As a consequence, definitely and for a long time, any use of the two great liberal mechanisms were doomed.

So long as the wheels remained of such poor quality and the task so hard, both the election of local powers and the division of the central power had to be abandoned.
IV.

Motives for suppressing the election of local powers.
Motives for suppressing the election of local powers .-- The Electors .-- Their egoism and partiality .-- The Elected .-- Their inertia, corruption, and disobedience.
All were agreed on the first point.

If any still doubted, they had only to open their eyes, fix them on the local authorities, watch them as soon as born, and follow them throughout the exercise of their functions .-- Naturally, in filling each office, the electors had chosen a man of their own species and caliber; their fixed and dominant disposition was accordingly well known; they were indifferent to public matters and therefore their candidate was as indifferent as themselves.
Had they shown too great a concern for the nation this would have prevented their election; the State to them was a troublesome moralist and remote creditor.

Their candidate must choose between them and this intruder, side with them against it, and not act as a pedagogue in its name or as bailiff on its behalf.