American Institutions and Their Influence

American Institutions and Their
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Title: American Institutions And Their Influence
Author: Alexis de Tocqueville

Release Date: August, 2005 [EBook #8690] [Yes, we are more than
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2003]
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AMERICAN INSTITUTIONS AND THEIR INFLUENCE.
by
Alexis de Tocqueville.

with notes, by Hon. John C. Spencer.
* * * * *
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1851, by A. S.
Barnes & Co., In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United
States for the Southern District of New York.
* * * * *

ADVERTISEMENT.
The American publishers of M. de Tocqueville's "Democracy in
America," have been frequently solicited to furnish the work in a form
adapted to seminaries of learning, and at a price which would secure its
more general circulation, and enable trustees of School District
Libraries, and other libraries, to place it among their collections.
Desirous to attain these objects, they have consulted several gentlemen,
in whose judgment they confided, and particularly the editor of the
American editions, to ascertain whether the work was capable of

abridgment or condensation, so as to bring the expense of its
publication within the necessary limits. They are advised that the nature
of the work renders it impossible to condense it by omitting any
remarks or illustrations of the author upon any subject discussed by
him, even if common justice to him did not forbid any such attempt;
and that the only mode of reducing its bulk, is to exclude wholly such
subjects as are deemed not to be essential.
It will be recollected that the first volume was originally published
separately, and was complete in itself. It treated of the influence of
democracy upon the political institutions of the United States, and
exhibited views of the nature of our government, and of their
complicated machinery, so new, so striking, and so just, as to excite the
admiration and even the wonder of our countrymen. It was universally
admitted to be the best, if not the first systematic and philosophic view
of the great principles of our constitutions which has been presented to
the world. As a treatise upon the spirit of our governments, it was full
and finished, and was deemed worthy of being introduced as a
text-book in some of our Seminaries of Learning. The publication of
the first volume alone would therefore seem to be sufficient to
accomplish in the main the objects of the publishers above stated.
And upon a careful re-examination of the second volume, this
impression is confirmed. It is entirely independent of the first volume,
and is in no way essential to a full understanding of the principles and
views contained in that volume. It discusses the effects of the
democratic principle upon the tastes, feelings, habits, and manners of
the Americans; and although deeply interesting and valuable, yet the
observations of the author on these subjects are better calculated for
foreign countries than for our own citizens. As he wrote for Europe
they were necessary to his plan. They follow naturally and properly the
profound views which had already been presented, and which they
carry out and illustrate. But they furnish no new developments of those
views, nor any facts that would be new to us.
The publishers were therefore advised that the printing of the first
volume complete and entire, was the only mode of attaining the object
they had in view. They have accordingly determined to adopt that
course, intending, if the public sentiment should require it, hereafter to
print the second volume in the same style, so that both