Page:John Adams - A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America Vol. I. (1787).djvu/105

Such arc the happy effects of the ſpirit of families, when they are not bridled by an executive authority, in the hands of a firſt magiſtrate on one hand, and by an aſſembiy of the people in perſon, or by adequate repreſentation, on the other. Such are the bleſſings which, in courſe of ages, ſpring from a neglect in the beginning, to eſtabliſh three orders, and a perfect balance between them. There can be, in the nature of things, no balance without three powers. The ariſtocracy is always more ſagacious than an aſſembly of the people collectively, or by repreſentation, and always proves an overmatch in policy, ſooner or later. They are always more cunning too than a firſt magiſtrate, and always make of him a doge of Venice, a mere ceremony, unleſs he makes an alliance with the people to ſupport him againſt them. What is the whole hiſtory of the wars of the barons but one demonſtration of this truth! What are all the ſtanding armies in Europe, but another. Theſe were all given to kings by the people, to defend them againſt ariſtocracies. The people have been generally of Mr. Turgot's mind, that balances, and different orders, were unneceſſary, and, harraſſed to death with the domination of noble families, they have generally ſurrounded the thrones with troops, to humble them. They have ſucceeded ſo far as generally to make the nobles dependent on the crown, but having given up the balance which they might have held in their own hands, they are ſtill ſubject to as much ariſtocratical domination, as the crowns think proper to permit. In Venice, the ariſtocratical paſſion for curbing the prince and the people, has been carried to its utmoſt length. It is aſtoniſh-

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