the american republic-第1节
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The American Republic
CONSTITUTION； TENDENCIES； AND DESTINY
by O。 A。 Brownson
TO THE
HON。 GEORGE BANCROFT；
THE ERUDITE； PHILOSOPHICAL； AND ELOQUENT
Historian of the United States；
THIS FEEBLE ATTEMPT TO SET FORTH THE PRINCIPLES OF GOVERN…
MENT； AND TO EXPLAIN AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION OF
THE AMERICAN REPUBLIC； IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED；
IN MEMORY OF OLD FRIENDSHIP； AND AS A
SLIGHT HOMAGE TO GENIUS； ABILITY；
PATRIOTISM； PRIVATE WORTH；
AND PUBLIC SERVICE；
BY THE AUTHOR。
CONTENTS。
PAGE
CHAPTER I。
INTRODUCTION 1
CHAPTER II。
GOVERNMENT 15
CHAPTER III。
ORIGIN OF GOVERNMENT 26
CHAPTER IV。
ORIGIN OF GOVERMENT…Continued 43
CHAPTER V。
ORIGIN OF GOVERNMENT…Continued 71
CHAPTER VI。
ORIGIN OF GOVERNMENT…Concluded 106
CHAPTER VII。
CONSTITUTION OF GOVERNMENT 136
vi CHAPTER VIII。
CONSTITUTION OF GOVERNMENT…Concluded 166
CHAPTER IX。
THE UNITED STATES 192
CHAPTER X。
CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES 218
CHAPTER XI。
THE CONSTITUTION…Continued 244
CHAPTER XII。
SECESSION 277
CHAPTER XIII。
RECONSTRUCTION 309
CHAPTER XIV。
POLITICAL TENDENCIES 348
CHAPTER XV。
DESTINY…POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS 392
PREFACE。
In the volume which； with much diffidence； is here offered to the public； I have given； as far as I have considered it worth giving； my whole thought in a connected form on the nature； necessity； extent； authority； origin； ground； and constitution of government； and the unity； nationality； constitution； tendencies； and destiny of the American Republic。 Many of the points treated have been from time to time discussed or touched upon； and many of the views have been presented； in my previous writings； but this work is newly and independently written from beginning to end； and is as complete on the topics treated as I have been able to make it。
I have taken nothing bodily from my previous essays； but I have used their thoughts as far as I have judged them sound and they came within the scope of my present work。 I have not felt myself bound to adhere to my own past thoughts or expressions any farther than they coincide with my present convictions； and I have written as freely and as independently as if I had never viii written or published any thing before。 I have never been the slave of my own past； and truth has always been dearer to me than my own opinions。 This work is not only my latest； but will be my last on politics or government； and must be taken as the authentic； and the only authentic statement of my political views and convictions； and whatever in any of my previous writings conflicts with the principles defended in its pages； must be regarded as retracted； and rejected。
The work now produced is based on scientific principles； but it is an essay rather than a scientific treatise； and even good…natured critics will； no doubt； pronounce it an article or a series of articles designed for a review； rather than a book。 It is hard to overcome the habits of a lifetime。 I have taken some pains to exchange the reviewer for the author； but am fully conscious that I have not succeeded。 My work can lay claim to very little artistic merit。 It is full of repetitions； the same thought is frequently recurring；the result； to some extent； no doubt； of carelessness and the want of artistic skill； but to a greater extent； I fear； of 〃malice aforethought。〃 In composing my work I have followed； rather than directed； the course of my thought； and； having very little confidence in the memory or industry of readers； I have preferred； when the completeness ix of the argument required it； to repeat myself to encumbering my pages with perpetual references to what has gone before。
That I attach some value to this work is evident from my consenting to its publication； but how much or how little of it is really mine； I am quite unable to say。 I have； from my youth up； been reading； observing； thinking； reflecting； talking； I had almost said writing； at least by fits and starts； on political subjects； especially in their connection with philosophy； theology； history； and social progress； and have assimilated to my own mind what it would assimilate； without keeping any notes of the sources whence the materials assimilated were derived。 I have written freely from my own mind as I find it now formed； but how it has been so formed； or whence I have borrowed； my readers know as well as I。 All that is valuable in the thoughts set forth； it is safe to assume has been appropriated from others。 Where I have been distinctly conscious of borrowing what has not become common property； I have given credit； or； at least； mentioned the author's name； with three important exceptions which I wish to note more formally。
I am principally indebted for the view of the American nationality and the Federal Constitution I present； to hints and suggestions furnished x by the remarkable work of John C。 Hurd； Esq。； on The Law of Freedom and Bondage in the United States； a work of rare learning and profound philosophic views。 I could not have written my work without the aid derived from its suggestions； any more than I could without Plato； Aristotle； St。 Augustine； St。 Thomas； Suarez； Pierre Leroux； and the Abbate Gioberti。 To these two last…named authors； one a humanitarian sophist； the other a Catholic priest； and certainly one of the profoundest philosophical writers of this century； I am much indebted； though I have followed the political system of neither。 I have taken from Leroux the germs of the doctrine I set forth on the solidarity of the race； and from Gioberti the doctrine I defend in relation to the creative act； which is； after all； simply that of the Credo and the first verse of Genesis。
In treating the several questions which the preparation of this volume has brought up； in their connection； and in the light of first principles； I have changed or modified； on more than one important point； the views I had expressed in my previous writings； especially on the distinction between civilized and barbaric nations； the real basis of civilization itself； and the value to the world of the Graeco…Roman civilization。 I have ranked feudalism under the head of barbarism； xi rejected every species of political aristocracy； and represented the English constitution as essentially antagonistic to the American； not as its type。 I have accepted universal suffrage in principle； and defended American democracy； which I define to be territorial democracy； and carefully distinguish from pure individualism on the one hand； and from pure socialism or humanitarianism on the other。
I reject the doctrine of State sovereignty； which I held and defended from 1828 to 1861； but still maintain that the sovereignty of the American Republic vests in the States； though in the States collectively； or united； not severally； and thus escape alike consolidation and disintegration。 I find； with Mr。 Madison； our most philosophic statesman； the originality of the American system in the division of powers between a General government having sole charge of the foreign and general； and particular or State governments having； within their respective territories； sole charge of the particular relations and interests of the American people； but I do not accept his concession that this division is of conventional origin； and maintain that it enters into the original Providential constitution of the American state； as I have done in my Review for October； 1863； and January and October； 1864。 xii I maintain； after Mr。 Senator Sumner； one of the most philosophic and accomplished living American statesmen； that 〃State secession is State suicide；〃 but modify the opinion I too hastily expressed that the political death of a State dissolves civil society within its territory and abrogates all rights held under it； and accept the doctrine that the laws in force at the time of secession remain in force till superseded or abrogated by competent authority； and also that； till the State is revived and restored as a State in the Union； the only authority； under the American system； competent to supersede or abrogate them is the United States； not Congress； far less the Executive。 The error of the Government is not in recognizing the territorial laws as s
