Page:John Adams - A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America Vol. I. (1787).djvu/154

116 in it, by the people. Thee have mot acquaintance, eteem, and friendhip, with each other, and mutually aid each other's chemes of interet, convenience, and ambition. Fortune, it is true, has more influence than birth; a rich man of an ordinary family, and common decorum of conduct, may have greater weight than any family merit commonly confers without it, 3. It will be readily admitted, there are great inequalities of merit, or talents, virtues, ervices, and, what is of more moment, very often of reputation. Some, in a long coure of ervice in an army, have devoted their time, health, and fortunes, ignalized their courage and addres, expoed themelves to hardhips and dangers, lot their limbs, and hed their blood, for the people. Others have diplayed their widom, learning, and eloquence in council, and in various other ways acquired the confidence and affection of their fellow citizens, to uch a degree, that the public have ettled into a kind of habit of following their example and taking their advice. 4. There are a few, in whom all thee advantages of birth, fortune, and fame are united.

Thee ources of inequality, which are common to every people, and can never be altered by any, becaue they are founded in the contitution of nature; this natural aritocracy among mankind, has been dilated on, becaue it is a fact eential to be conidered in the intitution of a government. It is a body of men which contains the greatet collection of virtues and abilities in a free government; is the brightet ornament and glory of the nation; and may always be made the greatet bleing of ociety, if it be judiciouly managed in the contitution. But if it is not, it is always the mot dangerous; nay, it may be added,