from polit- 

 ical life. For the present, however, it is perhaps 

 as suitable as any other form of government to the 

 condition of the country ; but whether it will 

 maintain this character after the population of the 

 United States has become as dense as that of 

 England, and great diversities of wealth and in- 

 telligence have arisen, is a question which time 

 alone can determine. 



Revolutions. 



A revolution is the overthrow of a government 

 by some kind of convulsion out of the usual course 

 of law, generally followed by the more or less per- 

 manent establishment of a new one in its stead. 

 Modern history contains several examples of 

 revolutions. The deposition and execution of 

 Charles I. and the establishment of a Common- 

 wealth, with Cromwell as dictator, formed the 

 greatest revolution which has occurred in England, 

 though it is never spoken of under that definition. 

 The change of dynasty in 1688, with the guarantee 

 of a constitution, is referred to as the Revolution. 

 This revolution had the singular merit of being 

 effected with little or no violence, a fact which, like 

 the stability of the form of government which it 

 introduced, was probably owing to the circum- 

 stance of its being, in the main, a return to the 

 ancient institutions of the country. The revolt of 

 the American colonies, and their assumption of 

 independence, was a distinctly marked revolution, 

 effected by military force, and crowned with a 

 degree of success which astonished Europe. It 

 was shortly followed by the revolution in France 

 in 1789, to the violence and consequences of which 

 no parallel is found in history. 



Revolutions are almost invariably a result of 

 misgovernment. Tenaciously clinging to old 

 usages, and opposing themselves to every species 

 of equitable reform required by alterations in 

 society, or ruthlessly invading ancient privileges, 

 governments sometimes, as in the foregoing in- 

 stances, become so repugnant to the feelings of 

 the nation, that at length a rebellion ensues, and 

 if successful, it becomes a revolution. The revo- 

 lution which placed Cromwell at the head of affairs 

 in England, originated in Charles I. levying taxes 

 without the concurrence of parliament, contrary 

 to the constitution. The revolution of 1688 was 

 caused by James II. assuming arbitrary powers 

 vexing to the nation, and equally at variance with 

 established rights. The American revolution 

 occurred in consequence of government imposing 

 taxes on the colonists, while they were not repre- 

 sented in parliament, and therefore in violation of 

 the constitutional maxim of no taxation without 

 representation. The cause of the French Revolu- 

 tion, in 1789, was an entire disorder in society; 

 but it was precipitated by the refusal of the clergy 

 and nobility to contribute to the national taxes. 

 A timely concession on the part of these bodies 



to aid the declining finances, by giving up a por- 

 tion of their unjust exemptions from taxation 

 might perhaps have averted the terrible calamity 

 which ensued. 



From every revolution which has occurred, all 

 governments may learn the valuable lesson of 

 acting with a prudent regard to national traditions 

 on the one hand, and on the other to constantly 

 changing circumstances and feelings. Without 

 respecting every antiquated prejudice, or yielding to 

 every clamour, it is their duty and interest to adapt 

 themselves to and even to stimulate the progres- 

 sive views of mankind ; graciously advancing with 

 the intelligence of the age, keeping, if possible, 

 rather before it than behind it Lessons equally 

 useful may be learned by the people from revolu- 

 tions. To step in the slightest degree beyond the 

 limits of constitutional law, and assume an attitude 

 hostile to government, is always dangerous in the 

 extreme treasonable if defeated, and perhaps pro- 

 ductive of unspeakable horrors if successful Judg- 

 ing from the Cromwellian and the French Revolu- 

 tion, besides some successful revolts of lesser note, 

 it would appear that a revolution in general cir- 

 cumstances runs a certain specific course. First, 

 the old government is overthrown, and one thought 

 to be more liberal is established. Second, the 

 new government, being composed of men who 

 acted from a conscientious conviction of evils to 

 be redressed, is soon found not to go far enough 

 in its measures ; it is accused of being too moder- 

 ate, and is overthrown. Third, a violent set of 

 men, animated by feelings of vengeance, and pro- 

 fessing boundless liberality, construct a fresh 

 government. Fourth, anarchy sooner or later 

 ensues, the nation is in universal disorder, and 

 life and property are no longer secure. Fifth, out 

 of the convulsion arises an individual, who, by his 

 military genius, conquers inferior demagogues, 

 and brings back a degree of tranquillity at which 

 every one rejoices. Sixth, this tranquillity is 

 speedily found to be a military despotism : a 

 Cromwell or a Napoleon is at the head of affairs. 

 And, brought to this condition, a long course of 

 suffering is endured before the nation returns to 

 the constitutional point whence it set out. Varied 

 according to circumstances, such is likely to be 

 the progress of every revolution occurring from 

 heedless, though well-intentioned, democratic in- 

 vasion. An expectation that the original movers 

 of a revolution will be suffered to conduct it to a 

 conclusion, is pretty nearly hopeless. The agita- 

 tion brings all sorts of wild schemers into play, 

 and one party after another is remorselessly 

 trampled down in the contest. 



It is now a settled political principle, that for 

 revolutions to be attended with the good results 

 anticipated by their promoters, they must, inde- 

 pendently of other favouring circumstances, refer 

 to a people who are qualified not only for self- 

 government, but possessed of the nerve to unite 

 and defend themselves against the anarchic forces 

 which are almost certain to spring up. A usual 

 cause of failure in the revolutions of continental 

 Europe has been the political incapacity of the 

 people an incapacity amounting in some instances 

 to an ignorance even of the forms necessary for 

 regulating public assemblages of citizens. The 

 revolution which gave independence to the United 

 States was successful, because, among other 

 favourable circumstances, it was promoted by an 







