Gaylord would represent us better in Congress than you have done."
Boom! the fight is on!
"You are a Republican, aren't you, Mr. Grayson?"
It was the inevitable next stroke. When he found that I was a doubtful
follower of him personally, he marshalled the Authority of the
Institution which he represented.
"I have voted the Republican ticket," I said, "but I confess that
recently I have not been able to distinguish Republicans from
Democrats--and I've had my doubts," said I, "whether there is any real
Republican party left to vote with."
I cannot well describe the expression on his face, nor indeed, now that
the battle was on, horsemen, footmen, and big guns, shall I attempt to
chronicle every stroke and counter-stroke of that great conflict.
This much is certain: there was something universal and primal about the
battle waged this quiet afternoon on my porch between Mr. Caldwell and
me; it was the primal struggle between the leader and the follower;
between the representative and the represented. And it is a never-ending
conflict. When the leader gains a small advantage the pendulum of
civilization swings toward aristocracy; and when the follower, beginning
to think, beginning to struggle, gains a small advantage, then the
pendulum inclines toward democracy.
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