democracy in america-1-第23章

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own。　　Its　average　population　is　from　two　to　three　thousand；　*a　so　that；　on　the　one　hand；　the　interests　of　its　inhabitants　are　not　likely　to　conflict；　and；　on　the　other；　men　capable　of　conducting　its　affairs　are　always　to　be　found　among　its　citizens。

＇Footnote　a：　In　1830　there　were　305　townships　in　the　State　of　Massachusetts；　and　610；014　inhabitants；　which　gives　an　average　of　about　2；000　inhabitants　to　each　township。＇

Authorities　Of　The　Township　In　New　England

The　people　the　source　of　all　power　here　as　elsewhere　…　Manages　its　own　affairs　…　No　corporation　…　The　greater　part　of　the　authority　vested　in　the　hands　of　the　Selectmen　…　How　the　Selectmen　act　…　Town…meeting　…　Enumeration　of　the　public　officers　of　the　township　…　　Obligatory　and　remunerated　functions。

In　the　township；　as　well　as　everywhere　else；　the　people　is　the　only　source　of　power；　but　in　no　stage　of　government　does　the　body　of　citizens　exercise　a　more　immediate　influence。　　In　America　the　people　is　a　master　whose　exigencies　demand　obedience　to　the　utmost　limits　of　possibility。

In　New　England　the　majority　acts　by　representatives　in　the　conduct　of　the　public　business　of　the　State；　but　if　such　an　arrangement　be　necessary　in　general　affairs；　in　the　townships；　where　the　legislative　and　administrative　action　of　the　government　is　in　more　immediate　contact　with　the　subject；　the　system　of　representation　is　not　adopted。　　There　is　no　corporation；　but　the　body　of　electors；　after　having　designated　its　magistrates；　directs　them　in　everything　that　exceeds　the　simple　and　ordinary　executive　business　of　the　State。　*b

＇Footnote　b：　The　same　rules　are　not　applicable　to　the　great　towns；　which　generally　have　a　mayor；　and　a　corporation　divided　into　two　bodies；　this；　however；　is　an　exception　which　requires　the　sanction　of　a　law。　…　See　the　Act　of　February　22；　1822；　for　appointing　the　authorities　of　the　city　of　Boston。　It　frequently　happens　that　small　towns　as　well　as　cities　are　subject　to　a　peculiar　administration。　　In　1832；　104　townships　in　the　State　of　New　York　were　governed　in　this　manner。　…　Williams'　Register。＇

This　state　of　things　is　so　contrary　to　our　ideas；　and　so　different　from　our　customs；　that　it　is　necessary　for　me　to　adduce　some　examples　to　explain　it　thoroughly。

The　public　duties　in　the　township　are　extremely　numerous　and　minutely　divided；　as　we　shall　see　further　on；　but　the　larger　proportion　of　administrative　power　is　vested　in　the　hands　of　a　small　number　of　individuals；　called　〃the　Selectmen。〃　*c　The　general　laws　of　the　State　impose　a　certain　number　of　obligations　on　the　selectmen；　which　they　may　fulfil　without　the　authorization　of　the　body　they　represent；　but　which　they　can　only　neglect　on　their　own　responsibility。　　The　law　of　the　State　obliges　them；　for　instance；　to　draw　up　the　list　of　electors　in　their　townships；　and　if　they　omit　this　part　of　their　functions；　they　are　guilty　of　a　misdemeanor。　　In　all　the　affairs；　however；　which　are　determined　by　the　town…meeting；　the　selectmen　are　the　organs　of　the　popular　mandate；　as　in　France　the　Maire　executes　the　decree　of　the　municipal　council。　　They　usually　act　upon　their　own　responsibility；　and　merely　put　in　practice　principles　which　have　been　previously　recognized　by　the　majority。　　But　if　any　change　is　to　be　introduced　in　the　existing　state　of　things；　or　if　they　wish　to　undertake　any　new　enterprise；　they　are　obliged　to　refer　to　the　source　of　their　power。　　If；　for　instance；　a　school　is　to　be　established；　the　selectmen　convoke　the　whole　body　of　the　electors　on　a　certain　day　at　an　appointed　place；　they　explain　the　urgency　of　the　case；　they　give　their　opinion　on　the　means　of　satisfying　it；　on　the　probable　expense；　and　the　site　which　seems　to　be　most　favorable。　　The　meeting　is　consulted　on　these　several　points；　it　adopts　the　principle；　marks　out　the　site；　votes　the　rate；　and　confides　the　execution　of　its　resolution　to　the　selectmen。

＇Footnote　c：　Three　selectmen　are　appointed　in　the　small　townships；　and　nine　in　the　large　ones。　　See　〃The　Town…Officer；〃　p。　186。　　See　also　the　principal　laws　of　the　State　of　Massachusetts　relative　to　the　selectmen：

