thepermanenceofthereligiousworldtothecontinualshiftingofpolitics;theexperienceofthepeopletoitstheoreticalignorance;anditspracticalknowledgeofbusinesstotheimpatienceofitsdesires。
TheAmericans，then，havenotrelieduponthenatureoftheircountrytocounterpoisethosedangerswhichoriginateintheirConstitutionandintheirpoliticallaws。Toevilswhicharecommontoalldemocraticpeoplestheyhaveappliedremedieswhichnonebutthemselveshadeverthoughtofbefore;andalthoughtheywerethefirsttomaketheexperiment，theyhavesucceededinit。
ThemannersandlawsoftheAmericansarenottheonlyoneswhichmaysuitademocraticpeople;buttheAmericanshaveshownthatitwouldbewrongtodespairofregulatingdemocracybytheaidofmannersandoflaws。IfothernationsshouldborrowthisgeneralandpregnantideafromtheAmericans，withouthoweverintendingtoimitatetheminthepeculiarapplicationwhichtheyhavemadeofit;iftheyshouldattempttofitthemselvesforthatsocialcondition，whichitseemstobethewillofProvidencetoimposeuponthegenerationsofthisage，andsotoescapefromthedespotismortheanarchywhichthreatensthem;
whatreasonistheretosupposethattheireffortswouldnotbecrownedwithsuccess？TheorganizationandtheestablishmentofdemocracyinChristendomisthegreatpoliticalproblemofthetime。TheAmericans，unquestionably，havenotresolvedthisproblem，buttheyfurnishusefuldatatothosewhoundertakethetask。
ImportanceOfWhatPrecedesWithRespectToTheStateOfEuropeItmayreadilybediscoveredwithwhatintentionIundertooktheforegoinginquiries。ThequestionherediscussedisinterestingnotonlytotheUnitedStates，buttothewholeworld;itconcerns，notanation，butallmankind。Ifthosenationswhosesocialconditionisdemocraticcouldonlyremainfreeaslongastheyareinhabitantsofthewilds，wecouldnotbutdespairofthefuturedestinyofthehumanrace;fordemocracyisrapidlyacquiringamoreextendedsway，andthewildsaregraduallypeopledwithmen。Ifitweretruethatlawsandmannersareinsufficienttomaintaindemocraticinstitutions，whatrefugewouldremainopentothenations，exceptthedespotismofasingleindividual？Iamawarethattherearemanyworthypersonsatthepresenttimewhoarenotalarmedatthislatteralternative，andwhoaresotiredoflibertyastobegladofrepose，farfromthosestormsbywhichitisattended。Buttheseindividualsareillacquaintedwiththehaventowardswhichtheyarebound。Theyaresodeludedbytheirrecollections，astojudgethetendencyofabsolutepowerbywhatitwasformerly，andnotbywhatitmightbecomeatthepresenttime。