"The debates of that great assembly are frequently vague and perplexed, seeming to be dragged rather than to march, to the intended goal. Something of this sort must, I think, always happen in public democratic assemblies"

This quote by Alexis de Tocqueville is referring to the disputes that happen in public democratic assemblies. He is suggesting that these disputes are often unclear and perplexing, which the development towards the intended objective is slow and tiresome. He thinks that this is an inescapable repercussion of public democratic assemblies, as the many various viewpoints and perspectives of the members can result in confusion and dispute. He is suggesting that this is a natural part of the democratic procedure, and that it is something that needs to be accepted and resolved in order to reach a consensus.