19-on the duty of civil disobedience-第3节

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cheated；　or　with　saying　that　you　are　cheated；　or　even　with

petitioning　him　to　pay　you　your　due；　but　you　take　effectual　steps　at

once　to　obtain　the　full　amount；　and　see　that　you　are　never　cheated

again。　　Action　from　principle　　the　perception　and　the　performance

of　right　　changes　things　and　relations；　it　is　essentially

revolutionary；　and　does　not　consist　wholly　with　anything　which　was。

It　not　only　divides　states　and　churches；　it　divides　families；　ay；　it

divides　the　individual；　separating　the　diabolical　in　him　from　the

divine。

　　　　Unjust　laws　exist；　shall　we　be　content　to　obey　them；　or　shall　we

endeavor　to　amend　them；　and　obey　them　until　we　have　succeeded；　or

shall　we　transgress　them　at　once？　　Men　generally；　under　such　a

government　as　this；　think　that　they　ought　to　wait　until　they　have

persuaded　the　majority　to　alter　them。　　They　think　that；　if　they

should　resist；　the　remedy　would　be　worse　than　the　evil。　　But　it　is

the　fault　of　the　government　itself　that　the　remedy　is　worse　than　the

evil。　　It　makes　it　worse。　　Why　is　it　not　more　apt　to　anticipate　and

provide　for　reform？　　Why　does　it　not　cherish　its　wise　minority？　　Why

does　it　cry　and　resist　before　it　is　hurt？　　Why　does　it　not　encourage

its　citizens　to　be　on　the　alert　to　point　out　its　faults；　and　do

better　than　it　would　have　them？　　Why　does　it　always　crucify　Christ；

and　excommunicate　Copernicus　and　Luther；　and　pronounce　Washington

and　Franklin　rebels？

　　　　One　would　think；　that　a　deliberate　and　practical　denial　of　its

authority　was　the　only　offence　never　contemplated　by　government；

else；　why　has　it　not　assigned　its　definite；　its　suitable　and

proportionate；　penalty？　　If　a　man　who　has　no　property　refuses　but

once　to　earn　nine　shillings　for　the　State；　he　is　put　in　prison　for　a

period　unlimited　by　any　law　that　I　know；　and　determined　only　by　the

discretion　of　those　who　placed　him　there；　but　if　he　should　steal

ninety　times　nine　shillings　from　the　State；　he　is　soon　permitted　to

go　at　large　again。

　　　　If　the　injustice　is　part　of　the　necessary　friction　of　the

machine　of　government；　let　it　go；　let　it　go；　perchance　it　will　wear

smooth　　certainly　the　machine　will　wear　out。　　If　the　injustice　has

a　spring；　or　a　pulley；　or　a　rope；　or　a　crank；　exclusively　for

itself；　then　perhaps　you　may　consider　whether　the　remedy　will　not　be

worse　than　the　evil；　but　if　it　is　of　such　a　nature　that　it　requires

you　to　be　the　agent　of　injustice　to　another；　then；　I　say；　break　the

law。　　Let　your　life　be　a　counter　friction　to　stop　the　machine。　　What

I　have　to　do　is　to　see；　at　any　rate；　that　I　do　not　lend　myself　to

the　wrong　which　I　condemn。

　　　　As　for　adopting　the　ways　which　the　State　has　provided　for

remedying　the　evil；　I　know　not　of　such　ways。　　They　take　too　much

time；　and　a　man's　life　will　be　gone。　　I　have　other　affairs　to　attend

to。　　I　came　into　this　world；　not　chiefly　to　make　this　a　good　place

to　live　in；　but　to　live　in　it；　be　it　good　or　bad。　　A　man　has　not

everything　to　do；　but　something；　and　because　he　cannot　do

everything；　it　is　not　necessary　that　he　should　do　something　wrong。

It　is　not　my　business　to　be　petitioning　the　Governor　or　the

Legislature　any　more　than　it　is　theirs　to　petition　me；　and　if　they

should　not　hear　my　petition；　what　should　I　do　then？　　But　in　this

case　the　State　has　provided　no　way；　its　very　Constitution　is　the

evil。　　This　may　seem　to　be　harsh　and　stubborn　and　unconciliatory；

but　it　is　to　treat　with　the　utmost　kindness　and　consideration　the

only　spirit　that　can　appreciate　or　deserves　it。　　So　is　an　change　for

the　better；　like　birth　and　death　which　convulse　the　body。

　　　　I　do　not　hesitate　to　say；　that　those　who　call　themselves

Abolitionists　should　at　once　effectually　withdraw　their　support；

both　in　person　and　property；　from　the　government　of　Massachusetts；

and　not　wait　till　they　constitute　a　majority　of　one；　before　they

suffer　the　right　to　prevail　through　them。　　I　think　that　it　is　enough

if　they　have　God　on　their　side；　without　waiting　for　that　other　one。

Moreover；　any　man　more　right　than　his　neighbors　constitutes　a

majority　of　one　already。

　　　　I　meet　this　American　government；　or　its　representative；　the

State　government；　directly；　and　face　to　face；　once　a　year　　no　more

　in　the　person　of　its　tax…gatherer；　this　is　the　only　mode　in　which

a　man　situated　as　I　am　necessarily　meets　it；　and　it　then　says

distinctly；　Recognize　me；　and　the　simplest；　the　most　effectual；　and；

