216 AN AMERICAN FARMER IN ENGLAND. 



herself would fail of being a democratic nation a hundred 

 years hence. 



This opinion has been strengthened by the further ac 

 quaintance I have had with Englishmen. I have little doubt 

 that the majority of those who ultimately control the British 

 government, do wish and purpose, as fast as it may be expe 

 dient, to extend the elective franchise until it shall become 

 universal male adult suffrage. That they do not do this as 

 fast as we should think expedient, is probably to be explained 

 by the fact that they have not yet experienced, and cannot 

 see with sufficient faith, how very rapidly, in God s provi 

 dence, the self-governing strength and discernment of a man 

 is stimulated and increased by the freedom to exercise it. 

 And yet one would think that it was on this that they de 

 pended alone, so entirely indifferent are they in general to 

 the educational preparation of their subject class to enter the 

 sovereign class. 



It may be proper for me here to record my observation 

 of the general disposition of the English people towards our 

 nation, which I confess I did not find to be exactly what I had 

 anticipated, and which I think must be generally much mis 

 conceived in the United States. 



There is a certain class of the English, conservative whigs 

 more than tories, as I met them, that look upon the United 

 States people as a nation of vulgar, blustering, impertinent, 

 rowdy radicals ; very much as a certain set with us look up 

 on the young mechanics and butcher-boys of the town 

 troublesome, dangerous, and very &quot; low,&quot; but who are neces 

 sary to put out fires, and whose votes are of value at elec 

 tions, and whom it therefore pays to make some occasional 

 show of respect to, and it is best to keep on civil terms with. 

 A considerable number of snobbish, pretending, awkwardly 



