Thegovernmentofdemocracybringsthenotionofpoliticalrightstothelevelofthehumblestcitizens，justasthedisseminationofwealthbringsthenotionofpropertywithinthereachofallthemembersofthecommunity;andIconfessthat，tomymind，thisisoneofitsgreatestadvantages。Idonotassertthatitiseasytoteachmentoexercisepoliticalrights;butI
maintainthat，whenitispossible，theeffectswhichresultfromitarehighlyimportant;andIaddthat，ifthereeverwasatimeatwhichsuchanattemptoughttobemade，thattimeisourown。
Itisclearthattheinfluenceofreligiousbeliefisshaken，andthatthenotionofdivinerightsisdeclining;itisevidentthatpublicmoralityisvitiated，andthenotionofmoralrightsisalsodisappearing:thesearegeneralsymptomsofthesubstitutionofargumentforfaith，andofcalculationfortheimpulsesofsentiment。If，inthemidstofthisgeneraldisruption，youdonotsucceedinconnectingthenotionofrightswiththatofpersonalinterest，whichistheonlyimmutablepointinthehumanheart，whatmeanswillyouhaveofgoverningtheworldexceptbyfear？WhenIamtoldthat，sincethelawsareweakandthepopulaceiswild，sincepassionsareexcitedandtheauthorityofvirtueisparalyzed，nomeasuresmustbetakentoincreasetherightsofthedemocracy，Ireply，thatitisfortheseveryreasonsthatsomemeasuresofthekindmustbetaken;andIampersuadedthatgovernmentsarestillmoreinterestedintakingthemthansocietyatlarge，becausegovernmentsareliabletobedestroyedandsocietycannotperish。
Iamnot，however，inclinedtoexaggeratetheexamplewhichAmericafurnishes。InthoseStatesthepeopleareinvestedwithpoliticalrightsatatimewhentheycouldscarcelybeabused，forthecitizenswerefewinnumberandsimpleintheirmanners。
Astheyhaveincreased，theAmericanshavenotaugmentedthepowerofthedemocracy，buttheyhave，ifImayusetheexpression，extendeditsdominions。Itcannotbedoubtedthatthemomentatwhichpoliticalrightsaregrantedtoapeoplethathadbeforebeenwithoutthemisaverycritical，thoughitbeanecessaryone。Achildmaykillbeforeheisawareofthevalueoflife;andhemaydepriveanotherpersonofhispropertybeforeheisawarethathisownmaybetakenawayfromhim。Thelowerorders，whenfirsttheyareinvestedwithpoliticalrights，stand，inrelationtothoserights，inthesamepositionasthechilddoestothewholeofnature，andthecelebratedadagemaythenbeappliedtothem，Homopuerrobustus。ThistruthmayevenbeperceivedinAmerica。TheStatesinwhichthecitizenshaveenjoyedtheirrightslongestarethoseinwhichtheymakethebestuseofthem。