Act　of　February　20；　1786；　vol。　i。　p。　219；　February　24；　1796；　vol。　i。　p。　488；　March　7；　1801；　vol。　ii。　p。　45；　June　16；　1795；　vol。　i。　p。　475；　March　12；　1808；　vol。　ii。　p。　186；　February　28；　1787；　vol。　i。　p。　302；　June　22；　1797；　vol。　i。　p。　539。＇

The　selectmen　have　alone　the　right　of　calling　a　town…meeting；　but　they　may　be　requested　to　do　so：　if　ten　citizens　are　desirous　of　submitting　a　new　project　to　the　assent　of　the　township；　they　may　demand　a　general　convocation　of　the　inhabitants；　the　selectmen　are　obliged　to　comply；　but　they　have　only　the　right　of　presiding　at　the　meeting。　*d

＇Footnote　d：　See　Laws　of　Massachusetts；　vol。　i。　p。　150；　Act　of　March　25；　1786。＇

The　selectmen　are　elected　every　year　in　the　month　of　April　or　of　May。　The　town…meeting　chooses　at　the　same　time　a　number　of　other　municipal　magistrates；　who　are　entrusted　with　important　administrative　functions。　　The　assessors　rate　the　township；　the　collectors　receive　the　rate。　　A　constable　is　appointed　to　keep　the　peace；　to　watch　the　streets；　and　to　forward　the　execution　of　the　laws；　the　town…clerk　records　all　the　town　votes；　orders；　grants；　births；　deaths；　and　marriages；　the　treasurer　keeps　the　funds；　the　overseer　of　the　poor　performs　the　difficult　task　of　superintending　the　action　of　the　poor…laws；　committee…men　are　appointed　to　attend　to　the　schools　and　to　public　instruction；　and　the　road…surveyors；　who　take　care　of　the　greater　and　lesser　thoroughfares　of　the　township；　complete　the　list　of　the　principal　functionaries。　　They　are；　however；　still　further　subdivided；　and　amongst　the　municipal　officers　are　to　be　found　parish　commissioners；　who　audit　the　expenses　of　public　worship；　different　classes　of　inspectors；　some　of　whom　are　to　direct　the　citizens　in　case　of　fire；　tithing…men；　listers；　haywards；　chimney…viewers；　fence…viewers　to　maintain　the　bounds　of　property；　timber…measurers；　and　sealers　of　weights　and　measures。　*e

＇Footnote　e：　All　these　magistrates　actually　exist；　their　different　functions　are　all　detailed　in　a　book　called　〃The　Town…Officer；〃　by　Isaac　Goodwin；　Worcester；　1827；　and　in　the　〃Collection　of　the　General　Laws　of　Massachusetts；〃　3　vols。；　Boston；　1823。＇

There　are　nineteen　principal　officers　in　a　township。　　Every　inhabitant　is　constrained；　on　the　pain　of　being　fined；　to　undertake　these　different　functions；　which；　however；　are　almost　all　paid；　in　order　that　the　poorer　citizens　may　be　able　to　give　up　their　time　without　loss。　　In　general　the　American　system　is　not　to　grant　a　fixed　salary　to　its　functionaries。　　Every　service　has　its　price；　and　they　are　remunerated　in　proportion　to　what　they　have　done。　

Existence　Of　The　Township

Every　one　the　best　judge　of　his　own　interest　…　Corollary　of　the　principle　of　the　sovereignty　of　the　people　…　Application　of　those　doctrines　in　the　townships　of　America　…　The　township　of　New　England　is　sovereign　in　all　that　concerns　itself　alone：　subject　to　the　State　in　all　other　matters　…　Bond　of　the　township　and　the　State　…　In　France　the　Government　lends　its　agent　to　the　Commune　…　In　America　the　reverse　occurs。

I　have　already　observed　that　the　principle　of　the　sovereignty　of　the　people　governs　the　whole　political　system　of　the　Anglo…　Americans。　　Every　page　of　this　book　will　afford　new　instances　of　the　same　doctrine。　　In　the　nations　by　which　the　sovereignty　of　the　people　is　recognized　every　individual　possesses　an　equal　share　of　power；　and　participates　alike　in　the　government　of　the　State。　　Every　individual　is；　therefore；　supposed　to　be　as　well　informed；　as　virtuous；　and　as　strong　as　any　of　his　fellow…citizens。　　He　obeys　the　government；　not　because　he　is　inferior　to　the　authorities　which　conduct　it；　or　that　he　is　less　capable　than　his　neighbor　of　governing　himself；　but　because　he　acknowledges　the　utility　of　an　association　with　his　fellow…men；　and　because　he　knows　that　no　such　association　can　exist　without　a　regulating　force。　　If　he　be　a　subject　in　all　that　concerns　the　mutual　relations　of　citizens；　he　is　free　and　responsible　to　God　alone　for　all　that　concerns　himself。　　Hence　arises　the　maxim　that　every　one　is　the　best　and　the　sole　judge　of　his　own　private　interest；　and　that　s