19-on the duty of civil disobedience-第6部分

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toward　its　fountain…head。

　　　　No　man　with　a　genius　for　legislation　has　appeared　in　America。

They　are　rare　in　the　history　of　the　world。　　There　are　orators；

politicians；　and　eloquent　men；　by　the　thousand；　but　the　speaker　has

not　yet　opened　his　mouth　to　speak　who　is　capable　of　settling　the

much…vexed　questions　of　the　day。　　We　love　eloquence　for　its　own

sake；　and　not　for　any　truth　which　it　may　utter；　or　any　heroism　it

may　inspire。　　Our　legislators　have　not　yet　learned　the　comparative

value　of　free…trade　and　of　freedom；　of　union；　and　of　rectitude；　to　a

nation。　　They　have　no　genius　or　talent　for　comparatively　humble

questions　of　taxation　and　finance；　commerce　and　manufacturers　and

agriculture。　　If　we　were　left　solely　to　the　wordy　wit　of　legislators

in　Congress　for　our　guidance；　uncorrected　by　the　seasonable

experience　and　the　effectual　complaints　of　the　people；　America　would

not　long　retain　her　rank　among　the　nations。　　For　eighteen　hundred

years；　though　perchance　I　have　no　right　to　say　it；　the　New　Testament

has　been　written；　yet　where　is　the　legislator　who　has　wisdom　and

practical　talent　enough　to　avail　himself　of　the　light　which　it　sheds

on　the　science　of　legislation？

　　　　The　authority　of　government；　even　such　as　I　am　willing　to　submit

to　　for　I　will　cheerfully　obey　those　who　know　and　can　do　better

than　I；　and　in　many　things　even　those　who　neither　know　nor　can　do　so

well　　is　still　an　impure　one：　to　be　strictly　just；　it　must　have

the　sanction　and　consent　of　the　governed。　　It　can　have　no　pure　right

over　my　person　and　property　but　what　I　concede　to　it。　　The　progress

from　an　absolute　to　a　limited　monarchy；　from　a　limited　monarchy　to　a

democracy；　is　a　progress　toward　a　true　respect　for　the　individual。

Even　the　Chinese　philosopher　was　wise　enough　to　regard　the

individual　as　the　basis　of　the　empire。　　Is　a　democracy；　such　as　we

know　it；　the　last　improvement　possible　in　government？　　Is　it　not

possible　to　take　a　step　further　towards　recognizing　and　organizing

the　rights　of　man？　　There　will　never　be　a　really　free　and

enlightened　State　until　the　State　comes　to　recognize　the　individual

as　a　higher　and　independent　power；　from　which　all　its　own　power　and

authority　are　derived；　and　treats　him　accordingly。　　I　please　myself

with　imagining　a　State　at　least　which　can　afford　to　be　just　to　all

men；　and　to　treat　the　individual　with　respect　as　a　neighbor；　which

even　would　not　think　it　inconsistent　with　its　own　repose　if　a　few

were　to　live　aloof　from　it；　not　meddling　with　it；　nor　embraced　by

it；　who　fulfilled　all　the　duties　of　neighbors　and　fellow…men。　　A

State　which　bore　this　kind　of　fruit；　and　suffered　it　to　drop　off　as

fast　as　it　ripened；　would　prepare　the　way　for　a　still　more　perfect

and　glorious　State；　which　also　I　have　imagined；　but　not　yet　anywhere

seen。







End