Page:John Adams - A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America Vol. I. (1787).djvu/177

Rh it. "It eems to me, that, in order to maintain the moral ytem of the univere at a certain point, far below that of ideal perfection (for we are made capable of conceiving what we are not capable of attaining), it has pleaed the Author of Nature to mingle, from time to time, among the ocieties of men, a few, and but a few, of thoe on whom he has been graciouly pleaed to confer a larger proportion of the etherial pirit, than, in the ordinary coure of his providence, he betows on the ons of men. Thee are they who engros almot the whole reaon of the pecies. Born to direct, to guide, and to preerve, if they retire from the world their plendour accompanies them, and enlightens even the darknes of their retreat. If they take a part in public life, the effect is never indifferent: they either appear the intruments of divine vengeance, and their coure through the world is marked by deolation and oppreion, by poverty and ervitude; or they are the guardian angels of the country they inhabit, tudious to avert the mot ditant evil, and to procure peace, plenty, and the greatet of human bleings—liberty."

If there is then, in ociety, uch a natural aritocracy as thee great writers pretend, and as all hitory and experience demontrate, formed partly by genius, partly by birth, and partly by riches, how hall the legilator avail himelf of their influence for the equal benefit of the public? and how, on the other hand, hall he prevent them from diturbing the public happines? I anwer, by arranging them all, or at leat the mot conpicuous of them, together in one aembly, by the name of a enate: by eparating them from all pretenions to the