n politics. He spoke of kings and
nobles as if they were personal foes, and disliked Scott's novels
because they give too pleasing a representation of the institution of
chivalry. He probably looked upon a man who spoke covetously of titles
much as a Salem elder a century before would have looked upon a
hard-swearing Virginia planter. In the purse-proud citizens, who, after
dinner, used to talk grandly about the British Constitution, he saw a
set of malignant conspirators, when in fact not one in ten had ever
thought seriously upon the subject, or had enough force of character to
attempt to carry out his opinions, whatever they might have been.

The political discontents were hardly more formidable. We have admitted
that some influential persons were in favor of a monarchy; but no one
took a decided step in that direction. In all the published
correspondence there is not a particle of evidence of such a movement.
Even Hamilton, in his boldest advances towards a centralization of
power, did not propose a monarchy. Those who were most doubtful about
the success of a republic recognized the necessity of making the
experiment, and were the most active in establishing the present one.
The sparsity of the population, the extent of the country, and its
poverty, made a royal establishment impossible. The people were
dissatisfied with the Confederation, not with republicanism. The breath
of ridicule would have upset the throne. The King, the Dukes of
Massachusetts and Virginia, the Marquises of Connecticut and Mohawk,
Earl Susquehanna and Lord Livingston, would have been laughed at by
every ragamuffin. The sentiment which makes the appendages of royalty,
its titles and honors, respectable, is the result of long education, and
has never existed in America. Washington was the only person mentioned
in connection with the crown; but had he attempted to reach it, he would
have lost his power over the people. He was strong because he had
convinced his country that he held personal objects subservient to
public ones,--that, with him, "the path of duty was the way to glory."
He had none of the magnetism which lulls the senses and leads captive
the hearts of men. Had he clothed himself in the vulgar robes of
royalty,--had he taken advantage of the confidence reposed in him for a
purpose of self-aggrandizement, and that of so petty and commonplace a
kind,--he would have sunk to a level with the melodramatic heroes of
history, and that col