太子爷小说网 > 英语电子书 > wealbk05 >

第9节

wealbk05-第9节

小说: wealbk05 字数: 每页4000字

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!




judges indeed might; in this case; be under the temptation of

multiplying unnecessarily the proceedings upon every cause; in

order to increase; as much as possible; the produce of such a

stamp…duty。 It has been the custom in modern Europe to regulate;

upon most occasions; the payment of the attorneys and clerks of

court according to the number of pages which they had occasion to

write; the court; however; requiring that each page should

contain so many lines; and each line so many words。 In order to

increase their payment; the attorneys and clerks have contrived

to multiply words beyond all necessity; to the corruption of the

law language of; I believe; every court of justice in Europe。 A

like temptation might perhaps occasion a like corruption in the

form of law proceedings。

     But whether the administration of justice be so contrived as

to defray its own expense; or whether the judges be maintained by

fixed salaries paid to them from some other fund; it does not

seem necessary that the person or persons entrusted with the

executive power should be charged with the management of that

fund; or with the payment of those salaries。 That fund might

arise from the rent of landed estates; the management of each

estate being entrusted to the particular court which was to be

maintained by it。 That fund might arise even from the interest of

a sum of money; the lending out of which might; in the same

manner; be entrusted to the court which was to be maintained by

it。 A part; though indeed but a small part; of the salary of the

judges of the Court of Session in Scotland arises from the

interest of a sum of money。 The necessary instability of such a

fund seems; however; to render it an improper one for the

maintenance of an institution which ought to last for ever。

     The separation of the judicial from the executive power

seems originally to have arisen from the increasing business of

the society; in consequence of its increasing improvement。 The

administration of justice became so laborious and so complicated

a duty as to require the undivided attention of the persons to

whom it was entrusted。 The person entrusted with the executive

power not having leisure to attend to the decision of private

causes himself; a deputy was appointed to decide them in his

stead。 In the progress of the Roman greatness; the consul was too

much occupied with the political affairs of the state to attend

to the administration of justice。 A praetor; therefore; was

appointed to administer it in his stead。 In the progress of the

European monarchies which were founded upon the ruins of the

Roman empire; the sovereigns and the great lords came universally

to consider the administration of justice as an office both too

laborious and too ignoble for them to execute in their own

persons。 They universally; therefore; discharged themselves of it

by appointing a deputy; bailiff; or judge。

     When the judicial is united to the executive power; it is

scarce possible that justice should not frequently be sacrificed

to what is vulgarly called polities。 The persons entrusted with

the great interests of the state may; even without any corrupt

views; sometimes imagine it necessary to sacrifice to those

interests the rights of a private man。 But upon the impartial

administration of justice depends the liberty of every

individual; the sense which he has of his own security。 In order

to make every individual feel himself perfectly secure in the

possession of every right which belongs to him; it is not only

necessary that the judicial should be separated from the

executive power; but that it should be rendered as much as

possible independent of that power。 The judge should not be

liable to be removed from his office according to the caprice of

that power。 The regular the good…will or even upon the good

economy payment of his salary should not depend upon of that

power。

                             PART 3

       Of the Expense of Public Works and Public Institutions 

     THE third and last duty of the sovereign or commonwealth is

that of erecting and maintaining those public institutions and

those public works; which; though they may be in the highest

degree advantageous to a great society; are; however; of such a

nature that the profit could never repay the expense to any

individual or small number of individuals; and which it therefore

cannot be expected that any individual or small number of

individuals should erect or maintain。 The performance of this

duty requires; too; very different degrees of expense in the

different periods of society。

     After the public institutions and public works necessary for

the defence of the society; and for the administration of

justice; both of which have already been mentioned; the other

works and institutions of this kind are chiefly those for

facilitating the commerce of the society; and those for promoting

the instruction of the people。 The institutions for instruction

are of two kinds: those for the education of youth; and those for

the instruction of people of all ages。 The consideration of the

manner in which the expense of those different sorts of public;

works and institutions may be most properly defrayed will divide

this third part of the present chapter into three different

articles。  

                            ARTICLE 1

      Of the Public Works and Institutions for facilitating the

                     Commerce of the Society

      And; first; of those which are necessary for facilitating

                       Commerce in general。 

     That the erection and maintenance of the public works which

facilitate the commerce of any country; such as good roads;

bridges; navigable canals; harbours; etc。; must require very

different degrees of expense in the different periods of society

is evident without any proof。 The expense of making and

maintaining the public roads of any country must evidently

increase with the annual produce of the land and labour of that

country; or with the quantity and weight of the goods which it

becomes necessary to fetch and carry upon those roads。 The

strength of a bridge must be suited to the number and weight of

the carriages which are likely to pass over it。 The depth and the

supply of water for a navigable canal must be proportioned to the

number and tonnage of the lighters which are likely to carry

goods upon it; the extent of a harbour to the number of the

shipping which are likely to take shelter in it。

     It does not seem necessary that the expense of those public

works should be defrayed from that public revenue; as it is

commonly called; of which the collection and application is in

most countries assigned to the executive power。 The greater part

of such public works may easily be so managed as to afford a

particular revenue sufficient for defraying their own expense;

without bringing any burden upon the general revenue of the

society。

     A highway; a bridge; a navigable canal; for example; may in

most cases be both made and maintained by a small toll upon the

carriages which make use of them: a harbour; by a moderate

port…duty upon the tonnage of the shipping which load or unload

in it。 The coinage; another institution for facilitating

commerce; in many countries; not only defrays its own expense;

but affords a small revenue or seignorage to the sovereign。 The

post…office; another institution for the same purpose; over and

above defraying its own expense; affords in almost all countries

a very considerable revenue to the sovereign。

     When the carriages which pass over a highway or a bridge;

and the lighters which sail upon a navigable canal; pay toll in

proportion to their weight or their tonnage; they pay for the

maintenance of those public works exactly in proportion to the

wear and tear which they occasion of them。 It seems scarce

possible to invent a more equitable way of maintaining such

works。 This tax or toll too; though it is advanced by the

carrier; is finally paid by the consumer; to whom it must always

be charged in the price of the goods。 As the expense of carriage;

however; is very much reduced by means of such public works; the

goods; notwithstanding the toll come cheaper to the consumer than

the; could otherwise have done; their price not being so much

raised by the toll as it is lowered by the cheapness of the

carriage。 The person who finally pays this tax; therefore; gains

by the application more than he loses by the payment of it。 His

payment is exactly in proportion to his gain。 It is in reality no

more than a part of that gain which he is obliged to give up in

order to get the rest。 It seems impossible to imagine a more

equitable method of raising a tax。

     When the toll upon carriages of luxury upon coaches;

post…chaises; etc。; is made somewhat higher in proportion to

their weight than upon carriages of necessary use; such as carts;


返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的