he pains to examine the civil organization of
the country, he will find that its roots run to every stratum of
society. The number of persons interested in politics, not as a
speculative subject, but as a practical and personal one, is wonderfully
great. Thus, in most of the States there exists that modification of the
ancient Saxon system of local action by "hundreds"--the township
organization. This alone carries a healthy political movement into the
farthest nook and corner of the body politic: every citizen of common
sense may well be consulted in this primary activity, and every
household may be interested in the question whether its results are good
or bad. But besides this, simple and slightly compensated as are the
positions belonging to the township, there are in every community many
willing to fill them. To be a supervisor of the roads,[1] to be township
constable and collector of the taxes, to audit the township accounts, to
be a member of the school board, to be a justice of the peace, is an
inclination--it may be a desire--entertained by many citizens; and if
the ambition may seem to be a narrow one, its modesty does not make it
unworthy or discreditable. But these men alone, active in the politics
of townships, form a surprising array. If we consider that in
Pennsylvania there are sixty-seven counties, with an average of say
forty townships in each, here are twenty-six hundred and eighty
townships, having each not less than ten officials, and making nearly
twenty-seven thousand persons actually on duty at one time in a single
State in this fundamental branch of the service. And if we estimate that
besides those who are in office at least two persons are inclined and
willing, if not actually desirous, to occupy the place now filled by
each one--a very moderate calculation--we multiply twenty-six thousand
eight hundred by three, and have over eighty thousand persons whose minds
are quick and active in local politics on this one account. But we may
proceed further. There are the cities and boroughs, their official
business more complex and laborious, and in most cases receiving much
higher compensation. The competition for these is in many instances very
great: in the case of large cities we need not waste words in
elaborating the fact. It is difficult to estimate the number of persons
to whom the municipal corporations give place and pay compensation in
the State of Pennsylvania, but five thousand is not an ex