art of our freedom consists in the civil rights and
advancements of every person according to his merit: the enjoyment
of _those_ never more certain, and the access to _these_
never more open, than in a free Commonwealth. And _both_ in my
opinion may be best and soonest obtained if every county in the
land were made a _Little Commonwealth_, and their chief town a
_City_ if it be not so called already; where the nobility and
chief gentry may build houses or palaces befitting their quality,
may bear part in the [district or city] government, make their own
judicial laws, and execute them by their own elected judicatures,
without appeal, in all things of Civil Government between man and
man. So they shall have justice in their own hands, and none to
blame but themselves if it be not well administered. In these
employments they may exercise and fit themselves till their lot
fall to be chosen into THE GRAND COUNCIL, according as their worth
and merit shall be taken notice of by the people. As for
controversies that may happen between men of several counties, they
may repair, as they now do, to the Capital City. They should have
here also [i.e. in their own Cities and Counties] schools and
academies at their own choice, wherein their children may be bred
up in their own sight to all learning and noble education, not in
grammar only, but in all liberal arts and exercises."

This is what would now be called a scheme of _Decentralization_
or _Systematic Local Government_. The counties, with their chief
cities, should be so many little independent communities, each with
its legislative council, its law-courts, and its other institutions,
employing and tasking the political energies and abilities of the
citizens or inhabitants of the district. While this would be
advantageous in itself, inasmuch as it would stimulate mental
activity and social improvement everywhere, and would relieve the
GRAND CENTRAL COUNCIL of much work more properly appertaining to
municipalities, it would doubtless reconcile many to the existence of
such a GRAND CENTRAL COUNCIL in perpetuity. Energetic and ambitious
spirits would have scope and training in their own cities and
neighbourhoods, and the hope of being elected to the Central
Government when there should be a vacancy there would be a fine
incitement to the best to qualify themselves to the utmost for
national statesmanship.

The following is the closing