The most intelligent Europeans are confounded with our _imperium in imperio_; and their constant wonder is, that these systems are not continually jostling each other. M. DE TOCQUEVILLE has clearly perceived, and traced correctly and distinctly, the orbits in which they move, and has described, or rather defined, our federal government, with an accurate precision, unsurpassed even by an American pen. There is no citizen of this country who will not derive instruction from our author's account of our national government, or, at least, who will not find his own ideas systematised, and rendered more fixed and precise, by the perusal of that account. Among other subjects discussed by the author, that of the _political influence_ of the institution of trial by jury, is one of the most curious and interesting. He has certainly presented it in a light entirely new, and as important as it is new. It may be that he has exaggerated its influence as "a gratuitous public school;" but if he has, the error will be readily forgiven. His views of religion, as connected with patriotism, in other words, with the democratic principle, which he steadily keeps in view, are conceived in the noblest spirit of philanthropy, and cannot fail to confirm the principles already so thoroughly and universally entertained by the American people. And no one can read his observations on the union of "church and state," without a feeling of deep gratitude to the founders of our government, for saving us from such a prolific source of evil. These allusions to topics that have interested the writer, are not intended as an enumeration of the various subjects which will arrest the attention of the American reader. They have been mentioned rather with a view of exciting an appetite for the whole feast, than as exhibiting the choice dainties which cover the board. It remains only to observe, that in this edition the constitutions of the United States and of the state of New York, which had been published at large in the original and in the English edition, have been omitted, as they are documents to which every American reader has access. The map which the author annexed to his work, and which has been hitherto omitted, is now for the first time inserted in the American edition, to which has been added the census of 1840. TABLE OF CONTENTS. PREFACE BY THE AMERICAN EDITOR Introduction CHAPTER I. Exterior form of North America CHAPTER II. Origin of the Anglo-Americans, and its Importance in Relation to their future Condition Reasons of certain Anomalies which the Laws and Customs of the Anglo-Americans present CHAPTER III. Social Condition of the Anglo-Americans The striking Characteristic of the social Condition of the Anglo-Americans is its essential Democracy Political Consequences of the social Condition of the Anglo-Americans CHAPTER IV. The Principle of the Sovereignty of the People in America