Explanation:
According to the theory of Thoreau, he was a strong preacher of abolitionism, who wanted that people should raise voices against anti slavery even if this is civil disobedience. He stated that people suffering from slavery had no obligation of paying taxes to state, and they should not wait to come in majority to fight against abolitionism.
In the paragraph stated in question, his statement imply that that citizens vote selfishly and without a conscience and he is also indicating his frustration to the anti slavery campaign, that it is not run in a proper direction, so he asked them to use their power and stand in majority against abolitionism.
His characterization of the populace is correct because politics at that time had a linkage worth questions and was disrupted, the culture is too political