It is the cultivation, in American women, of a true understanding and appreciation of the principles of our democratic institutions--with a view to their practical social bearing, and consequent obligations upon our sex. Two years ago, a distinguished English philosopher and historian, lately deceased, expressed the fear that our American system of government was in advance of the culture of democratic ideas among our people. Doubtless this observation took the shape of a fear because its author was cognizant of the truth that when the spirit of a government fails to be continually nourished by a sympathetic spirit in the prevailing tone of society throughout the nation over which it presides, then the government has small assurance of perpetuity. Being patriots, and having, as women, so much to do with matters social and educational, would it not be desirable to understand clearly wherein the foundation principles of our government differ from that of despotisms and monarchies, and to ascertain whether our practical life--our society--is in conformity with our own vaunted democracy or not? Now the principles upon which our republic was founded teach that one person has no right to trample on the rights of another--that we can have no aristocratic order--that he who labors with head or hand is intrinsically more honorable than the mere idler and pleasure seeker, however wealthy--that legally neither birth nor riches confer any special privileges. And in all this the spirit of our American government is in direct opposition to the spirit of monarchical institutions. But how is it with American society, in the moulding and directing of which our sex has so much to do? However opposed to each other democratic and republican partisans may feel, the titles of their parties are terms which imply principles synonymous--and alike in harmony with the genius our government. But examine society among these parties. Mix with the social circles of our capitals, during the meetings of our State Legislatures or sessions of Congress, when democratic ladies are in the ascendency: make another visit when the ladies of republicans are leading society in the same places--and do you not find in the practical life of both parties a lack of the simplicity and earnestness of real republicanism and democracy? Yes, to our shame as daughters of a republic, we must admit that we take more pride in ostentation than in simplicity; and that our dominant social life and culture are a mere reflection, so far as the freedom of our government will permit them to be, of social life and culture amid the arrogant aristocracies of Europe! The relation of an incident which came under our observation in a Northern city may not be considered out of place here, since it is illustrative of the workings of our anti-democratic social system, and how it may even be brought to swallow up practically all sense of the obligations of patriotism.