InnationsinwhichtheprincipleofelectionextendstoeveryplaceintheStatenopoliticalcareercan，properlyspeaking，besaidtoexist。Menarepromotedasifbychancetotherankwhichtheyenjoy，andtheyarebynomeanssureofretainingit。Theconsequenceisthatintranquiltimespublicfunctionsofferbutfewlurestoambition。IntheUnitedStatesthepersonswhoengageintheperplexitiesofpoliticallifeareindividualsofverymoderatepretensions。Thepursuitofwealthgenerallydivertsmenofgreattalentsandofgreatpassionsfromthepursuitofpower，anditveryfrequentlyhappensthatamandoesnotundertaketodirectthefortuneoftheStateuntilhehasdiscoveredhisincompetencetoconducthisownaffairs。Thevastnumberofveryordinarymenwhooccupypublicstationsisquiteasattributabletothesecausesastothebadchoiceofthedemocracy。IntheUnitedStates，Iamnotsurethatthepeoplewouldreturnthemenofsuperiorabilitieswhomightsolicititssupport，butitiscertainthatmenofthisdescriptiondonotcomeforward。
ArbitraryPowerOfMagistratesUnderTheRuleOfTheAmericanDemocracyForwhatreasonthearbitrarypowerofMagistratesisgreaterinabsolutemonarchiesandindemocraticrepublicsthanitisinlimitedmonarchies—ArbitrarypoweroftheMagistratesinNewEngland。
Intwodifferentkindsofgovernmentthemagistrates*aexerciseaconsiderabledegreeofarbitrarypower;namely，undertheabsolutegovernmentofasingleindividual，andunderthatofademocracy。Thisidenticalresultproceedsfromcauseswhicharenearlyanalogous。
[Footnotea:Ihereusethewordmagistratesinthewidestsenseinwhichitcanbetaken;Iapplyittoalltheofficerstowhomtheexecutionofthelawsisintrusted。]
IndespoticStatesthefortuneofnocitizenissecure;andpublicofficersarenotmoresafethanprivateindividuals。Thesovereign，whohasunderhiscontrolthelives，theproperty，andsometimesthehonorofthemenwhomheemploys，doesnotscrupletoallowthemagreatlatitudeofaction，becauseheisconvincedthattheywillnotuseittohisprejudice。IndespoticStatesthesovereignissoattachedtotheexerciseofhispower，thathedislikestheconstraintevenofhisownregulations;andheiswellpleasedthathisagentsshouldfollowasomewhatfortuitouslineofconduct，providedhebecertainthattheiractionswillnevercounteracthisdesires。