Theargumentsagainstuniversalsuffrageareequallyunanswerable。\"What，\"
weexclaim，\"shallTom，Dick，andHarryhaveasmuchweightinthescaleasI？\"Ofcourse，nothingcouldbemoreabsurd。Andyetuniversalsuffragehasnotbeentheinstrumentofgreaterunwisdomthancontrivancesofamoreselectdescription。AssembliescouldbementionedcomposedentirelyofMastersofArtsandDoctorsinDivinitywhichhavesometimesshowntracesofhumanpassionorprejudiceintheirvotes。HavetheSereneHighnessesandEnlightenedClassescarriedonthebusinessofMankindsowell，then，thatthereisnouseintryingalesscostlymethod？ThedemocratictheoryisthatthoseConstitutionsarelikelytoprovesteadiestwhichhavethebroadestbase，thattherighttovotemakesasafety-valveofeveryvoter，andthatthebestwayofteachingamanhowtovoteistogivehimthechanceofpractice。
Forthequestionisnolongertheacademicone，\"Isitwisetogiveeverymantheballot？\"butratherthepracticalone，\"Isitprudenttodeprivewholeclassesofitanylonger？\"Itmaybeconjecturedthatitischeaperinthelongruntoliftmenupthantoholdthemdown，andthattheballotintheirhandsislessdangeroustosocietythanasenseofwrongintheirheads。Atanyratethisisthedilemmatowhichthedriftofopinionhasbeenforsometimesweepingus，andinpoliticsadilemmaisamoreunmanageablethingtoholdbythehornsthanawolfbytheears。Itissaidthattherightofsuffrageisnotvaluedwhenitisindiscriminatelybestowed，andtheremaybesometruthinthis，forIhaveobservedthatwhenmenprizemostisaprivilege，evenifitbethatofchiefmourneratafuneral。Butistherenotdangerthatitwillbevaluedatmorethanitsworthifdenied，andthatsomeillegitimatewaywillbesoughttomakeupforthewantofit？Menwhohaveavoiceinpublicaffairsareatonceaffiliatedwithoneorotherofthegreatpartiesbetweenwhichsocietyisdivided，mergetheirindividualhopesandopinionsinitssafer，becausemoregeneralized，hopesandopinions，aredisciplinedbyitstactics，andacquire，toacertaindegree，theorderlyqualitiesofanarmy。Theynolongerbelongtoaclass，buttoabodycorporate。Ofonething，atleast，wemaybecertain，that，underwhatevermethodofhelpingthingstogowrongman\'switcancontrive，thosewhohavethedivinerighttogovernwillbefoundtogovernintheend，andthatthehighestprivilegetowhichthemajorityofmankindcanaspireisthatofbeinggovernedbythosewiserthanthey。UniversalsuffragehasintheUnitedStatessometimesbeenmadetheinstrumentofinconsideratechanges，underthenotionofreform，andthisfromamisconceptionofthetruemeaningofpopulargovernment。OneofthesehasbeenthesubstitutioninmanyoftheStatesofpopularelectionforofficialselectioninthechoiceofjudges。Thesamesystemappliedtomilitaryofficerswasthesourceofmuchevilduringourcivilwar，and，Ibelieve，hadtobeabandoned。Butithasbeenalsotruethatonallgreatquestionsofnationalpolicyareserveofprudenceanddiscretionhasbeenbroughtoutatthecriticalmomenttoturnthescaleinfavorofawiserdecision。Anappealtothereasonofthepeoplehasneverbeenknowntofailinthelongrun。Itis，perhaps，truethat，byeffacingtheprincipleofpassiveobedience，democracy，illunderstood，hasslackenedthespringofthatductilitytodisciplinewhichisessentialto\"theunityandmarriedcalmofStates。\"ButIfeelassuredthatexperienceandnecessitywillcurethisevil，astheyhaveshowntheirpowertocureothers。Andunderwhatframeofpolicyhaveevilseverbeenremediedtilltheybecameintolerable，andshookmenoutoftheirindolentindifferencethroughtheirfears？
Wearetoldthattheinevitableresultofdemocracyistosapthefoundationsofpersonalindependence，toweakentheprincipleofauthority，tolessentherespectduetoeminence，whetherinstation，virtue，orgenius。Ifthesethingswereso，societycouldnotholdtogether。Perhapsthebestforcing-houseofrobustindividualitywouldbewherepublicopinionisinclinedtobemostoverbearing，ashemustbeofheroictemperwhoshouldwalkalongPiccadillyattheheightoftheseasoninasofthat。Asforauthority，itisoneofthesymptomsofthetimethatthereligiousreverenceforitisdecliningeverywhere，butthisisduepartlytothefactthatstatecraftisnolongerlookeduponasamystery，butasabusiness，andpartlytothedecayofsuperstition，bywhichImeanthehabitofrespectingwhatwearetoldtorespectratherthanwhatisrespectableinitself。ThereismoreroughandtumbleintheAmericandemocracythanisaltogetheragreeabletopeopleofsensitivenervesandrefinedhabits，andthepeopletaketheirpoliticaldutieslightlyandlaughingly，asis，perhaps，neitherunnaturalnorunbecominginayounggiant。
