Page:John Adams - A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America Vol. I. (1787).djvu/220

182 than Hobbes, Mandeville, Rochefoucault, Machiavel, Beccaria, Roueau, De Lolme, or even than our friend Dr. Price. He candidly uppoes that the firt kingly government will be wiely and honetly adminitered, during the life of the father of his people; that the firt aritocracy will be conducted with caution and moderation, by the band of patriots to whom is due the glory of the expulion of the tyrant; and that the people, for a generation at leat, who have depoed the oligarchy, will behave with decorum.

But perhaps it might be more exactly true and natural to ay, that the king, the aritocracy, and the people, as oon as ever they felt themelves ecure in the poeion of their power, would begin to abue it.

In Mr. Turgot's ingle aembly, thoe who hould think themelves mot ditinguihed by blood and education, as well as fortune, would be mot ambitious; and if they found an oppoition among their contituents to their elections, would immediately have recoure to entertainments, ecret intrigues, and every popular art, and even to bribes, to increae their parties. This would oblige their competitors, though they might be infinitely better men, either to give up their pretenions, or to imitate thee dangerous practices. There is a natural and unchangeable inconvenience in all popular elections. There are always competitions, and the candidates have often merits nearly equal. The virtuous and independent electors are often divided: this naturally caues too much attention to the mot profligate and unprincipled, who will ell or give, away their votes for other coniderations than widom and virtue. So that he who has the deepet pure, or the fewet cruples about uing it, will generally prevail. It