they attempt to give the minority the power to rule the majority； they are dangerous inasmuch as they place the State in the hands of a party that can stand only as supported by the General government； and thus destroy the proper freedom and independence of the State； and open the door to corruption； tend to keep alive rancor and ill feeling； and to retard the period of complete pacification； which might be effected in three months as well as in three years； or twenty years； yet they can become legal； as other governments illegal in their origin become legal； with time and popular acquiescence。 The right way is always the shortest and easiest； but when a government must oftener follow than lead the public； it is not always easy to hit the right way； and still less easy to take it。 The general instincts of the people are right as to the end 345 to be gained； but seldom right as to the means of gaining it； and politicians of the Union party； as well as of the late secession party； have an eye in reconstructing； to the future political control of the State when it is reconstructed。
The secessionists； if permitted to retain their franchise； would； even if they accepted abolition； no doubt re…organize their respective States on the basis of white suffrage； and so would the Unionists； if left to themselves。 There is no party at the South prepared to adopt negro suffrage； and there would be none at the North if the negroes constituted any considerable portion of the population。 As the reconstruction of a State cannot be done under the war power； the General government can no more enfranchise than it can disfranchise any portion of the territorial people； and the question of negro suffrage must be left； where the constitution leaves itto the States severally； each to dispose of it for itself。 Negro suffrage will； no doubt； come in time； as soon as the freedmen are prepared for it； and the danger is that it will be attempted too soon。
It would be a convenience to have the negro vote in the reconstruction of the States disorganized by secession； for it would secure their re…construction with antislavery constitutions； and also 346 make sure of the proposed antislavery amendment to the Constitution of the United States； but there is no power in Congress to enfranchise the negroes in the States needing reconstruction； and； once assured of their freedom； the freedmen would care little for the Union； of which they understand nothing。 They would vote； for the most part； with their former masters； their employers； the wealthier and more intelligent classes； whether loyal or disloyal； for； as a rule； these will treat them with greater personal consideration and kindness than others。 The dislike of the negro； and hostility to negro equality； increase as you descend in the social scale。 The freedmen； without political instruction or experience； who have had no country； no domicile； understand nothing of loyalty or of disloyalty。 They have strong local attachments； but they can have no patriotism。 If they adhered to the Union in the rebellion； fought for it； bled for it； it was not from loyalty； but because they knew that their freedom could come only from the success of the Union arms。 That freedom secured； they have no longer any interest in the Union； and their local attachments； personal associations； habits； tastes； likes and dislikes； are Southern； not Northern。 In any contest between the 347 North and the South； they would take； to a man； the Southern side。 After the taunts of the women； the captured soldiers of the Union found； until nearly the last year of the war； nothing harder to bear； when marched as prisoners into Richmond； than the antics and hootings of the negroes。 Negro suffrage on the score of loyalty； is at best a matter of indifference to the Union； and as the elective franchise is not a natural right； but a civil trust； the friends of the negro should； for the present； be contented with securing him simply equal rights of person and property。
348 CHAPTER XIV。
POLITICAL TENDENCIES。
The most marked political tendency of the American people has been； since 1825； to interpret their government as a pure and simple democracy； and to shift it from a territorial to a purely popular basis； or from the people as the state； inseparably united to the national territory or domain； to the people as simply population； either as individuals or as the race。 Their tendency has unconsciously； therefore； been to change their constitution from a republican to a despotic； or from a civilized to a barbaric constitution。
The American constitution is democratic； in the sense that the people are sovereign that all laws and public acts run in their name； that the rulers are elected by them； and are responsible to them； but they are the people territorially constituted and fixed to the soil； constituting what Mr。 Disraeli； with more propriety perhaps than he thinks； calls a 〃territorial democracy。〃 To this territorial democracy； the real American democracy； stand opposed two 349 other democraciesthe one personal and the other humanitarianeach alike hostile to civilization； and tending to destroy the state； and capable of sustaining government only on principles common to all despotisms。
In every man there is a natural craving for personal freedom and unrestrained actiona strong desire to be himself； not anotherto be his own master； to go when and where he pleases； to do what he chooses； to take what he wants； wherever he can find it； and to keep what he takes。 It is strong in all nomadic tribes； who are at once pastoral and predatory； and is seldom weak in our bold frontier…men； too often real 〃border ruffians。〃 It takes different forms in different stages of social development； but it everywhere identifies liberty with power。 Restricted in its enjoyment to one man； it makes him chief； chief of the family； the tribe； or the nation； extended in its enjoyment to the few； it founds an aristocracy； creates a nobilityfor nobleman meant originally only freeman； as it does 350 his own consent； express or constructive。 This is the so…called Jeffersonian democracy； in which government has no powers but such as it derives from the consent of the governed； and is personal democracy or pure individualism philosophically considered； pure egoism； which says； 〃I am God。〃 Under this sort of democracy； based on popular； or rather individual sovereignty； expressed by politicians when they call the electoral people； half seriously； half mockingly； 〃the sovereigns；〃 there obviously can be no state； no social rights or civil authority； there can be only a voluntary association； league； alliance； or confederation； in which individuals may freely act together as long as they find it pleasant； convenient； or useful； but from which they may separate or secede whenever they find it for their interest or their pleasure to do so。 State sovereignty and secession are based on the same democratic principle applied to the several States of the Union instead of individuals。
The tendency to this sort of democracy has been strong in large sections of the American people from the first； and has been greatly strengthened by the general acceptance of the theory that government originates in compact。 The full realization of this tendency； which； hap… 351 pily； is impracticable save in theory； would be to render every man independent alike of every other man and of society； with full right and power to make his own will prevail。 This tendency was strongest in the slaveholding States； and especially； in those States； in the slaveholding class； the American imitation of the feudal nobility of mediaeval Europe； and on this side the war just ended was； in its most general expression； a war in defence of personal democracy or the sovereignty of the people individually； against the humanitarian democracy； represented by the abolitionists； and the territorial democracy； represented by the Government。 This personal democracy has been signally defeated in the defeat of the late confederacy； and can hardly again become strong enough to be dangerous。
But the humanitarian democracy； which scorns all geographical lines； effaces all in individualities； and professes to plant itself on humanity alone； has acquired by the war new strength； and is not without menace to our future。 The solidarity of the race； which is the condition of all human life； founds； as we have seen； society； and creates what are called social rights； the； rights alike of society in regard to individuals； and of individuals in regard to society。 352 Territorial divisions or circumscriptions found particular societies； states； or nations； yet as the race is one and all its members live by communion with God through it and by communion one with another； these particular states or nations are never absolutely independent of each other but； bound together by the solidarity of the race； so that there is a real solidarity of nations as well as of individualsthe truth underlying Kossuth's famous declaration of the solidarity of peoples。〃
The solidarity of nations is the basis of international law； binding on every particular nation； and which every civilized nation recognizes and enforces on its own subjects or citizens through its own courts as an integral part of its own municipal or national law。
The personal or individual right is therefore restricted by the rights of society； and the rights of the particular society or nation are limited by international law； or the rights of universal societythe truth the ex…governor of Hungary overlooked。 The grand error of Gentilism was in denying the unity and therefore the solidarity of the race； involved in its denial or misconception of the unity of God。 It therefore was never able to assign any solid basis to international law； and gave it only a 353 conventional or customary authority