with which many ardent democrats have regarded aggressive nationalism would be similarly disarmed.  A democrat, so far as the statement is true, could trust the fate of his cause in each particular state to the friends of national progress.  Democracy would not need for its consummation the ruin of the traditional political fabrics; but so far as those political bodies were informed by genuinely national ideas and aspirations, it could await confidently the process of national development.  In fact, the first duty of a good democrat would be that of rendering to his country loyal patriotic service.  Democrats would abandon the task of making over the world to suit their own purposes, until they had come to a better understanding with their own countrymen.  One’s democracy, that is, would begin at home and it would for the most part stay at home; and the cause of national well-being would derive invaluable assistance from the loyal cooeperation of good democrats.

A great many obvious objections will, of course, be immediately raised against any such explanation of the relation between democracy and nationality; and I am well aware that these objections demand the most serious consideration.  A generation or two ago the European democrat was often by way of being an ardent nationalist; and a constructive relation between the two principles was accepted by many European political reformers.  The events of the last fifty years have, however, done much to sever the alliance, and to make European patriots suspicious of democracy, and European democrats suspicious of patriotism.  To what extent these suspicions are justified, I shall discuss in the next chapter; but that discussion will be undertaken almost exclusively for obtaining, if possible, some light upon our domestic situation.  The formula of a constructive relation between the national and democratic principles has certain importance for European peoples, and particularly for Frenchmen:  but, if true, it is of a far superior importance to Americans.  It supplies a constructive form for the progressive solution of their political and social problems; and while it imposes on them responsibilities which they have sought to evade, it also offers compensations, the advantage of which they have scarcely expected.

Americans have always been both patriotic and democratic, just as they have always been friendly both to liberty and equality, but in neither case have they brought the two ideas or aspirations into mutually helpful relations.  As democrats they have often regarded nationalism with distrust, and have consequently deprived their patriotism of any sufficient substance and organization.  As nationalists they have frequently regarded essential aspects of democracy with a wholly unnecessary and embarrassing suspicion.  They have been after a fashion Hamiltonian, and Jeffersonian after more of a fashion; but they have never recovered from the initial disagreement between Hamilton and Jefferson.