part18-第4部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



right　to　regulate　and　control；　jointly　indeed　with　all　those　who　have

concurred　in　the　procurement；　whom　he　cannot　exclude　from　its　use　or

direction　more　than　they　him。　　We　think　experience　has　proved　it

safer；　for　the　mass　of　individuals　composing　the　society；　to　reserve

to　themselves　personally　the　exercise　of　all　rightful　powers　to　which

they　are　competent；　and　to　delegate　those　to　which　they　are　not

competent　to　deputies　named；　and　removable　for　unfaithful　conduct；　by

themselves　immediately。　　Hence；　with　us；　the　people　（by　which　is

meant　the　mass　of　individuals　composing　the　society）　being　competent

to　judge　of　the　facts　occurring　in　ordinary　life；　they　have　retained

the　functions　of　judges　of　facts；　under　the　name　of　jurors；　but　being

unqualified　for　the　management　of　affairs　requiring　intelligence

above　the　common　level；　yet　competent　judges　of　human　character；　they

chose；　for　their　management；　representatives；　some　by　themselves

immediately；　others　by　electors　chosen　by　themselves。　　Thus　our

President　is　chosen　by　ourselves；　directly　in　_practice_；　for　we　vote

for　A　as　elector　only　on　the　condition　he　will　vote　for　B；　our

representatives　by　ourselves　immediately；　our　Senate　and　judges　of

law　through　electors　chosen　by　ourselves。　　And　we　believe　that　this

proximate　choice　and　power　of　removal　is　the　best　security　which

experience　has　sanctioned　for　ensuring　an　honest　conduct　in　the

functionaries　of　society。　　Your　three　or　four　alembications　have

indeed　a　seducing　appearance。　　We　should　conceive　_prima　facie_；　that

the　last　extract　would　be　the　pure　alcohol　of　the　substance；　three　or

four　times　rectified。　　But　in　proportion　as　they　are　more　and　more

sublimated；　they　are　also　farther　and　farther　removed　from　the

control　of　the　society；　and　the　human　character；　we　believe；　requires

in　general　constant　and　immediate　control；　to　prevent　its　being

biased　from　right　by　the　seductions　of　self…love。　　Your　process

produces　therefore　a　structure　of　government　from　which　the

fundamental　principle　of　ours　is　excluded。　　You　first　set　down　as

zeros　all　individuals　not　having　lands；　which　are　the　greater　number

in　every　society　of　long　standing。　　Those　holding　lands　are　permitted

to　manage　in　person　the　small　affairs　of　their　commune　or

corporation；　and　to　elect　a　deputy　for　the　canton；　in　which　election；

too；　every　one's　vote　is　to　be　an　unit；　a　plurality；　or　a　fraction；

in　proportion　to　his　landed　possessions。　　The　assemblies　of　cantons；

then；　elect　for　the　districts；　those　of　districts　for　circles；　and

those　of　circles　for　the　national　assemblies。　　Some　of　these　highest

councils；　too；　are　in　a　considerable　degree　self…elected；　the　regency

partially；　the　judiciary　entirely；　and　some　are　for　life。　　Whenever；

therefore；　an　_esprit　de　corps_；　or　of　party；　gets　possession　of

them；　which　experience　shows　to　be　inevitable；　there　are　no　means　of

breaking　it　up；　for　they　will　never　elect　but　those　of　their　own

spirit。　　Juries　are　allowed　in　criminal　cases　only。　　I　acknowledge

myself　strong　in　affection　to　our　own　form；　yet　both　of　us　act　and

think　from　the　same　motive；　we　both　consider　the　people　as　our

children；　and　love　them　with　parental　affection。　　But　you　love　them

as　infants　whom　you　are　afraid　to　trust　without　nurses；　and　I　as

