democracy in america-1-第53节
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Great political parties are not； then； to be met with in the United States at the present time。 Parties； indeed； may be found which threaten the future tranquillity of the Union； but there are none which seem to contest the present form of Government or the present course of society。 The parties by which the Union is menaced do not rest upon abstract principles； but upon temporal interests。 These interests； disseminated in the provinces of so vast an empire； may be said to constitute rival nations rather than parties。 Thus； upon a recent occasion； the North contended for the system of commercial prohibition； and the South took up arms in favor of free trade； simply because the North is a manufacturing and the South an agricultural district； and that the restrictive system which was profitable to the one was prejudicial to the other。 *b
＇Footnote b： ＇The divisions of North and South have since acquired a far greater degree of intensity； and the South； though conquered； still presents a formidable spirit of opposition to Northern government。 … Translator's Note； 1875。＇＇
In the absence of great parties； the United States abound with lesser controversies； and public opinion is divided into a thousand minute shades of difference upon questions of very little moment。 The pains which are taken to create parties are inconceivable； and at the present day it is no easy task。 In the United States there is no religious animosity； because all religion is respected； and no sect is predominant； there is no jealousy of rank； because the people is everything； and none can contest its authority； lastly； there is no public indigence to supply the means of agitation； because the physical position of the country opens so wide a field to industry that man is able to accomplish the most surprising undertakings with his own native resources。 Nevertheless； ambitious men are interbsted in the creation of parties； since it is difficult to eject a person from authority upon the mere ground that his place is coveted by others。 The skill of the actors in the political world lies therefore in the art of creating parties。 A political aspirant in the United States begins by discriminating his own interest； and by calculating upon those interests which may be collected around and amalgamated with it； he then contrives to discover some doctrine or some principle which may suit the purposes of this new association； and which he adopts in order to bring forward his party and to secure his popularity； just as the imprimatur of a King was in former days incorporated with the volume which it authorized； but to which it nowise belonged。 When these preliminaries are terminated； the new party is ushered into the political world。
All the domestic controversies of the Americans at first appear to a stranger to be so incomprehensible and so puerile that he is at a loss whether to pity a people which takes such arrant trifles in good earnest； or to envy the happiness which enables it to discuss them。 But when he comes to study the secret propensities which govern the factions of America； he easily perceives that the greater part of them are more or less connected with one or the other of those two divisions which have always existed in free communities。 The deeper we penetrate into the working of these parties； the more do we perceive that the object of the one is to limit； and that of the other to extend； the popular authority。 I do not assert that the ostensible end； or even that the secret aim； of American parties is to promote the rule of aristocracy or democracy in the country； but I affirm that aristocratic or democratic passions may easily be detected at the bottom of all parties； and that； although they escape a superficial observation； they are the main point and the very soul of every faction in the United States。
To quote a recent example。 When the President attacked the Bank； the country was excited and parties were formed； the well… informed classes rallied round the Bank； the common people round the President。 But it must not be imagined that the people had formed a rational opinion upon a question which offers so many difficulties to the most experienced statesmen。 The Bank is a great establishment which enjoys an independent existence； and the people； accustomed to make and unmake whatsoever it pleases； is startled to meet with this obstacle to its authority。 In the midst of the perpetual fluctuation of society the community is irritated by so permanent an institution； and is led to attack it in order to see whether it can be shaken and controlled； like all the other institutions of the country。
Remains Of The Aristocratic Party In The United States
Secret opposition of wealthy individuals to democracy … Their retirement …Their taste for exclusive pleasures and for luxury at home … Their simplicity abroad … Their affected condescension towards the people。
It sometimes happens in a people amongst which various opinions prevail that the balance of the several parties is lost； and one of them obtains an irresistible preponderance； overpowers all obstacles； harasses its opponents； and appropriates all the resources of society to its own purposes。 The vanquished citizens despair of success and they conceal their dissatisfaction in silence and in general apathy。 The nation seems to be governed by a single principle； and the prevailing party assumes the credit of having restored peace and unanimity to the country。 But this apparent unanimity is merely a cloak to alarming dissensions and perpetual opposition。
This is precisely what occurred in America； when the democratic party got the upper hand； it took exclusive possession of the conduct of affairs； and from that time the laws and the customs of society have been adapted to its caprices。 At the present day the more affluent classes of society are so entirely removed from the direction of political affairs in the United States that wealth； far from conferring a right to the exercise of power； is rather an obstacle than a means of attaining to it。 The wealthy members of the community abandon the lists； through unwillingness to contend； and frequently to contend in vain； against the poorest classes of their fellow citizens。 They concentrate all their enjoyments in the privacy of their homes； where they occupy a rank which cannot be assumed in public； and they constitute a private society in the State； which has its own tastes and its own pleasures。 They submit to this state of things as an irremediable evil； but they are careful not to show that they are galled by its continuance； it is even not uncommon to hear them laud the delights of a republican government； and the advantages of democratic institutions when they are in public。 Next to hating their enemies； men are most inclined to flatter them。
Mark； for instance； that opulent citizen； who is as anxious as a Jew of the Middle Ages to conceal his wealth。 His dress is plain； his demeanor unassuming； but the interior of his dwelling glitters with luxury； and none but a few chosen guests whom he haughtily styles his equals are allowed to penetrate into this sanctuary。 No European noble is more exclusive in his pleasures； or more jealous of the smallest advantages which his privileged station confers upon him。 But the very same individual crosses the city to reach a dark counting…house in the centre of traffic； where every one may accost him who pleases。 If he meets his cobbler upon the way； they stop and converse； the two citizens discuss the affairs of the State in which they have an equal interest； and they shake hands before they part。
But beneath this artificial enthusiasm； and these obsequious attentions to the preponderating power； it is easy to perceive that the wealthy members of the community entertain a hearty distaste to the democratic institutions of their country。 The populace is at once the object of their scorn and of their fears。 If the maladministration of the democracy ever brings about a revolutionary crisis； and if monarchical institutions ever become practicable in the United States； the truth of what I advance will become obvious。
The two chief weapons which parties use in order to ensure success are the public press and the formation of associations。
Chapter XI： Liberty Of The Press In The United States
Chapter Summary
Difficulty of restraining the liberty of the press … Particular reasons which some nations have to cherish this liberty … The liberty of the press a necessary consequence of the sovereignty of the people as it is understood in America … Violent language of the periodical press in the United States …Propensities of the periodical press … Illustrated by the United States …Opinion of the Americans upon the repression of the abuse of the liberty of the press by judicial prosecutions … Reasons for which the press is less powerful in America than in France。
Liberty Of The Press In The United States
The influence of the liberty of the press does not affect political opinions alone； but it extends to all the opinions of men； and it modifies customs as well as laws。 In another part of this work I shall attempt to determinate the degree of influence which the liberty of
