Thisfactaloneshowstheextentofthedifferenceswhichexistbetweenthetwonations。
PublicSpiritOfTheTownshipsOfNewEnglandHowthetownshipofNewEnglandwinstheaffectionsofitsinhabitants—DifficultyofcreatinglocalpublicspiritinEurope—TherightsanddutiesoftheAmericantownshipfavorabletoit—CharacteristicsofhomeintheUnitedStates—ManifestationsofpublicspiritinNewEngland—Itshappyeffects。
InAmerica，notonlydomunicipalbodiesexist，buttheyarekeptaliveandsupportedbypublicspirit。ThetownshipofNewEnglandpossessestwoadvantageswhichinfalliblysecuretheattentiveinterestofmankind，namely，independenceandauthority。Itssphereisindeedsmallandlimited，butwithinthatsphereitsactionisunrestrained;anditsindependencegivestoitarealimportancewhichitsextentandpopulationmaynotalwaysensure。
Itistoberememberedthattheaffectionsofmengenerallylieonthesideofauthority。Patriotismisnotdurableinaconquerednation。TheNewEnglanderisattachedtohistownship，notonlybecausehewasborninit，butbecauseitconstitutesasocialbodyofwhichheisamember，andwhosegovernmentclaimsanddeservestheexerciseofhissagacity。InEuropetheabsenceoflocalpublicspiritisafrequentsubjectofregrettothosewhoareinpower;everyoneagreesthatthereisnosurerguaranteeoforderandtranquility，andyetnothingismoredifficulttocreate。Ifthemunicipalbodiesweremadepowerfulandindependent，theauthoritiesofthenationmightbedisunitedandthepeaceofthecountryendangered。Yet，withoutpowerandindependence，atownmaycontaingoodsubjects，butitcanhavenoactivecitizens。AnotherimportantfactisthatthetownshipofNewEnglandissoconstitutedastoexcitethewarmestofhumanaffections，withoutarousingtheambitiouspassionsoftheheartofman。Theofficersofthecountryarenotelected，andtheirauthorityisverylimited。EventheStateisonlyasecond—ratecommunity，whosetranquilandobscureadministrationoffersnoinducementsufficienttodrawmenawayfromthecircleoftheirinterestsintotheturmoilofpublicaffairs。Thefederalgovernmentconferspowerandhonoronthemenwhoconductit;buttheseindividualscanneverbeverynumerous。ThehighstationofthePresidencycanonlybereachedatanadvancedperiodoflife，andtheotherfederalfunctionariesaregenerallymenwhohavebeenfavoredbyfortune，ordistinguishedinsomeothercareer。Suchcannotbethepermanentaimoftheambitious。
Butthetownshipservesasacentreforthedesireofpublicesteem，thewantofexcitinginterests，andthetasteforauthorityandpopularity，inthemidstoftheordinaryrelationsoflife;andthepassionswhichcommonlyembroilsocietychangetheircharacterwhentheyfindaventsonearthedomestichearthandthefamilycircle。