adults　whom　I　freely　leave　to　self…government。　　And　you　are　right　in

the　case　referred　to　you；　my　criticism　being　built　on　a　state　of

society　not　under　your　contemplation。　　It　is；　in　fact；　like　a　critic

on　Homer　by　the　laws　of　the　Drama。




　　　　　　　　But　when　we　come　to　the　moral　principles　on　which　the

government　is　to　be　administered；　we　come　to　what　is　proper　for　all

conditions　of　society。　　I　meet　you　there　in　all　the　benevolence　and

rectitude　of　your　native　character；　and　I　love　myself　always　most

where　I　concur　most　with　you。　　Liberty；　truth；　probity；　honor；　are

declared　to　be　the　four　cardinal　principles　of　your　society。　　I

believe　with　you　that　morality；　compassion；　generosity；　are　innate

elements　of　the　human　constitution；　that　there　exists　a　right

independent　of　force；　that　a　right　to　property　is　founded　in　our

natural　wants；　in　the　means　with　which　we　are　endowed　to　satisfy

these　wants；　and　the　right　to　what　we　acquire　by　those　means　without

violating　the　similar　rights　of　other　sensible　beings；　that　no　one

has　a　right　to　obstruct　another；　exercising　his　faculties　innocently

for　the　relief　of　sensibilities　made　a　part　of　his　nature；　that

justice　is　the　fundamental　law　of　society；　that　the　majority；

oppressing　an　individual；　is　guilty　of　a　crime；　abuses　its　strength；

and　by　acting　on　the　law　of　the　strongest　breaks　up　the　foundations

of　society；　that　action　by　the　citizens　in　person；　in　affairs　within

their　reach　and　competence；　and　in　all　others　by　representatives；

chosen　immediately；　and　removable　by　themselves；　constitutes　the

essence　of　a　republic；　that　all　governments　are　more　or　less

republican　in　proportion　as　this　principle　enters　more　or　less　into

their　composition；　and　that　a　government　by　representation　is　capable

of　extension　over　a　greater　surface　of　country　than　one　of　any　other

form。　　These；　my　friend；　are　the　essentials　in　which　you　and　I　agree；

however；　in　our　zeal　for　their　maintenance；　we　may　be　perplexed　and

divaricate；　as　to　the　structure　of　society　most　likely　to　secure

them。




　　　　　　　　In　the　constitution　of　Spain；　as　proposed　by　the　late　Cortes；

there　was　a　principle　entirely　new　to　me；　and　not　noticed　in　yours；

that　no　person；　born　after　that　day；　should　ever　acquire　the　rights

of　citizenship　until　he　could　read　and　write。　　It　is　impossible

sufficiently　to　estimate　the　wisdom　of　this　provision。　　Of　all　those

which　have　been　thought　of　for　securing　fidelity　in　the

administration　of　the　government；　constant　ralliance　to　the

principles　of　the　constitution；　and　progressive　amendments　with　the

progressive　advances　of　the　human　mind；　or　changes　in　human　affairs；

it　is　the　most　effectual。　　Enlighten　the　people　generally；　and

tyranny　and　oppressions　of　body　and　mind　will　vanish　like　evil

spirits　at　the　dawn　of　day。　　Although　I　do　not；　with　some

enthusiasts；　believe　that　the　human　condition　will　ever　advance　to

such　a　state　of　perfection　as　that　there　shall　no　longer　be　pain　or

vice　in　the　world；　yet　I　believe　it　susceptible　of　much　improvement；

and　most　of　all；　in　matters　of　government　and　religion；　and　that　the

diffusion　of　knowledge　among　the　people　is　to　be　the　instrument　by

which　it　is　to　be　effected。　　The　constitution　of　the　Cortes　had

defects　enough；　but　when　I　saw　in　it　this　amendatory　provision；　I　was

