Such，alas，isbynomeansmywayofconstruingthematter；ifitwere，Ishouldhavehadthehappinessofremainingsilent，andbeenwithoutcalltospeakhere。Itisbecausethecontraryofallthisisdeeplymanifesttome，andappearstobeforgottenbymultitudesofmycontemporaries，thatIhavehadtoundertakeaddressingawordtothem。Thecontraryofallthis；——andthefartherIlookintotherootsofallthis，themorehateful，ruinousanddismaldoesthestateofmindallthiscouldhaveoriginatedinappeartome。ToexaminethisrecipeofaParliament，howfititisforgoverningNations，nayhowfititmaynowbe，inthesenewtimes，forgoverningEnglanditselfwhereweareusedtoitsolong：this，too，isanalarminginquiry，towhichallthinkingmen，andgoodcitizensoftheircountry，whohaveanearforthesmallstillvoicesandeternalintimations，acrossthetemporaryclamorsandloudblaringproclamations，arenowsolemnlyinvited。Invitedbytherigorousfactitself；whichwilloneday，andthatperhapssoon，demandpracticaldecisionorredecisionofitfromus，——withenormouspenaltyifwedecideitwrong！Ithinkweshallallhavetoconsiderthisquestion，oneday；betterperhapsnowthanlater，whentheleisuremaybeless。IfaParliament，withsuffragesanduniversaloranyconceivablekindofsuffrages，isthemethod，thencertainlyletussetaboutdiscoveringthekindofsuffrages，andrestnomomenttillwehavegotthem。ButitispossibleaParliamentmaynotbethemethod！PossibletheinveteratenotionsoftheEnglishPeoplemayhavesettleditasthemethod，andtheEverlastingLawsofNaturemayhavesettleditasnotthemethod！Notthewholemethod；northemethodatall，iftakenasthewhole？IfaParliamentwithneversuchsuffragesisnotthemethodsettledbythislatterauthority，thenitwillurgentlybehooveustobecomeawareofthatfact，andtoquitsuchmethod；——wemaydependuponit，howeverunanimouswebe，everysteptakeninthatdirectionwill，bytheEternalLawofthings，beastep_from_improvement，nottowardsit。
Nottowardsit，Isay，ifso！Unanimityofvoting，——thatwilldonothingforusifso。YourshipcannotdoubleCapeHornbyitsexcellentplansofvoting。Theshipmayvotethisandthat，abovedecksandbelow，inthemostharmoniousexquisitelyconstitutionalmanner：theship，togetroundCapeHorn，willfindasetofconditionsalreadyvotedfor，andfixedwithadamantinerigorbytheancientElementalPowers，whoareentirelycarelesshowyouvote。Ifyoucan，byvotingorwithoutvoting，ascertaintheseconditions，andvaliantlyconformtothem，youwillgetroundtheCape：ifyoucannot，theruffianWindswillblowyoueverbackagain；theinexorableIcebergs，dumbprivy-councillorsfromChaos，willnudgeyouwithmostchaotic“admonition；“youwillbeflunghalffrozenonthePatagoniancliffs，oradmonishedintoshiversbyyouricebergcouncillors，andsentsheerdowntoDavyJones，andwillnevergetroundCapeHornatall！Unanimityonboardship；——yesindeed，theship’screwmaybeveryunanimous，whichdoubtless，forthetimebeing，willbeverycomfortabletotheship’screw，andtotheirPhantasmCaptainiftheyhaveone：butifthetacktheyunanimouslysteeruponisguidingthemintothebellyoftheAbyss，itwillnotprofitthemmuch！——Shipsaccordinglydonotusetheballot-boxatall；andtheyrejectthePhantasmspeciesofCaptains：onewishesmuchsomeotherEntities——sinceallentitieslieunderthesamerigoroussetoflaws——couldbebroughttoshowasmuchwisdom，andsenseatleastofself-preservation，thefirstcommandofNature。PhantasmCaptainswithunanimousvotings：thisisconsideredtobeallthelawandalltheprophets，atpresent。
Ifamancouldshakeoutofhismindtheuniversalnoiseofpoliticaldoctorsinthisgenerationandinthelastgenerationortwo，andconsiderthematterfacetoface，withhisownsincereintelligencelookingatit，Iventuretosayhewouldfindthisaveryextraordinarymethodofnavigating，whetherintheStraitsofMagellanortheundiscoveredSeaofTime。Toprosperinthisworld，togainfelicity，victoryandimprovement，eitherforamanoranation，thereisbutonethingrequisite，ThatthemanornationcandiscernwhatthetrueregulationsoftheUniverseareinregardtohimandhispursuit，andcanfaithfullyandsteadfastlyfollowthese。Thesewillleadhimtovictory；whoeveritmaybethatsetshiminthewayofthese，——wereitRussianAutocrat，ChartistParliament，GrandLama，ForceofPublicOpinion，ArchbishopofCanterbury，M’CroudytheSeraphicDoctorwithhisLast-evangelofPoliticalEconomy，——setshiminthesurewaytopleasetheAuthorofthisUniverse，andishisfriendoffriends。Andagain，whoeverdoesthecontraryis，foralikereason，hisenemyofenemies。Thismaybetakenasfixed。
Andnowbywhatmethodascertainthemonitionofthegodsinregardtoouraffairs？Howdecipher，withbestfidelity，theeternalregulationoftheUniverse；andread，fromamidsuchconfusedembroilmentsofhumanclamorandfolly，whattherealDivineMessagetousis？Adivinemessage，oreternalregulationoftheUniverse，thereverilyis，inregardtoeveryconceivableprocedureandaffairofman：faithfullyfollowingthis，saidprocedureoraffairwillprosper，andhavethewholeUniversetosecondit，andcarryit，acrossthefluctuatingcontradictions，towardsavictoriousgoal；notfollowingthis，mistakingthis，disregardingthis，destructionandwreckarecertainforeveryaffair。Howfindit？Alltheworldanswersme，“Countheads；
askUniversalSuffrage，bytheballot-boxes，andthatwilltell。“