re beneficial to a Breton； or a Basque of French Navarre； to be brought into the current of the ideas and feelings of a highly civilised and cultivated people… to be a member of the French nationality； admitted on equal terms to all the privileges of French citizenship； sharing the advantages of French protection； and the dignity and prestige of French power… than to sulk on his own rocks； the half…savage relic of past times； revolving in his own little mental orbit； without participation or interest in the general movement of the world。 The same remark applies to the Welshman or the Scottish Highlander as members of the British nation。 Whatever really tends to the admixture of nationalities； and the blending of their attributes and peculiarities in a common union； is a benefit to the human race。 Not by extinguishing types； of which； in these cases； sufficient examples are sure to remain； but by softening their extreme forms； and filling up the intervals between them。 The united people； like a crossed breed of animals （but in a still greater degree； because the influences in operation are moral as well as physical）； inherits the special aptitudes and excellences of all its progenitors； protected by the admixture from being exaggerated into the neighbouring vices。 But to render this admixture possible； there must be peculiar conditions。 The combinations of circumstances which occur； and which effect the result； are various。 The nationalities brought together under the same government may be about equal in numbers and strength； or they may be very unequal。 If unequal； the least numerous of the two may either be the superior in civilisation； or the inferior。 Supposing it to be superior； it may either； through that superiority； be able to acquire ascendancy over the other； or it may be overcome by brute strength and reduced to subjection。 This last is a sheer mischief to the human race； and one which civilised humanity with one accord should rise in arms to prevent。 The absorption of Greece by Macedonia was one of the greatest misfortunes which ever happened to the world： that of any of the principal countries of Europe by Russia would be a similar one。 If the smaller nationality； supposed to be the more advanced in improvement； is able to overcome the greater； as the Macedonians； reinforced by the Greeks； did Asia； and the English India； there is often a gain to civilisation： but the conquerors and the conquered cannot in this case live together under the same free institutions。 The absorption of the conquerors in the less advanced people would be an evil： these； must be governed as subjects； and the state of things is either a benefit or a misfortune； according as the subjugated people have or have not reached the state in which it is an injury not to be under a free government； and according as the conquerors do or do not use their superiority in a manner calculated to fit the conquered for a higher stage of improvement。 This topic will be particularly treated of in a subsequent chapter。 When the nationality which succeeds in overpowering the other is both the most numerous and the most improved； and especially if the subdued nationality is small； and has no hope of reasserting its independence； then； if it is governed with any tolerable justice； and if the members of the more powerful nationality are not made odious by being invested with exclusive privileges； the smaller nationality is gradually reconciled to its position； and becomes amalgamated with the larger。 No Bas…Breton； nor even any Alsatian； has the smallest wish at the present day to be separated from France。 If all Irishmen have not yet arrived at the same disposition towards England； it is partly because they are sufficiently numerous to be capable of constituting a respectable nationality by themselves； but principally because； until of late years； they had been so atrociously governed； that all their best feelings combined with their bad ones in rousing bitter resentment against the Saxon rule。 This disgrace to England； and calamity to the whole empire； has； it may be truly said； completely ceased for nearly a generation。 No Irishman is now less free than an Anglo…Saxon； nor has a less share of every benefit either to his country or to his individual fortunes than if he were sprung from any other portion of the British dominions。 The only remaining real grievance of Ireland； that of the State Church； is one which half； or nearly half； the people of the larger island have in common with them。 There is now next to nothing； except the memory of the past； and the difference in the predominant religion； to keep apart two races； perhaps the most fitted of any two in the world to be the completing counterpart of one another。 The consciousness of being at last treated not only with equal justice but with equal consideration is making such rapid way in the Irish nation as to be wearing off all feelings that could make them insensible to the benefits which the less numerous and less wealthy people must necessarily derive from being fellow…citizens instead of foreigners to those who are not only their nearest neighbours； but the wealthiest； and one of the freest； as well as most civilised and powerful； nations of the earth。 The cases in which the greatest practical obstacles exist to the blending of nationalities are when the nationalities which have been bound together are nearly equal in numbers and in the other elements of power。 In such cases； each； confiding in its strength； and feeling itself capable of maintaining an equal struggle with any of the others； is unwilling to be merged in it： each cultivates with party obstinacy its distinctive peculiarities； obsolete customs； and even declining languages； are revived to deepen the separation； each deems itself tyrannised over if any authority is exercised within itself by functionaries of a rival race； and whatever is given to one of the conflicting nationalities is considered to be taken from all the rest。 When nations； thus divided； are under a despotic government which is a stranger to all of them； or which； though sprung from one； yet feeling greater interest in its own power than in any sympathies of nationality； assigns no privilege to either nation； and chooses its instruments indifferently from all； in the course of a few generations； identity of situation often produces harmony of feeling； and the different races come to feel towards each other as fellow…countrymen； particularly if they are dispersed over the same tract of country。 But if the era of aspiration to free government arrives before this fusion has been effected； the opportunity has gone by for effecting it。 From that time； if the unreconciled nationalities are geographically separate； and especially if their local position is such that there is no natural fitness or convenience in their being under the same government （as in the case of an Italian province under a French or German yoke）； there is not only an obvious propriety； but； if either freedom or concord is cared for； a necessity； for breaking the connection altogether。 There may be cases in which the provinces； after separation； might usefully remain united by a federal tie： but it generally happens that if they are willing to forego complete independence； and become members of a federation； each of them has other neighbours with whom it would prefer to connect itself； having more sympathies in common； if not also greater community of interest。 Chapter 17 Of Federal Representative Governments。
PORTIONS OF mankind who are not fitted； or not disposed； to live under the same internal government； may often with advantage be federally united as to their relations with foreigners： both to prevent wars among themselves； and for the sake of more effectual protection against the aggression of powerful States。 To render a federation advisable； several conditions are necessary。 The first is； that there should be a sufficient amount of mutual sympathy among the populations。 The federation binds them always to fight on the same side； and if they have such feelings towards one another； or such diversity of feeling towards their neighbours； that they would generally prefer to fight on opposite sides； the federal tie is neither likely to be of long duration； not to be well observed while it subsists。 The sympathies available for the purpose are those of race； language； religion； and； above all； of political institutions； as conducing most to a feeling of identity of political interest。 When a few free states； separately insufficient for their own defence； are hemmed in on all sides by military or feudal monarchs； who hate and despise freedom even in a neighbour； those states have no chance for preserving liberty and its blessings but by a federal union。 The common interest arising from this cause has in Switzerland； for several centuries； been found adequate to maintain efficiently the federal bond； in spite not only of difference of religion when religion was the grand source of irreconcilable political enmity throughout Europe； but also in spite of great weakness in the constitution of the federation itself。 In America； where all the conditions for the maintenance of union existed at the highest point； with the sole drawback of difference of institutions in the single but most important article of Slavery； this one difference has gone so far in alienating from each other's sympathies the two divisions of the Union； that the maintenance or disruption of a tie of so much value to them both depends on the issue of an obstinate civil war。 A second condition of the stability of a federal government is that the separate states be not so powerful as to be able to rely； for protection against foreign encroachment； on their individual strength。 If they are； they will be apt to think that they do not gain； by union with others； the equivalent of what they sacrifice in their own liberty of action； and consequently； whenever the policy of the Confederation； in things reserved to its cognisance； is different from that which any one of its members would separately pursue； the internal and sectional breach will； through absence of sufficient anxiety to preserve the union； be in