satisfied　all　would　come　right　in　time；　under　its　salutary　operation。

No　people　have　more　need　of　a　similar　provision　than　those　for　whom

you　have　felt　so　much　interest。　　No　mortal　wishes　them　more　success

than　I　do。　　But　if　what　I　have　heard　of　the　ignorance　and　bigotry　of

the　mass　be　true；　I　doubt　their　capacity　to　understand　and　to　support

a　free　government；　and　fear　that　their　emancipation　from　the　foreign

tyranny　of　Spain；　will　result　in　a　military　despotism　at　home。

Palacios　may　be　great；　others　may　be　great；　but　it　is　the　multitude

which　possess　force：　and　wisdom　must　yield　to　that。　　For　such　a

condition　of　society；　the　constitution　you　have　devised　is　probably

the　best　imaginable。　　It　is　certainly　calculated　to　elicit　the　best

talents；　although　perhaps　not　well　guarded　against　the　egoism　of　its

functionaries。　　But　that　egoism　will　be　light　in　comparison　with　the

pressure　of　a　military　despot；　and　his　army　of　Janissaries。　　Like

Solon　to　the　Athenians；　you　have　given　to　your　Columbians；　not　the

best　possible　government；　but　the　best　they　can　bear。　　By…the…bye；　I

wish　you　had　called　them　the　Columbian　republics；　to　distinguish　them

from　our　American　republics。　　Theirs　would　be　the　most　honorable

name；　and　they　best　entitled　to　it；　for　Columbus　discovered　their

continent；　but　never　saw　ours。




　　　　　　　　To　them　liberty　and　happiness；　to　you　the　meed　of　wisdom　and

goodness　in　teaching　them　how　to　attain　them；　with　the　affectionate

respect　and　friendship　of；







　　　　　　　　CAPTAIN　LEWIS'S　PAPERS




　　　　　　　　_To　Correa　da　Serra_

　　　　　　　　_Poplar　Forest；　April　26；　1816_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR　　Your　favor　of　Mar。　29。　was　recieved　just　as　I　was

setting　out　for　this　place。　　I　brought　it　with　me　to　be　answered

hence。　　Since　you　are　so　kind　as　to　interest　yourself　for　Capt。

Lewis's　papers；　I　will　give　you　a　full　statement　of　them。




　

　　　　　　　　1。　Ten　or　twelve　such　pocket　volumes；　Morocco　bound；　as　that

you　describe；　in　which；　in　his　own　hand　writing；　he　had　journalised

all　occurences；　day　by　day；　as　he　travelled。　　They　were　small　8vos

and　opened　at　the　end　for　more　convenient　writing。　　Every　one　had

been　put　into　a　separate　tin　case；　cemented　to　prevent　injury　from

wet。　　But　on　his　return　the　cases；　I　presume；　had　been　taken　from

them；　as　he　delivered　me　the　books　uncased。　　There　were　in　them　the

figures　of　some　animals　drawn　with　the　pen　while　on　his　journey。　　The

gentlemen　who　published　his　travels　must　have　had　these　Ms。　volumes；

and　perhaps　now　have　them；　or　can　give　some　account　of　them。




　　　　　　　　2。　Descriptions　of　animals　and　plants。　　I　do　not　recollect

whether　there　was　such　a　book　or　collection　of　papers；　distinct　from

his　journal；　altho'　I　am　inclined　to　think　there　was　one：　because　his

travels　as　published；　do　not　contain　all　the　new　animals　of　which　he

had　either　descriptions　or　specimens。　　Mr。　Peale；　I　think；　must　know

something　of　this；　as　he　drew　figures　of　some　of　the　animals　for

engraving；　and　some　were　actually　engraved。　　Perhaps　Conrad；　his

bookseller；　who　was　to　have　published　the　work；　can　give　an　account

of　these。




　　　　　　　　3。　Vocabularies。　　I　had　myself　made　a　collection　of　about　40。

vocabularies　of　the　Indians　on　this　side　of　the　Missisipi；　and　Capt。

Lewis　was　instructed　to　take　those　of　every　tribe　beyond；