or in which any attempt has been made to balance theſe powers with one another, or to form an equilibrium between the one, the few, and the many, for the purpoſe of enacting and executing equal laws, by common conſent, for the general intereſt, excepting in England.
Shall we conclude, from theſe melancholy obſervations, that human nature is incapable of liberty, that no honeſt equality can be preſerved in ſociety, and that ſuch forcible cauſes are always at work as muſt reduce all men to a ſubmiſſion to deſpotiſm, monarchy, oligarchy, or ariſtocracy?
By no means.—We have ſeen one of the firſt nations in Europe, poſſeſſed of ample and fertile territories at home, and extenſive dominions abroad, of a commerce with the whole world, immenſe wealth, and the greateſt naval power which ever belonged to any nation, who have ſtill preſerved the power of the people, by the equilibrium we are contending for, by the trial by jury, and by conſtantly refuſing a ſtanding army. The people of England alone, by preſerving their ſhare in the legiſlature, at the expence of the blood of heroes and patriots, have enabled their kings to curb the nobility, without giving him a ſtanding army.
After all, let us compare every conſtitution we have ſeen, with thoſe of the United States of America, and we ſhall have no reaſon to bluſh for our country; on the contrary, we ſhall feel the ſtrongeſt motives to fall upon our knees, in gratitude to heaven for having been graciouſly pleaſed to give us birth and education in that country, and for having deſtined us to live under her laws! We ſhall have reaſon to exult, if we
