ance, that
an agent of the Government was stationed at some appointed spot in the
country, to prosecute the misdemeanors of the town and county officers,
would not a more uniform order be the result, without in any way
compromising the independence of the township? Nothing of the kind,
however, exists in America: there is nothing above the county-courts,
which have, as it were, only an incidental cognizance of the offences
they are meant to repress.]

The partisans of centralization in Europe are wont to maintain that the
Government directs the affairs of each locality better than the citizens
could do it for themselves; this may be true when the central power is
enlightened, and when the local districts are ignorant; when it is as
alert as they are slow; when it is accustomed to act, and they to obey.
Indeed, it is evident that this double tendency must augment with the
increase of centralization, and that the readiness of the one and the
incapacity of the others must become more and more prominent. But I deny
that such is the case when the people is as enlightened, as awake to its
interests, and as accustomed to reflect on them, as the Americans are. I
am persuaded, on the contrary, that in this case the collective strength
of the citizens will always conduce more efficaciously to the public
welfare than the authority of the Government. It is difficult to point
out with certainty the means of arousing a sleeping population, and of
giving it passions and knowledge which it does not possess; it is, I
am well aware, an arduous task to persuade men to busy themselves about
their own affairs; and it would frequently be easier to interest them
in the punctilios of court etiquette than in the repairs of their common
dwelling. But whenever a central administration affects to supersede
the persons most interested, I am inclined to suppose that it is either
misled or desirous to mislead. However enlightened and however skilful a
central power may be, it cannot of itself embrace all the details of the
existence of a great nation. Such vigilance exceeds the powers of man.
And when it attempts to create and set in motion so many complicated
springs, it must submit to a very imperfect result, or consume itself in
bootless efforts.

Centralization succeeds more easily, indeed, in subjecting the external
actions of men to a certain uniformity, which at least commands our
regard, independently of the objects to which it is applied, l