From the Preface:

"

In the volume which, with much diffidence, is here offered to the

public, I have given, as far as I have considered it worth giving,

my whole thought in a connected form on the nature, necessity,

extent, authority, origin, ground, and constitution of government,

and the unity, nationality, constitution, tendencies, and destiny

of the American Republic. Many of the points treated have been

from time to time discussed or touched upon, and many of the views

have been presented, in my previous writings; but this work is

newly and independently written from beginning to end, and is as

complete on the topics treated as I have been able to make it.

I have taken nothing bodily from my previous essays, but I have

used their thoughts as far as I have judged them sound and they

came within the scope of my present work. I have not felt myself

bound to adhere to my own past thoughts or expressions any farther

than they coincide with my present convictions, and I have written

as freely and as independently as if I had never

viii

written or

published any thing before. I have never been the slave of my

own past, and truth has always been dearer to me than my own

opinions. This work is not only my latest, but will be my last

on politics or government, and must be taken as the authentic,

and the only authentic statement of my political views and

convictions, and whatever in any of my previous writings conflicts

with the principles defended in its pages, must be regarded as

retracted, and rejected.

The work now produced is based on scientific principles; but it is

an essay rather than a scientific treatise, and even good-natured

critics will, no doubt, pronounce it an article or a series of

articles designed for a review, rather than a book. It is hard to

overcome the habits of a lifetime. I have taken some pains to

exchange the reviewer for the author, but am fully conscious that

I have not succeeded. My work can lay claim to very little

artistic merit. It is full of repetitions; the same thought is

frequently recurring,--the result, to some extent, no doubt, of

carelessness and the want of artistic skill; but to a greater

extent, I fear, of "malice aforethought." In composing my work I

have followed, rather than directed, the course of my thought,

and, having very little confidence in the memory or industry of

readers, I have preferred, when the completeness

of the argument

required it, to repeat myself to encumbering my pages with

perpetual references to what has gone before.