Quote by James Truslow Adams
As we look over the list of the early leaders of the republic, Washington, John Adams, Hamilton, and others, we discern that they were all men who insisted upon being themselves and who refused to truckle to the people. With each succeeding generation, the growing demand of the people that its elective officials shall not lead but merely register the popular will has steadily undermined the independence of those who derive their power from popular election. The persistent refusal of the Adamses to sacrifice the integrity of their own intellectual and moral standards and values for the sake of winning public office or popular favor is another of the measuring rods by which we may measure the divergence of American life from its starting point.
Summary
This quote discusses how the early leaders of the United States, such as Washington and John Adams, were individuals who firmly stood for their own beliefs and refused to compromise them for the sake of popularity or public opinion. However, as time passed and subsequent generations came to demand that elected officials simply reflect the will of the people, this independence and integrity began to diminish. The unwavering commitment of leaders like the Adamses to their own moral and intellectual values is presented as an example of how American life has deviated from its original principles.
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