No one can doubt that the New England States, if they were a separate community, would have an education, a political capacity, and an intelligence such as the numerical majority of no people, equally numerous, has ever possessed.
Bagehot praises the New England States for their exceptional education and political capacity, suggesting they surpass other populations.
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More from Walter Bagehot
They are above corruption because they are the corruptors.
He gave an excellent moral example to his contemporaries, but he is an instance of those whose good dies with them, while their evil lives after them.
That a House of Commons may work well it must perform, as we saw, five functions well: it must elect a Ministry well, legislate well, teach the nation well, express the nation's will well, bring matters to the nation's attention well.
But all men heed great results, and a change of Government is a great result.
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