A history of the American nation . ildhere, wrote Emersonfrom Boston, *with num-berless projects of socialreform; not a leading manbut has a draft of a newcommunity in his waist-coat pocket. The im-pulse for temperance re-form which swept o\er thecountry, and the AboUtionmovement, which we shallsoon study, were niani-festations of this new social conscience. A great wave ofhumanity, of benevolence, of desire for improvement, poureditself among all who had the faculty of large and disinterestedthinking.^ The democratic spirit which we have seen in the politicallife of the country prevaikxi in s
A history of the American nation . ildhere, wrote Emersonfrom Boston, *with num-berless projects of socialreform; not a leading manbut has a draft of a newcommunity in his waist-coat pocket. The im-pulse for temperance re-form which swept o\er thecountry, and the AboUtionmovement, which we shallsoon study, were niani-festations of this new social conscience. A great wave ofhumanity, of benevolence, of desire for improvement, poureditself among all who had the faculty of large and disinterestedthinking.^ The democratic spirit which we have seen in the politicallife of the country prevaikxi in society. The election of Jack-son simply heralded the fact that the pei^ple felttheir power, and that they had reached theirmajority. Social distinctions had now vanished or were oflittle moment. A spirit of boastfulness was not lacking; formen prided themselves on the fact that the United States, These words are used of the situation in England in J. Motley. The Lito of KiohArd CoKlen. p. M. See also IIinsd;Ue. Horace p. 7^^. ihsiRuuTioN OP Popn-\Tiox IN 1S30 Democracy. THE JACKSONIAN ERA 297 in advance of the world, was gi\ing an example of popular gov-crnn\ent, and thty declared their country to be the freest andbest on earth. Despite self-assertion and vainglory, there wasnuich that was sound and good in this democratic spirit; thepeople rudely made real the Iriitli tliat worth makes the man,and want of it tlic fellow—the true motto of true democracy.]\Ten were hard at work, for work was no disgrace in this newcountry; they eagerly sought after money, not for its own sake,but for what it would l)riiig. Work was the common lot oi allmen; and where that is the case democratic equality has itssurest foundation.^ One is not mistaken in attributing this development of re-ligious, moral, and mental freedom and strength, in part at least,to democratic institutions, to the fact that in Democracy and * • i • m •tl i human progress. AmcHca cach man was giNcn responsibili
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