of debate will be so mitigated that the
honorable member from Hades will retire permanently from the hauls of
legislation.

V.

"Public opinion," says Buckle, "being the voice of the average man, is
the voice of mediocrity." Is it therefore so very wise and infallible
a guide as to be accepted without other credentials than its name and
fame? Ought we to follow its light and leading with no better assurance
of the character of its authority than a count of noses of those
following it already, and with no inquiry as to whether it has not on
many former occasions let them and their several sets of predecessors
into bogs of error and over precipices to "eternal mock?" Surely
"the average man," as every one knows him, is not very wise, not very
learned, not very good; how is it that his views, of so intricate and
difficult matters as those of which public opinion makes pronouncement
through him are entitled to such respect? It seems to me that the
average man, as I know him, is very much a fool, and something of a
rogue as well. He has only a smattering of education, knows virtually
nothing of political history, nor history of any kind, is incapable of
logical, that is to say clear, thinking, is subject to the suasion of
base and silly prejudices, and selfish beyond expression. That such
a person's opinions should be so obviously better than my own that
I should accept them instead, and assist in enacting them into laws,
appears to me most improbable. I may "bow to the will of the people"
as gracefully as a defeated candidate, and for the same reason, namely,
that I can not help myself; but to admit that I was wrong in my belief
and flatter the power that subdues me--no, that I will not do. And if
nobody would do so the average man would not be so very cock-sure of
his infallibility and might sometimes consent to be counseled by his
betters.

In any matter of which the public has imperfect knowledge, public
opinion is as likely to be erroneous as is the opinion of an individual
equally uninformed. To hold otherwise is to hold that wisdom can be got
by combining many ignorances. A man who knows nothing of algebra can
not be assisted in the solution of an algebraic problem by calling in
a neighbor who knows no more than himself, and the solution approved
by the unanimous vote of ten million such men would count for nothing
against that of a competent mathematician. To be entirely consistent,
gentlemen enamored of pu