part18-第4节

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！



correct　their　Anamorphosis　of　the　deity　that　Jesus　preached；　as　well

as　to　establish　the　doctrine　of　a　future　state。　　However　Levi　insists

that　that　was　taught　in　the　old　testament；　and　even　by　Moses　himself

and　the　prophets。　　He　agrees　that　an　anointed　prince　was　prophecied

and　promised：　but　denies　that　the　character　and　history　of　Jesus　has

any　analogy　with　that　of　the　person　promised。　　He　must　be　fearfully

embarrassing　to　the　Hierophants　of　fabricated　Christianity；　because

it　is　their　own　armour　in　which　he　clothes　himself　for　the　attack。

For　example；　he　takes　passages　of　Scripture　from　their　context　（which

would　give　them　a　very　different　meaning）　strings　them　together；　and

makes　them　point　towards　what　object　he　pleases；　he　interprets　them

figuratively；　typically；　analogically；　hyperbolically；　he　calls　in

the　aid　of　emendation；　transposition；　ellipsis；　metonymy；　and　every

other　figure　of　rhetoric；　the　name　of　one　man　is　taken　for　another；

one　place　for　another；　days　and　weeks　for　months　and　years；　and

finally　avails　himself　of　all　his　advantage　over　his　adversaries　by

his　superior　knolege　of　the　Hebrew；　speaking　in　the　very　language　of

the　divine　communication；　while　they　can　only　fumble　on　with

conflicting　and　disputed　translations。　　Such　is　this　war　of　giants。

And　how　can　such　pigmies　as　you　and　I　decide　between　them？　　For

myself　I　confess　that　my　head　is　not　formed　tantas　componere　lites。

And　as　you　began　your　Mar。　2。　with　a　declaration　that　you　were　about

to　write　me　the　most　frivolous　letter　I　had　ever　read；　so　I　will

close　mine　by　saying　I　have　written　you　a　full　match　for　it；　and　by

adding　my　affectionate　respects　to　Mrs。　Adams；　and　the　assurance　of

my　constant　attachment　and　consideration　for　yourself。







　　　　　　　　〃CONSTITUTIONALLY　AND　CONSCIENTIOUSLY　DEMOCRATS〃




　　　　　　　　_To　P。　S。　Dupont　de　Nemours_

　　　　　　　　_Poplar　Forest；　April　24；　1816_




　　　　　　　　I　received；　my　dear　friend；　your　letter　covering　the

constitution　for　your　Equinoctial　republsetting　out　for　this　place。

I　brought　it　with　me；　and　have　read　it　with　great　satisfaction。　　I

suppose　it　well　formed　for　those　for　whom　it　was　intended；　and　the

excellence　of　every　government　is　its　adaptation　to　the　state　of

those　to　be　governed　by　it。　　For　us　it　would　not　do。　　Distinguishing

between　the　structure　of　the　government　and　the　moral　principles　on

which　you　prescribe　its　administration；　with　the　latter　we　concur

cordially；　with　the　former　we　should　not。　　We　of　the　United　States；

you　know；　are　constitutionally　and　conscientiously　democrats。　　We

consider　society　as　one　of　the　natural　wants　with　which　man　has　been

created；　that　he　has　been　endowed　with　faculties　and　qualities　to

effect　its　satisfaction　by　concurrence　of　others　having　the　same

want；　that　when；　by　the　exercise　of　these　faculties；　he　has　procured

a　state　of　society；　it　is　one　of　his　acquisitions　which　he　has　a

right　to　regulate　and　control；　jointly　indeed　with　all　those　who　have

concurred　in　the　procurement；　whom　he　cannot　exclude　from　its　use　or

direction　more　than　they　him。　　We　think　experience　has　proved　it

safer；　for　the　mass　of　individuals　composing　the　society；　to　reserve

to　themselves　personally　the　exercise　of　all　rightful　powers　to　which

they　are　competent；　and　to　delegate　those　to　which　they　are　not

competent　to　deputies　named；　and　removable　for　unfaithful　conduct；　by

themselves　immediately。　　Hence；　with　us；　the　people　（by　which　is

meant　the　mass　of　individuals　composing　the　society）　being　competent

to　judge　of　the　facts　occurring　in　ordinary　life；　they　have　retained

the　functions　of　judges　of　facts；　under　the　name　of　jurors；　but　being

unqualified　for　the　management　of　affairs　requiring　intelligence

above　the　common　level；　yet　competent　judges　of　human　character；　they

chose；　for　their　management；　representatives；　some　by　themselves

immediately；　others　by　electors　chosen　by　themselves。　　Thus　our

President　is　chosen　by　ourselves；　directly　in　_practice_；　for　we　vote

for　A　as　elector　only　on　the　condition　he　will　vote　for　B；　our

representatives　by　ourselves　immediately；　our　Senate　and　judges　of

law　through　electors　chosen　by　ourselves。　　And　we　believe　that　this

proximate　choice　and　power　of　removal　is　the　best　security　which

experience　has　sanctioned　for　ensuring　an　honest　conduct　in　the

functionaries　of　society。　　Your　three　or　four　alembications　have

indeed　a　seducing　appearance。　　We　should　conceive　_prima　facie_；　that

