Page:John Adams - A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America Vol. I. (1787).djvu/233

ſometlmes lay under a neceſſity of becoming poor, ſuch as are of no ungenerous diſpoſition: theſe ſit in the city, ſome of them in debt, others in contempt, hating and conſpiring againſt thoſe who poſſeſs their ſubſtance, and with others very deſirous of a change. But the money-catchers, ſtill brooding over it, and drawing to themſelves exorbitant uſury, fill the city with drones and poor. They neglect every thing but making of money, and make no more account of virtue than the poor do. When theſe governors and their ſubjects meet on the road, at public ſhows, in military marches, as fellow ſoldiers or ſailors, or in common dangers, the poor are by no means contemned by the rich. A robuſt fellow, poor and ſunburnt, beſide a rich man, bred up in the ſhade, ſwoln with fleſh, and panting for breath, and in agony in battle, thinks it is through his own and his fellows fault that ſuch men grow rich, and ſays, Our rich men are good for nothing. The city ſoon grows into ſedition between the oligarchic and democratic parties; and the poor prevailing over the rich, kill ſome and baniſh others, and ſhare the places in the republic, and the magiſtracies, equally among the remainder, and for the moſt part the magiſtracies are diſpoſed in it by lot. In what manner do theſe live, and what ſort of republic is this? A democracy. The city is full of all freedom of action and ſpeech, and liberty to do in it what any one inclines: every one will regulate his own method of life in whatever way he pleaſes. In ſuch a republic will ariſe men of all kinds. This is the fineſt of all republics, variegated like a robe with all kinds of flowers, and diverſiſied with all forts of manners. The multitude, it is likely, judge this republic the beſt, like children and women gazing

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