in　the　present　posture　of　affairs；　the　indispensablest　mode　of

treating　with　it　on　this　head；　of　expressing　your　little

satisfaction　with　and　love　for　it；　is　to　deny　it　then。　　My　civil

neighbor；　the　tax…gatherer；　is　the　very　man　I　have　to　deal　with　

for　it　is；　after　all；　with　men　and　not　with　parchment　that　I　quarrel

　and　he　has　voluntarily　chosen　to　be　an　agent　of　the　government。

How　shall　he　ever　know　well　what　he　is　and　does　as　an　officer　of　the

government；　or　as　a　man；　until　he　is　obliged　to　consider　whether　he

shall　treat　me；　his　neighbor；　for　whom　he　has　respect；　as　a　neighbor

and　well…disposed　man；　or　as　a　maniac　and　disturber　of　the　peace；

and　see　if　he　can　get　over　this　obstruction　to　his　neighborliness

without　a　ruder　and　more　impetuous　thought　or　speech　corresponding

with　his　action？　　I　know　this　well；　that　if　one　thousand；　if　one

hundred；　if　ten　men　whom　I　could　name　　if　ten　honest　men　only　

ay；　if　one　HONEST　man；　in　this　State　of　Massachusetts；　ceasing　to

hold　slaves；　were　actually　to　withdraw　from　this　copartnership；　and

be　locked　up　in　the　county　jail　therefor；　it　would　be　the　abolition

of　slavery　in　America。　　For　it　matters　not　how　small　the　beginning

may　seem　to　be：　what　is　once　well　done　is　done　forever。　　But　we　love

better　to　talk　about　it：　that　we　say　is　our　mission。　　Reform　keeps

many　scores　of　newspapers　in　its　service；　but　not　one　man。　　If　my

esteemed　neighbor；　the　State's　ambassador；　who　will　devote　his　days

to　the　settlement　of　the　question　of　human　rights　in　the　Council

Chamber；　instead　of　being　threatened　with　the　prisons　of　Carolina；

were　to　sit　down　the　prisoner　of　Massachusetts；　that　State　which　is

so　anxious　to　foist　the　sin　of　slavery　upon　her　sister　　though　at

present　she　can　discover　only　an　act　of　inhospitality　to　be　the

ground　of　a　quarrel　with　her　　the　Legislature　would　not　wholly

waive　the　subject　the　following　winter。

　　　　Under　a　government　which　imprisons　any　unjustly；　the　true　place

for　a　just　man　is　also　a　prison。　　The　proper　place　to…day；　the　only

place　which　Massachusetts　has　provided　for　her　freer　and　less

desponding　spirits；　is　in　her　prisons；　to　be　put　out　and　locked　out

of　the　State　by　her　own　act；　as　they　have　already　put　themselves　out

by　their　principles。　　It　is　there　that　the　fugitive　slave；　and　the

Mexican　prisoner　on　parole；　and　the　Indian　come　to　plead　the　wrongs

of　his　race；　should　find　them；　on　that　separate；　but　more　free　and

honorable　ground；　where　the　State　places　those　who　are　not　with

her；　but　against　her　　the　only　house　in　a　slave　State　in　which　a

free　man　can　abide　with　honor。　　If　any　think　that　their　influence

would　be　lost　there；　and　their　voices　no　longer　afflict　the　ear　of

the　State；　that　they　would　not　be　as　an　enemy　within　its　walls；　they

do　not　know　by　how　much　truth　is　stronger　than　error；　nor　how　much

more　eloquently　and　effectively　he　can　combat　injustice　who　has

experienced　a　little　in　his　own　person。　　Cast　your　whole　vote；　not　a

strip　of　paper　merely；　but　your　whole　influence。　　A　minority　is

powerless　while　it　conforms　to　the　majority；　it　is　not　even　a

minority　then；　but　it　is　irresistible　when　it　clogs　by　its　whole

weight。　　If　the　alternative　is　to　keep　all　just　men　in　prison；　or

give　up　war　and　slavery；　the　State　will　not　hesitate　which　to

choose。　　If　a　thousand　men　were　not　to　pay　their　tax…bills　this

year；　that　would　not　be　a　violent　and　bloody　measure；　as　it　would　be

to　pay　them；　and　enable　the　State　to　commit　violence　and　shed

innocent　blood。　　This　is；　in　fact；　the　definition　of　a　peaceable

revolution；　if　any　such　is　possible。　　If　the　tax…gatherer；　or　any

other　public　officer；　asks　me；　as　one　has　done；　〃But　what　shall　I

do？〃　my　answer　is；　〃If　you　really　wish　to　do　anything；　resign　your

office。〃　　When　the　subject　has　refused　allegiance；　and　the　officer

has　resigned　his　office；　then　the　revolution　is　accomplished。　　But

even　suppose　blood　should　flow。　　Is　there　not　a　sort　of　blood　shed

when　the　conscience　is　wounded？　　Through　this　wound　a　man's　real

manhood　and　immortality　flow　out；　and　he　bleeds　to　an　everlasting

death。　　I　see　this　blood　flowing　now。

　　　　I　have　contemplated　the　imprisonment　of　the　offender；　rather

than　the　seizure　of　his　goods　　though　both　will　serve　the　same

purpose　　because　they　who　assert　the　purest　right；　and

consequently　are　most　dangerous　to　a　corrupt　State；　commonly　have

not　spent　much　time　in　accumulating　property。　　To　such　the　State

renders　comparatively　small　service；　and　a　slight　tax　is　wont　to

appear　exorbitant；　particularly　if　they