themselves with so much violence in behalf of France
that nothing but the inflexible character of Washington, and the immense
popularity which he enjoyed, could have prevented the Americans from
declaring war against England. And even then, the exertions which
the austere reason of that great man made to repress the generous but
imprudent passions of his fellow-citizens, very nearly deprived him of
the sole recompense which he had ever claimed--that of his country's
love. The majority then reprobated the line of policy which he adopted,
and which has since been unanimously approved by the nation. *s If the
Constitution and the favor of the public had not entrusted the direction
of the foreign affairs of the country to Washington, it is certain that
the American nation would at that time have taken the very measures
which it now condemns.

[Footnote s: See the fifth volume of Marshall's "Life of Washington." In
a government constituted like that of the United States, he says,
"it is impossible for the chief magistrate, however firm he may be, to
oppose for any length of time the torrent of popular opinion; and the
prevalent opinion of that day seemed to incline to war. In fact, in
the session of Congress held at the time, it was frequently seen that
Washington had lost the majority in the House of Representatives." The
violence of the language used against him in public was extreme, and in
a political meeting they did not scruple to compare him indirectly to
the treacherous Arnold. "By the opposition," says Marshall, "the friends
of the administration were declared to be an aristocratic and corrupt
faction, who, from a desire to introduce monarchy, were hostile to
France and under the influence of Britain; that they were a paper
nobility, whose extreme sensibility at every measure which threatened
the funds, induced a tame submission to injuries and insults, which the
interests and honor of the nation required them to resist."]

Almost all the nations which have ever exercised a powerful influence
upon the destinies of the world by conceiving, following up, and
executing vast designs--from the Romans to the English--have been
governed by aristocratic institutions. Nor will this be a subject of
wonder when we recollect that nothing in the world has so absolute a
fixity of purpose as an aristocracy. The mass of the people may be led
astray by ignorance or passion; the mind of a king may be biased, and
his perseverance in