Page:The American Democrat, James Fenimore Cooper, 1838.djvu/163

Rh the highest source of national virtue, as publick opinion, which has taken a wrong direction, is the surest means of serving the devil.

In a democracy, as a matter of course, every effort is made to seize upon and create publick opinion, which is, substantially, securing power. One of the commonest arts practised, in connection with this means of effecting objects, is to simulate the existence of a general feeling in favor, or against, any particular man, or measure; so great being the deference paid to publick opinion, in a country like this, that men actually yield their own sentiments to that which they believe to be the sentiment of the majority.

In politics, however, and, indeed, in all other matters that are of sufficient magnitude to attract general attention, there are adverse sentiments, which, were it not for the absurdity of the phrase, might almost be termed two publick opinions. This is the result of party feeling, which induces men to adopt in gross, the prejudices, notions and judgments of the particular faction to which they belong, often without examination, and generally without candor. When two men of equal intelligence, of the same means of ascertaining facts, and of the same general fairness of disposition, hold the opposite extremes of opinion on the character of a particular individual, or of a particular measure, we see the extent to which a bias may be carried, and the little value that those who wish only to support the truth ought to attach even to publick opinion, in matters that will admit of doubt.

As no reparation can ever be made, in this world, to the individual who has been wronged by publick opinion, all good men are cautious how they listen to accusations that are unsupported by testimony, vulgar report being more likely to be wrong than to be right.