I THE AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND ITS NATIONAL PRINCIPLE The foregoing review of the relation which has come to subsist in Europe between nationality and democracy should help us to understand the peculiar bond which unites the American democratic and national principles.

The net result of that review was encouraging but not decisive.

As a consequence of their development as nations, the European peoples have been unable to get along without a certain infusion of democracy; but it was for the most part essential to their national interest that such an infusion should be strictly limited.

In Europe the two ideals have never been allowed a frank and unconstrained relation one to the other other.

They have been unable to live apart; but their marriage has usually been one of convenience, which was very far from implying complete mutual dependence and confidence.