THEIR INDEPENDENCE. 255 



and spirit was all gone, and then rose up, only because 

 human nater could bear no more. Their indepen- 

 dence wasn't brought about by a spirit maddened by 

 wrongs, and thirstin' for vengeance, nor did they take 

 up self-government and republicanism, because kings 

 and lords had oppressed them. They began when 

 they were few and weak, and hadn't any great kings 

 or lords to take care of 'em. They were bound to- 

 gether by common necessities and common dangers. 

 Their form of government was a thing they couldn't 

 help. They studied republicanism without knowin' 

 it, and because they couldn't help it. They went on, 

 takin' care of themselves and providin' for themselves, 

 till they didn't know or think of any other way of 

 gittin' along at all, and when they got to be great and 

 strong, they couldn't change their habits, and go back 

 to kingly rule. Their independence was the nateral 

 consequence of their situation, and they were repub- 

 licans, because, when they first went into the wilder- 

 ness, they couldn't be anything else. They hadn't any 

 king, and there warn't any way of making one, and 

 they got along so well without him, that they found 

 out he warn't of any use any how. 



" I'm thinkin', Squire, 'twas a good thing for the 