the　last　extract　would　be　the　pure　alcohol　of　the　substance；　three　or

four　times　rectified。　　But　in　proportion　as　they　are　more　and　more

sublimated；　they　are　also　farther　and　farther　removed　from　the

control　of　the　society；　and　the　human　character；　we　believe；　requires

in　general　constant　and　immediate　control；　to　prevent　its　being

biased　from　right　by　the　seductions　of　self…love。　　Your　process

produces　therefore　a　structure　of　government　from　which　the

fundamental　principle　of　ours　is　excluded。　　You　first　set　down　as

zeros　all　individuals　not　having　lands；　which　are　the　greater　number

in　every　society　of　long　standing。　　Those　holding　lands　are　permitted

to　manage　in　person　the　small　affairs　of　their　commune　or

corporation；　and　to　elect　a　deputy　for　the　canton；　in　which　election；

too；　every　one's　vote　is　to　be　an　unit；　a　plurality；　or　a　fraction；

in　proportion　to　his　landed　possessions。　　The　assemblies　of　cantons；

then；　elect　for　the　districts；　those　of　districts　for　circles；　and

those　of　circles　for　the　national　assemblies。　　Some　of　these　highest

councils；　too；　are　in　a　considerable　degree　self…elected；　the　regency

partially；　the　judiciary　entirely；　and　some　are　for　life。　　Whenever；

therefore；　an　_esprit　de　corps_；　or　of　party；　gets　possession　of

them；　which　experience　shows　to　be　inevitable；　there　are　no　means　of

breaking　it　up；　for　they　will　never　elect　but　those　of　their　own

spirit。　　Juries　are　allowed　in　criminal　cases　only。　　I　acknowledge

myself　strong　in　affection　to　our　own　form；　yet　both　of　us　act　and

think　from　the　same　motive；　we　both　consider　the　people　as　our

children；　and　love　them　with　parental　affection。　　But　you　love　them

as　infants　whom　you　are　afraid　to　trust　without　nurses；　and　I　as

adults　whom　I　freely　leave　to　self…government。　　And　you　are　right　in

the　case　referred　to　you；　my　criticism　being　built　on　a　state　of

society　not　under　your　contemplation。　　It　is；　in　fact；　like　a　critic

on　Homer　by　the　laws　of　the　Drama。




　　　　　　　　But　when　we　come　to　the　moral　principles　on　which　the

government　is　to　be　administered；　we　come　to　what　is　proper　for　all

conditions　of　society。　　I　meet　you　there　in　all　the　benevolence　and

rectitude　of　your　native　character；　and　I　love　myself　always　most

where　I　concur　most　with　you。　　Liberty；　truth；　probity；　honor；　are

declared　to　be　the　four　cardinal　principles　of　your　society。　　I

believe　with　you　that　morality；　compassion；　generosity；　are　innate

elements　of　the　human　constitution；　that　there　exists　a　right

independent　of　force；　that　a　right　to　property　is　founded　in　our

natural　wants；　in　the　means　with　which　we　are　endowed　to　satisfy

these　wants；　and　the　right　to　what　we　acquire　by　those　means　without

violating　the　similar　rights　of　other　sensible　beings；　that　no　one

has　a　right　to　obstruct　another；　exercising　his　faculties　innocently

for　the　relief　of　sensibilities　made　a　part　of　his　nature；　that

justice　is　the　fundamental　law　of　society；　that　the　majority；

oppressing　an　individual；　is　guilty　of　a　crime；　abuses　its　strength；

and　by　acting　on　the　law　of　the　strongest　breaks　up　the　foundations

of　society；　that　action　by　the　citizens　in　person；　in　affairs　within

their　reach　and　competence；　and　in　all　others　by　representatives；

chosen　immediately；　and　removable　by　themselves；　constitutes　the

essence　of　a　republic；　that　all　governments　are　more　or　less

republican　in　proportion　as　this　principle　enters　more　or　less　into

their　composition；　and　that　a　government　by　representation　is　capable

of　extension　over　a　greater　surface　of　country　than　one　of　any　other

form。　　These；　my　friend；　are　the　essentials　in　which　you　and　I　agree；

however；　in　our　zeal　for　their　maintenance；　we　may　be　perplexed　and

divaricate；　as　to　the　structure　of　society　most　likely　to　secure

them。




　　　　　　　　In　the　constitution　of　Spain；　as　proposed　by　the　late　Cortes；

there　was　a　principle　entirely　new　to　me；　and　not　noticed　in　yours；

that　no　person；　born　after　that　day；　should　ever　acquire　the　rights

of　citizenship　until　he　could　read　and　write。　　It　is　impossible

sufficiently　to　estimate　the　wisdom　of　this　provision。　　Of　all　those

which　have　been　thought　of　for　securing　fidelity　in　the

administration　of　the　government；　constant　ralliance　to　the

principles　of　the　constitution；　and　progressive　amendments　with　the

progressive　advances　of　the　human　mind；　or　changes　in　human　affairs；

it　is　the　most　effectual。　　Enlighten　the　people　generally；　and

tyranny　and　oppressions　o