The skill of the actors in the political world lies therefore in the art of creating parties。 A political aspirant in the United States begins by discriminating his own interest； and by calculating upon those interests which may be collected around and amalgamated with it； he then contrives to discover some doctrine or some principle which may suit the purposes of this new association； and which he adopts in order to bring forward his party and to secure his popularity； just as the imprimatur of a King was in former days incorporated with the volume which it authorized； but to which it nowise belonged。 When these preliminaries are terminated； the new party is ushered into the political world。
All the domestic controversies of the Americans at first appear to a stranger to be so incomprehensible and so puerile that he is at a loss whether to pity a people which takes such arrant trifles in good earnest； or to envy the happiness which enables it to discuss them。 But when he comes to study the secret propensities which govern the factions of America； he easily perceives that the greater part of them are more or less connected with one or the other of those two divisions which have always existed in free communities。 The deeper we penetrate into the working of these parties； the more do we perceive that the object of the one is to limit； and that of the other to extend； the popular authority。 I do not assert that the ostensible end； or even that the secret aim； of American parties is to promote the rule of aristocracy or democracy in the country； but I affirm that aristocratic or democratic passions may easily be detected at the bottom of all parties； and that； although they escape a superficial observation； they are the main point and the very soul of every faction in the United States。
To quote a recent example。 When the President attacked the Bank； the country was excited and parties were formed； the well… informed classes rallied round the Bank； the common people round the President。 But it must not be imagined that the people had formed a rational opinion upon a question which offers so many difficulties to the most experienced statesmen。 The Bank is a great establishment which enjoys an independent existence； and the people； accustomed to make and unmake whatsoever it pleases； is startled to meet with this obstacle to its authority。 In the midst of the perpetual fluctuation of society the community is irritated by so permanent an institution； and is led to attack it in order to see whether it can be shaken and controlled； like all the other institutions of the country。
Remains Of The Aristocratic Party In The United States
Secret opposition of wealthy individuals to democracy … Their retirement …Their taste for exclusive pleasures and for luxury at home … Their simplicity abroad … Their affected condescension towards the people。
It sometimes happens in a people amongst which various opinions prevail that the balance of the several parties is lost； and one of them obtains an irresistible preponderance； overpowers all obstacles； harasses its opponents； and appropriates all the resources of society to its own purposes。 The vanquished citizens despair of success and they conceal their dissatisfaction in silence and in general apathy。 The nation seems to be governed by a single principle； and the prevailing party assumes the credit of having restored peace and unanimity to the country。 But this apparent unanimity is merely a cloak to alarming dissensions and perpetual opposition。
This is precisely what occurred in America； when the democratic party got the upper hand； it took exclusive possession of the conduct of affairs； and from that time the laws and the customs of society have been adapted to its caprices。 At the present day the more affluent classes of society are so entirely removed from the direction of political affairs in the United States that wealth； far from conferring a right to the exercise of power； is rather an obstacle than a means of attaining to it。 The wealthy members of the community abandon the lists； through unwillingness to contend； and frequently to contend in vain； against the poorest classes of their fellow citizens。 They concentrate all their enjoyments in the privacy of their homes； where they occupy a rank which cannot be assumed in public； and they constitute a private society in the State； which has its own tastes and its own pleasures。 They submit to this state of things as an irremediable evil； but they are careful not to show that they are galled by its continuance； it is even not uncommon to hear them laud the delights of a republican government； and the advantages of democratic institutions when they are in public。 Next to hating their enemies； men are most inclined to flatter them。
Mark； for instance； that opulent citizen； who is as anxious as a Jew of the Middle Ages to conceal his wealth。 His dress is plain； his demeanor unassuming； but the interior of his dwelling glitters with luxury； and none but a few chosen guests whom he haughtily styles his equals are allowed to penetrate into this sanctuary。 No European noble is more exclusive in his pleasures； or more jealous of the smallest advantages which his privileged station confers upon him。 But the very same individual crosses the city to reach a dark counting…house in the centre of traffic； where every one may accost him who pleases。 If he meets his cobbler upon the way； they stop and converse； the two citizens discuss the affairs of the State in which they have an equal interest； and they shake hands before they part。
But beneath this artificial enthusiasm； and these obsequious attentions to the preponderating power； it is easy to perceive that the wealthy members of the community entertain a hearty distaste to the democratic institutions of their country。 The populace is at once the object of their scorn and of their fears。 If the maladministration of the democracy ever brings about a revolutionary crisis； and if monarchical institutions ever become practicable in the United States； the truth of what I advance will become obvious。
The two chief weapons which parties use in order to ensure success are the public press and the formation of associations。
Chapter XI： Liberty Of The Press In The United States
Chapter Summary
Difficulty of restraining the liberty of the press … Particular reasons which some nations have to cherish this liberty … The liberty of the press a necessary consequence of the sovereignty of the people as it is understood in America … Violent language of the periodical press in the United States …Propensities of the periodical press … Illustrated by the United States …Opinion of the Americans upon the repression of the abuse of the liberty of the press by judicial prosecutions … Reasons for which the press is less powerful in America than in France。
Liberty Of The Press In The United States
The influence of the liberty of the press does not affect political opinions alone； but it extends to all the opinions of men； and it modifies customs as well as laws。 In another part of this work I shall attempt to determinate the degree of influence which the liberty of the press has exercised upon civil society in the United States； and to point out the direction which it has given to the ideas； as well as the tone which it has imparted to the character and the feelings； of the Anglo…Americans； but at present I purpose simply to examine the effects produced by the liberty of the press in the political world。
I confess that I do not entertain that firm and complete attachment to the liberty of the press which things that are supremely good in their very nature are wont to excite in the mind； and I approve of it more from a recollection of the evils it prevents than from a consideration of the advantages it ensures。
If any one could point out an intermediate and yet a tenable position between the complete independence and the entire subjection of the public expression of opinion； I should perhaps be inclined to adopt it； but the difficulty is to discover this position。 If it is your intention to correct the abuses of unlicensed printing and to restore the use of orderly language； you may in the first instance try the offender by a jury； but if the jury acquits him； the opinion which was that of a single individual becomes the opinion of the country at large。 Too much and too little has therefore hitherto been done。 If you proceed； you must bring the delinquent before a court of permanent judges。 But even here the cause must be heard before it can be decided； and the very principles which no book would have ventured to avow are blazoned forth in the pleadings； and what was obscurely hinted at in a single composition is then repeated in a multitude of other publications。 The language in which a thought is embodied is the mere carcass of the thought； and not the idea itself； tribunals may condemn the form； but the sense and spirit of the work is too subtle for their authority。 Too much has still been done to recede； too little to attain your end； you must therefore proceed。 If you establish a censorship of the press； the tongue of the public speaker will still make itself heard； and you have only increased the mischief。 The powers of thought do not rely； like the powers of physical strength； upon the number of their mechanical agents； nor can a host of authors be reckoned like the troops which compose an army； on the contrary； the authority of a principle is often increased by the smallness of the number of men by whom it is expressed。 The words of a strong…minded man； which penetrate amidst the passions of a listening assembly； have more power than the vociferations of a thousand orators； and if it be allowed to speak freely in any public place； the consequence is the same as if free speaking was allowed in every village。 The liberty of discourse must therefore be destroyed as well as the liberty of the press； this is the necessary term of your efforts； but if your object was to repress the abuses of liberty； they have brought you to the feet of a despot。 You have been led from the extreme of independence to the extreme of subjection without meeting with a single tenabl