And as, by virtue of its kosmical, antiseptic power,
Nature's stomach is fully strong enough not only to digest the
morbific matter always presented, not to be turn'd aside, and perhaps,
indeed, intuitively gravitating thither--but even to change such
contributions into nutriment for highest use and life--so American
democracy's. That is the lesson we, these days, send over to European
lands by every western breeze.
And, truly, whatever may be said in the way of abstract argument, for
or against the theory of a wider democratizing of institutions in any
civilized country, much trouble might well be saved to all European
lands by recognizing this palpable fact, (for a palpable fact it is,)
that some form of such democratizing is about the only resource now
left. _That_, or chronic dissatisfaction continued, mutterings which
grow annually louder and louder, till, in due course, and pretty
swiftly in most cases, the inevitable crisis, crash, dynastic ruin.
Anything worthy to be call'd statesmanship in the Old World, I should
say, among the advanced students, adepts, or men of any brains, does
not debate to-day whether to hold on, attempting to lean back and
monarchize, or to look forward and democratize--but _how_, and in what
degree and part, most prudently to democratize.
The eager and often inconsiderate appeals of reformers and
revolutionists are indispensable, to counterbalance the inertness and
fossilism making so large a part of human institutions.
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