robation. There not one sinister motive swayed our
votes,--neither favoritism, nor envy, nor any selfish inducement. There
was not even canvassing for favorite candidates. There was quiet,
dispassionate discussion of respective merits; but the one question
which the elector asked himself or his neighbor was, "Who can fill most
efficiently such or such an office?"--the answer to that question
furnishing the motive for decision. I cannot call to mind a single
instance, during the three years I passed at Hofwyl, in which even a
suspicion of an electioneering cabal or other factious proceeding
attached to an election among us. It can scarcely be said that there
were candidates for any office. Preferment was, indeed, highly valued,
as a testimonial of public confidence; but it was not sought, directly
or indirectly, and was accepted rather as imposing duty than conferring
privilege. The Lacedemonian, who, when he lost his election as one of
the Three Hundred, went away rejoicing that there were found in Sparta
three hundred better men than he, is extolled as a model, of ideal
virtue. Yet such virtue was matter of common occurrence and of little
remark at Hofwyl. There were not only one or two, but many among us, who
would have sincerely rejoiced to find others, more capable than
themselves, preferred to office in their stead.

All this sounds, I dare say, Utopian and extravagant. As I write, it
seems to myself so widely at variance with a five-and-twenty years'
experience of public life, that I should scruple at this distance of
time to record it, had I not, thirty years ago, when my recollections
were fresh, noted them down minutely and conscientiously. It avails
nothing to tell me that such things cannot be,--for at Hofwyl they were.
I describe a state of society which I witnessed, of which I was myself a
part.

As partial explanation, I may state, that to office, among us, was
attached no patronage and no salary.

The proceeds of our public treasury, (_Armenkasse_, we called it,) to
which each contributed according to his means and inclination, went
exclusively for the relief of the poor. We had a superintendent of the
poor, and a committee whose duty it was to visit the indigent families
in our neighborhood, ascertain their wants and their character, and
afford them relief, especially in winter. This relief was given in the
form sometimes of money, sometimes of food, clothing, or furniture; to
some we furnished goats,