passages from an old volume of life-第19部分

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There　are　those　who　profess　to　fear　that　our　government　is　becoming　a　mere　irresponsible　tyranny。　　If　there　are　any　who　really　believe　that　our　present　Chief　Magistrate　means　to　found　a　dynasty　for　himself　and　family；　that　a　coup　d'etat　is　in　preparation　by　which　he　is　to　become　ABRAHAM；　DEI　GRATIA　REX；they　cannot　have　duly　pondered　his　letter　of　June　12th；　in　which　he　unbosoms　himself　with　the　simplicity　of　a　rustic　lover　called　upon　by　an　anxious　parent　to　explain　his　intentions。　　The　force　of　his　argument　is　not　at　all　injured　by　the　homeliness　of　his　illustrations。　　The　American　people　are　not　much　afraid　that　their　liberties　will　be　usurped。　　An　army　of　legislators　is　not　very　likely　to　throw　away　its　political　privileges；　and　the　idea　of　a　despotism　resting　on　an　open　ballot…box；　is　like　that　of　Bunker　Hill　Monument　built　on　the　waves　of　Boston　Harbor。　　We　know　pretty　well　how　much　of　sincerity　there　is　in　the　fears　so　clamorously　expressed；　and　how　far　they　are　found　in　company　with　uncompromising　hostility　to　the　armed　enemies　of　the　nation。　　We　have　learned　to　put　a　true　value　on　the　services　of　the　watch…dog　who　bays　the　moon；　but　does　not　bite　the　thief！

The　men　who　are　so　busy　holy…stoning　the　quarterdeck；　while　all　hands　are　wanted　to　keep　the　ship　afloat；　can　no　doubt　show　spots　upon　it　that　would　be　very　unsightly　in　fair　weather。　　No　thoroughly　loyal　man；　however；　need　suffer　from　any　arbitrary　exercise　of　power；　such　as　emergencies　always　give　rise　to。　　If　any　half…loyal　man　forgets　his　code　of　half…decencies　and　half…duties　so　far　as　to　become　obnoxious　to　the　peremptory　justice　which　takes　the　place　of　slower　forms　in　all　centres　of　conflagration；　there　is　no　sympathy　for　him　among　the　soldiers　who　are　risking　their　lives　for　us；　perhaps　there　is　even　more　satisfaction　than　when　an　avowed　traitor　is　caught　and　punished。　　For　of　all　men　who　are　loathed　by　generous　natures；　such　as　fill　the　ranks　of　the　armies　of　the　Union；　none　are　so　thoroughly　loathed　as　the　men　who　contrive　to　keep　just　within　the　limits　of　the　law；　while　their　whole　conduct　provokes　others　to　break　it；　whose　patriotism　consists　in　stopping　an　inch　short　of　treason；　and　whose　political　morality　has　for　its　safeguard　a　just　respect　for　the　jailer　and　the　hangman！　　The　simple　preventive　against　all　possible　injustice　a　citizen　is　like　to　suffer　at　the　hands　of　a　government　which　in　its　need　and　haste　must　of　course　commit　many　errors；　is　to　take　care　to　do　nothing　that　will　directly　or　indirectly　help　the　enemy；　or　hinder　the　government　in　carrying　on　the　war。　　When　the　clamor　against　usurpation　and　tyranny　comes　from　citizens　who　can　claim　this　negative　merit；　it　may　be　listened　to。　　When　it　comes　from　those　who　have　done　what　they　could　to　serve　their　country；　it　will　receive　the　attention　it　deserves。　　Doubtless　there　may　prove　to　be　wrongs　which　demand　righting；　but　the　pretence　of　any　plan　for　changing　the　essential　principle　of　our　self…governing　system　is　a　figment　which　its　contrivers　laugh　over　among　themselves。　　Do　the　citizens　of　Harrisburg　or　of　Philadelphia　quarrel　to…day　about　the　strict　legality　of　an　executive　act　meant　in　good　faith　for　their　protection　against　the　invader？　　We　are　all　citizens　of　Harrisburg；　all　citizens　of　Philadelphia；　in　this　hour　of　their　peril；　and　with　the　enemy　at　work　in　our　own　harbors；　we　begin　to　understand　the　difference　between　a　good　and　bad　citizen；　the　man　that　helps　and　the　man　that　hinders；　the　man　who；　while　the　pirate　is　in　sight；　complains　that　our　anchor　is　dragging　in　his　mud；　and　the　man　who　violates　the　proprieties；　like　our　brave　Portland　brothers；　when　they　jumped　on　board　the　first　steamer　they　could　reach；　cut　her　cable；　and　bore　down　on　the　corsair；　with　a　habeas　corpus　act　that　lodged　twenty　buccaneers　in　Fort　Preble　before　sunset！

