r, this election proves certainly that American equality is not
menaced by the success of the republican party. It menaces only the evil
democracy, which, under the guidance of the slavery party, sought to
force the nation into the path of socialism. But it will not succeed in
this; the question has just been decided. Between these two systems,
which are to contend for contemporaneous communities, between socialism
and individualism, the choice of the United States is made.

Before witnessing the affranchisement of the slaves, we shall,
therefore, witness the affranchisement of American politics. They have
endured a shameful yoke, and received sad lessons. Since Jefferson, the
born enemy of true liberalism, founded the Democratic party, the United
States had continued to descend the declivity of radicalism; a work of
relentless levelling was thenceforth pursued, and the domain of the
conscience became gradually invaded. The democratic party found its
fulcrum in the South. The slave States forced the enclosure of the
private tribunal, and confiscated in behalf of the State the inviolable
rights of the individual: neither thought, the press, nor the pulpit,
were free among them; the fundamental maxims of Puritan tradition were
sacrificed by them one after the other. They did more: thanks to them,
men were beginning to learn in the free States how to set to work to
pervert their own consciences, and to substitute for it respect for
sovereign majorities. Every day, crying iniquities were covered by the
pretext: "If we were just, we should compromise the national unity, or
we should risk losing the votes secured to our party." Violence, menace,
brutality, and corruption, were boldly introduced into political
struggles. Men became habituated to evil: the most odious crimes, the
Southern laws reducing to legal slavery every free negro who should not
quit the soil of the States, hardly raised a murmur of disapprobation;
the United States seemed on the point of losing that faculty which
nothing can survive--the faculty of indignation.

Behold in what school the democratic party had placed the American
people--that noble people which, despite the grave faults with which it
may be reproached, represents in the main many of the lofty principles
which are allied to the future of modern communities. The reign of the
Democratic party would form the subject of an inglorious history; in it
we should see figure the glorification of servi