proaching towards a despotic or a _republican_
form of government. The substitution of paid for unpaid functionaries,
is of itself, in my opinion, sufficient to constitute a serious
revolution."

VOLUME TWO, CHAPTER TEN.

The Americans, and with justice, hold up Washington as one of the first
of men; if so, why will they not pay attention to his opinions? because
the first of men must not interfere with their prejudices, or, if he
does, he immediately in their eyes becomes the _last_. Nevertheless,
Washington proved his ability when he made the following observation, in
his letter to Chief Justice Jay, dated 10th of March, 1787; even at that
early period he perceived that the institutions of America, although at
the time much less democratical than at present, would not stand. Hear
the words of Washington, for they were a _prophecy_:--

"Among men of reflection, few will be found, I believe, who are not
beginning to think that our system is better in _theory_ than in
_practice_ and that, notwithstanding the boasted virtue of America, it
is more than probable that we shall exhibit the last melancholy proof,
that mankind are incompetent to their own government _without the means
of coercion in the sovereign_."

Now, if you were to put this extract into the hands of an American, his
admiration of Washington would immediately fall down below zero, and in
all probability he would say, as they do of poor Captain Lawrence--"Why,
sir, Washington was a great man, but great men have their failings. I
guess he wrote that letter _after_ dinner."

But Washington has been supported in this opinion by a modern American
patriot, Dr Charming, who, asserting that, "Our institutions have
disappointed us all," has pointed out the real effects of democracy upon
the morals of the nation; and there are many other good and honest men
in America who will occasionally tell the truth, although they seldom
venture to put their names to what they write. In a manifesto,
published when I was in the States, the following bitter pills for the
democrats were inserted. Speaking of dependence on the virtue and
intelligence of the people, the manifesto says:--

"A form of government which has no better corrective of public disorders
than this, is a burlesque on the reason and intelligence of men; it is
as incompatible with wisdom as it is with public prosperity and
happiness.

"The people are, by principle and the Constitution, guarded ag