ON DEMOCRACY. BY J. ARTHUR PARTRIDGE, AUTHOR OF "COALITIONS AND FRONTIERS IN 1860-1," "THE FALSE NATION AND LONDON: TRÜBNER & CO., PATERNOSTER ROW. 1866.' This work arose out of considerations suggested by another work, published concurrently herewith, and entitled "The Making of the American Nation, or the Rise and Decline of Oligarchy in the West." The one is a study on the great, and indeed, only precedent of Democracy; its origin, history, qualities, conflicts, and reconstruction. The other work, the present one, is a consideration of the general theory of Democracy, with special reference to the traditions and future of England. "If the popular party exceed more in quantity than they are excelled in quality, Democracy must prevail."-Aristotle. "Every Government is composed of two distinct elements, its nature (or organisation) and its principle (or motive power). Laws ought to be no less relative to the principle than to the nature."-Montesquieu. European Society is in a state of transition from Feudal to Federal principles. This I conceive to be the sole cause of all the convulsions that have occurred and that are to occur." -Disraeli. "Unity will once more be restored, but not through the canon and feudal law, for the new Catholic element was the People."-Bancroft. "It is the third huge Gate of Barbarism, the monarchical Gate, which is closing at this moment. The nineteenth century hears it rolling on its hinges."-Hugo. |