Democraciescannomorejumpawayfromtheirownshadowsthantherestofuscan。Theynodoubtsometimesmakemistakesandpayhonortomenwhodonotdeserveit。Buttheydothisbecausetheybelievethemworthyofit，andthoughitbetruethattheidolisthemeasureoftheworshipper，yettheworshiphasinitthegermofanoblerreligion。Butisitdemocraciesalonethatfallintotheseerrors？I，whohaveseenitproposedtoerectastatuetoHudson，therailwayking，andhaveheardLouisNapoleonhailedasthesaviourofsocietybymenwhocertainlyhadnodemocraticassociationsorleanings，amnotreadytothinkso。Butdemocracieshavelikewisetheirfinerinstincts。Ihavealsoseenthewiseststatesmanandmostpregnantspeakerofourgeneration，amanofhumblebirthandungainlymanners，oflittleculturebeyondwhathisowngeniussupplied，becomemoreabsoluteinpowerthananymonarchofmoderntimesthroughthereverenceofhiscountrymenforhishonesty，hiswisdom，hissincerity，hisfaithinGodandman，andthenoblyhumanesimplicityofhischaracter。AndIrememberanotherwhompopularrespectenvelopedaswithahalo，theleastvulgarofmen，themostausterelygenial，andthemostindependentofopinion。Whereverhewenthenevermetastranger，buteverywhereneighborsandfriendsproudofhimastheirornamentanddecoration。InstitutionswhichcouldbearandbreedsuchmenasLincolnandEmersonhadsurelysomeenergyforgood。No，amidallthefruitlessturmoilandmiscarriageoftheworld，iftherebeonethingsteadfastandoffavorableomen，onethingtomakeoptimismdistrustitsownobscuredistrust，itistherootedinstinctinmentoadmirewhatisbetterandmorebeautifulthanthemselves。Thetouchstoneofpoliticalandsocialinstitutionsistheirabilitytosupplythemwithworthyobjectsofthissentiment，whichistheverytap-rootofcivilizationandprogress。Therewouldseemtobenoreadierwayoffeedingitwiththeelementsofgrowthandvigorthansuchanorganizationofsocietyaswillenablementorespectthemselves，andsotojustifytheminrespectingothers。
SucharesultisquitepossibleunderotherconditionsthanthoseofanavowedlydemocraticalConstitution。ForItakeitthattherealessenceofdemocracywasfairlyenoughdefinedbytheFirstNapoleonwhenhesaidthattheFrenchRevolutionmeant\"lacarriereouverteauxtalents\"-aclearpathwayformeritofwhateverkind。Ishouldbeinclinedtoparaphrasethisbycallingdemocracythatformofsociety，nomatterwhatitspoliticalclassification，inwhicheverymanhadachanceandknewthathehadit。Ifamancanclimb，andfeelshimselfencouragedtoclimb，fromacoalpittothehighestpositionforwhichheisfitted，hecanwellaffordtobeindifferentwhatnameisgiventothegovernmentunderwhichhelives。TheBailliofMirabeau，uncleofthemorefamoustribuneofthatname，wrotein1771:\"TheEnglishare，inmyopinion，ahundredtimesmoreagitatedandmoreunfortunatethantheveryAlgerinesthemselves，becausetheydonotknowandwillnotknowtillthedestructionoftheirover-swollenpower，whichIbelieveverynear，whethertheyaremonarchy，aristocracy，ordemocracy，andwishtoplaythepartofallthree。\"
EnglandhasnotbeenobligingenoughtofulfilltheBailli\'sprophecy，andperhapsitwasthisverycarelessnessaboutthename，andconcernaboutthesubstanceofpopulargovernment，thisskillingettingthebestoutofthingsastheyare，inutilizingallthemotiveswhichinfluencemen，andingivingonedirectiontomanyimpulses，thathasbeenaprincipalfactorofhergreatnessandpower。PerhapsitisfortunatetohaveanunwrittenConstitution，formenarepronetobetinkeringtheworkoftheirownhands，whereastheyaremorewillingtolettimeandcircumstancemendormodifywhattimeandcircumstancehavemade。Allfreegovernments，whatevertheirname，areinrealitygovernmentsbypublicopinion，anditisonthequalityofthispublicopinionthattheirprosperitydepends。Itis，therefore，theirfirstdutytopurifytheelementfromwhichtheydrawthebreathoflife。Withthegrowthofdemocracygrowsalsothefear，ifnotthedanger，thatthisatmospheremaybecorruptedwithpoisonousexhalationsfromlowerandmoremalariouslevels，andthequestionofsanitationbecomesmoreinstantandpressing。Democracyinitsbestsenseismerelythelettinginoflightandair。LordSherbrooke，withhisusualepigrammaticterseness，bidsyoueducateyourfuturerulers。