We　cannot；　then；　we　cannot　be　circling　inward　to　be　swallowed　up　in　the　whirlpool　of　national　destruction。　　If　our　borders　are　invaded；　it　is　only　as　the　spur　that　is　driven　into　the　courser's　flank　to　rouse　his　slumbering　mettle。　　If　our　property　is　taxed；　it　is　only　to　teach　us　that　liberty　is　worth　paying　for　as　well　as　fighting　for。　We　are　pouring　out　the　most　generous　blood　of　our　youth　and　manhood；　alas！　this　is　always　the　price　that　must　be　paid　for　the　redemption　of　a　people。　　What　have　we　to　complain　of；　whose　granaries　are　choking　with　plenty；　whose　streets　are　gay　with　shining　robes　and　glittering　equipages；　whose　industry　is　abundant　enough　to　reap　all　its　overflowing　harvest；　yet　sure　of　employment　and　of　its　just　reward；　the　soil　of　whose　mighty　valleys　is　an　inexhaustible　mine　of　fertility；　whose　mountains　cover　up　such　stores　of　heat　and　power；　imprisoned　in　their　coal　measures；　as　would　warm　all　the　inhabitants　and　work　all　the　machinery　of　our　planet　for　unnumbered　ages；　whose　rocks　pour　out　rivers　of　oil；　whose　streams　run　yellow　over　beds　of　golden　sand；what　have　we　to　complain　of？

Have　we　degenerated　from　our　English　fathers；　so　that　we　cannot　do　and　bear　for　our　national　salvation　what　they　have　done　and　borne　over　and　over　again　for　their　form　of　government？　　Could　England；　in　her　wars　with　Napoleon；　bear　an　income…tax　of　ten　per　cent。；　and　must　we　faint　under　the　burden　of　an　income…tax　of　three　per　cent。？　　Was　she　content　to　negotiate　a　loan　at　fifty…three　for　the　hundred；　and　that　paid　in　depreciated　paper；　and　can　we　talk　about　financial　ruin　with　our　national　stocks　ranging　from　one　to　eight　or　nine　above　par；　and　the　〃five…twenty〃　war　loan　eagerly　taken　by　our　own　people　to　the　amount　of　nearly　two　hundred　millions；　without　any　check　to　the　flow　of　the　current　pressing　inwards　against　the　doors　of　the　Treasury？　Except　in　those　portions　of　the　country　which　are　the　immediate　seat　of　war；　or　liable　to　be　made　so；　and　which；　having　the　greatest　interest　not　to　become　the　border　states　of　hostile　nations；　can　best　afford　to　suffer　now；　the　state　of　prosperity　and　comfort　is　such　as　to　astonish　those　who　visit　us　from　other　countries。　　What　are　war　taxes　to　a　nation　which；　as　we　are　assured　on　good　authority；　has　more　men　worth　a　million　now　than　it　had　worth　ten　thousand　dollars　at　the　close　of　the　Revolution；whose　whole　property　is　a　hundred　times；　and　whose　commerce；　inland　and　foreign；　is　five　hundred　times；　what　it　was　then？　　But　we　need　not　study　Mr。　Still's　pamphlet　and　〃Thompson's　Bank…Note　Reporter〃　to　show　us　what　we　know　well　enough；　that；　so　far　from　having　occasion　to　tremble　in　fear　of　our　impending　ruin；　we　must　rather　blush　for　our　material　prosperity。　　For　the　multitudes　who　are　unfortunate　enough　to　be　taxed　for　a　million　or　more；　of　course　we　must　feel　deeply；　at　the　same　time　suggesting　that　the　more　largely　they　report　their　incomes　to　the　tax…gatherer；　the　more　consolation　they　will　find　in　the　feeling　that　they　have　served　their　country。　　But；let　us　say　it　plainly；it　will　not　hurt　our　people　to　be　taught　that　there　are　other　things　to　be　cared　for　besides　money…making　and　money…spending；　that　the　time　has　come　when　manhood　must　assert　itself　by　brave　deeds　and　noble　thoughts；　when　womanhood　must　assume　its　most　sacred　office；　〃to　warn；　to　comfort；〃　and；　if　need　be；　〃to　command；〃　those　whose　services　their　country　calls　for。　　This　Northern　section　of　the　land　has　become　a　great　variety　shop；　of　which　the　Atlantic　cities　are　the　long…extended　counter。　　We　have　grown　rich　for　what？　　To　put　gilt　bands　on　coachmen's　hats？　　To　sweep　the　foul　sidewalks　with　the　heaviest　silks　which　the　toiling　artisans　of　France　can　send　us？　　To　look　through　plate…glass　windows；　and　pity　the　brown　soldiers；or　sneer　at　the　black　ones？　to　reduce　the　speed　of　trotting　horses　a　second　or　two　below　its　old　minimum？　　to　color　meerschaums？　　to　flaunt　in　laces；　and　sparkle　in　diamonds？　　to　dredge　our　maidens'　hair　with　gold…dust？　to　float　through　life；　the　passive　shuttlecocks　of　fashion；　from　the　avenues　to　the　beaches；　and　back　again　from　the　beaches　to　the　avenues？　　Was　it　for　this　that　the　broad　domain　of　the　Western　hemisphere　was　kept　so　long　unvisited　by　civilization？for　this；　that　Time；　the　father　of　empires；　unbound　the　virgin　zone　of　this　youngest　of　his　daughters；　and　gave　her；　beautiful　in　the　long　veil　of　her　forests；　to　the　rude　embrace　of　the　adventurous　Colonist？　　All　this　is　what　we　see　around　us；　now；　now　while　we　are　actually　fighting　this　great　battle；　and　supporting　this　great　load　of　indebtedness。　　Wait　till　the　diamonds　go　back　to　the　Jews　of　Amsterdam；　till　the　plate…glass　window　bears　the　fatal　announcement；　For　Sale　or　to　Let；　till　the　voice　of　our　Miriam　is　obeyed；　as　she　sings；

