"It is the besetting vice of democracies to substitute public opinion for law. This is the usual form in which the masses of men exhibit their tyranny"

This quote by James F. Cooper is a warning against the risks of freedom. He is claiming that democracies are vulnerable to allowing public opinion to bypass the regulation. This can result in a situation where the majority of people are able to enforce their will on the minority, which Cooper calls "tyranny". He is warning against enabling public opinion to end up being more important than the law, as this can result in a circumstance where the civil liberties of people are not appreciated. Cooper is emphasizing the significance of maintaining the law in a freedom, as it is the only means to guarantee that the rights of all citizens are valued and also safeguarded.