Page:John Adams - A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America Vol. I. (1787).djvu/152

114 from being delivered up entirely to the pirit of avarice: it may be the caue, why honour is preferred by ome to money: it may prevent the nobility from becoming too rich, and acquiring too large a proportion of the landed property. In America, it would not only be michievous, but would expoe the highet pretenions of the kind to univeral ridicule and contempt. Thoe other hauteurs, of keeping the commons at a ditance, and didaining to convere with any but a few of a certain race, may in Europe be a favour to the people, by relieving them from a multitude of aiduous attentions and humiliating compliances, which would be troubleome; it may prevent the nobles from caballing with the people, and gaining too much influence with them in elections and otherwie. In America, it would jutly excite univeral indignation; the vainet of all mut be of the people, or be nothing. While every office is equally open to every competitor, and the people mut decide upon every pretenion to a place in the legilature, that of governor and enator, as well as repreentative, no uch airs will ever be endured. It mut be acknowledged till, that ome men mut take more pains to deerve and acquire an office than others, and mut behave better in it, or they will not hold it.

We cannot preume that a man is good or bad, merely becaue his father was one or the other; and hould always inform ourelves firt, whether the virtues and talents are inherited, before we yield our confidence. Wie men beget fools, and honet men knaves; but thee intances, although they may be frequent, are not general. If there is often a likenes in feature and figure, there is generally more in mind and heart, becaue education contributes to the formation of thee as well