or evidence. Systems may have a very fair
appearance on paper and as theories, that are execrable in practice. As
for juries, I believe the better opinion of the intelligent of all
countries is, that while they are a capital contrivance to resist the
abuse of power in narrow governments, in governments of a broad
constituency they have the effect, which might easily be seen, of
placing the control of the law in the hands of those who would be most
apt to abuse it; since it is adding to, instead of withstanding and
resisting the controlling authority of the State, from which, in a
popular government, most of the abuses must unavoidably proceed.

As for my uncle Ro, he was disposed to pursue the subject with Miller,
who turned out to be a discreet and conscientious man. After a very
short pause, as if to reflect on what had been said, he resumed the
discourse.

"Vhat, den, makes arisdograts in dis coontry?" asked my uncle.

"Wa-a-l"--no man but an American of New England descent, as was the case
with Miller, can give this word its attic sound--"Wa-a-l, it's hard to
say. I hear a great deal about aristocrats, and I read a great deal
about aristocrats, in this country, and I know that most folks look upon
them as hateful, but I'm by no means sartain I know what an aristocrat
is. Do you happen to know anything about it, friend?"

"Ja, ja; an arisdograt ist one of a few men dat hast all de power of de
government in deir own hands."

"King! That isn't what we think an aristocrat in this part of the world.
Why, we call them critturs here DIMIGOGUES! Now, young 'Squire
Littlepage, who owns the Nest House, over yonder, and who is owner of
all this estate, far and near, is what _we_ call an aristocrat, and he
hasn't power enough to be named town clerk, much less to anything
considerable, or what is worth having."

"How can he be an arisdograt, den?"

"How, sure enough, if your account be true! I tell you 'tis the
dimigogues that be the aristocrats of America. Why, Josh Brigham, who
has just gone for the sheep, can get more votes for any office in the
country than young Littlepage!"

"Berhaps dis young Littlebage ist a pat yoong man?"

"Not he; he's as good as any on 'em, and better than most. Besides, if
he was as wicked as Lucifer, the folks of the country don't know
anything about it, sin' he's be'n away ever sin' he has be'n a man."

"Vhy, den, gan't he haf as many votes as dat poor, ignorant fellow might
haf?--das