　　　　〃Weave　no　more　silks；　ye　Lyons　looms！〃

till　the　gold…dust　is　combed　from　the　golden　locks；　and　hoarded　to　buy　bread；　till　the　fast…driving　youth　smokes　his　clay…pipe　on　the　platform　of　the　horse…cars；　till　the　music…grinders　cease　because　none　will　pay　them；　till　there　are　no　peaches　in　the　windows　at　twenty…four　dollars　a　dozen；　and　no　heaps　of　bananas　and　pine…apples　selling　at　the　street…corners；　till　the　ten…flounced　dress　has　but　three　flounces；　and　it　is　felony　to　drink　champagne；　wait　till　these　changes　show　themselves；　the　signs　of　deeper　wants；　the　preludes　of　exhaustion　and　bankruptcy；　then　let　us　talk　of　the　Maelstrom；but　till　then；　let　us　not　be　cowards　with　our　purses；　while　brave　men　are　emptying　their　hearts　upon　the　earth　for　us；　let　us　not　whine　over　our　imaginary　ruin；　while　the　reversed　current　of　circling　events　is　carrying　us　farther　and　farther；　every　hour；　out　of　the　influence　of　the　great　failing　which　was　born　of　our　wealth；　and　of　the　deadly　sin　which　was　our　fatal　inheritance！

Let　us　take　a　brief　general　glance　at　the　wide　field　of　discussion　we　are　just　leaving。

On　Friday；　the　twelfth　day　of　the　month　of　April；　in　the　year　of　our　Lord　eighteen　hundred　and　sixty…one；　at　half…past　four　of　the　clock　in　the　morning；　a　cannon　was　aimed　and　fired　by　the　authority　of　South　Carolina　at　the　wall　of　a　fortress　belonging　to　the　United　States。　　Its　ball　carried　with　it　the　hatreds；　the　rages　of　thirty　years；　shaped　and　cooled　in　the　mould　of　malignant　deliberation。　　Its　wad　was　the　charter　of　our　national　existence。　　Its　muzzle　was　pointed　at　the　stone　which　bore　the　symbol　of　our　national　sovereignty。　　As　th