democracy in america-1-第25章

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general　contentment　which　prevails。　　If　the　government　is　defective　（and　it　would　no　doubt　be　easy　to　point　out　its　deficiencies）；　the　fact　that　it　really　emanates　from　those　it　governs；　and　that　it　acts；　either　ill　or　well；　casts　the　protecting　spell　of　a　parental　pride　over　its　faults。　　No　term　of　comparison　disturbs　the　satisfaction　of　the　citizen：　England　formerly　governed　the　mass　of　the　colonies；　but　the　people　was　always　sovereign　in　the　township　where　its　rule　is　not　only　an　ancient　but　a　primitive　state。　

The　native　of　New　England　is　attached　to　his　township　because　it　is　independent　and　free：　his　co…operation　in　its　affairs　ensures　his　attachment　to　its　interest；　the　well…being　it　affords　him　secures　his　affection；　and　its　welfare　is　the　aim　of　his　ambition　and　of　his　future　exertions：　he　takes　a　part　in　every　occurrence　in　the　place；　he　practises　the　art　of　government　in　the　small　sphere　within　his　reach；　he　accustoms　himself　to　those　forms　which　can　alone　ensure　the　steady　progress　of　liberty；　he　imbibes　their　spirit；　he　acquires　a　taste　for　order；　comprehends　the　union　or　the　balance　of　powers；　and　collects　clear　practical　notions　on　the　nature　of　his　duties　and　the　extent　of　his　rights。

The　Counties　Of　New　England

The　division　of　the　countries　in　America　has　considerable　analogy　with　that　of　the　arrondissements　of　France。　　The　limits　of　the　counties　are　arbitrarily　laid　down；　and　the　various　districts　which　they　contain　have　no　necessary　connection；　no　common　tradition　or　natural　sympathy；　their　object　is　simply　to　facilitate　the　administration　of　justice。

The　extent　of　the　township　was　too　small　to　contain　a　system　of　judicial　institutions；　each　county　has；　however；　a　court　of　justice；　*f　a　sheriff　to　execute　its　decrees；　and　a　prison　for　criminals。　　There　are　certain　wants　which　are　felt　alike　by　all　the　townships　of　a　county；　it　is　therefore　natural　that　they　should　be　satisfied　by　a　central　authority。　　In　the　State　of　Massachusetts　this　authority　is　vested　in　the　hands　of　several　magistrates；　who　are　appointed　by　the　Governor　of　the　State；　with　the　advice　*g　of　his　council。　*h　The　officers　of　the　county　have　only　a　limited　and　occasional　authority；　which　is　applicable　to　certain　predetermined　cases。　The　State　and　the　townships　possess　all　the　power　requisite　to　conduct　public　business。　　The　budget　of　the　county　is　drawn　up　by　its　officers；　and　is　voted　by　the　legislature；　but　there　is　no　assembly　which　directly　or　indirectly　represents　the　county。　　It　has；　therefore；　properly　speaking；　no　political　existence。　

＇Footnote　f：　See　the　Act　of　February　14；　1821；　Laws　of　Massachusetts；　vol。　i。　p。　551。＇

＇Footnote　g：　See　the　Act　of　February　20；　1819；　Laws　of　Massachusetts；　vol。　ii。　p。　494。＇

＇Footnote　h：　The　council　of　the　Governor　is　an　elective　body。＇　　A　twofold　tendency　may　be　discerned　in　the　American　constitutions；　which　impels　the　legislator　to　centralize　the　legislative　and　to　disperse　the　executive　power。　　The　township　of　New　England　has　in　itself　an　indestructible　element　of　independence；　and　this　distinct　existence　could　only　be　fictitiously　introduced　into　the　county；　where　its　utility　has　not　been　felt。　But　all　the　townships　united　have　but　one　representation；　which　is　the　State；　the　centre　of　the　national　authority：　beyond　the　action　of　the　township　and　that　of　the　nation；　nothing　can　be　said　to　exist　but　the　influence　of　individual　exertion。

Administration　In　New　England

Administration　not　perceived　in　America　…　Why？　…　The　Europeans　believe　that　liberty　is　promoted　by　depriving　the　social　authority　of　some　of　its　rights；　the　Americans；　by　dividing　its　exercise　…　Almost　all　the　administration　confined　to　the　township；　and　divided　amongst　the　town…officers　…　No　trace　of　an　administrative　body　to　be　perceived；　either　in　the　township　or　above　it　…The　reason　of　this　…　How　it　happens　that　the　administration　of　the　State　is　uniform　…　Who　is　empowered　to　enforce　the　obedience　of　the　township　and　the　county　to　the　law　…　The　introduction　of　judicial　power　into　the　administration　…　Consequence　of　the　extension　of　the　elective　principle　to　all　functionaries　…　The　Justice　of　the　Peace　in　New　England　…　By　whom　appointed　…　County　officer：　ensures　the　administration　of　the　townships　…　Court　of　Sessions　…　Its　action　…　Right　of　inspection　and　indictment　disseminated　like　the　other　administrative　functions　…　Informers　encouraged　by　the　division　of　fines。

Nothing　is　more　striking　to　an　European　traveller　in　the　United　States　than　the　absence　of　what　we　term　the　Government；　or　the　Administration。　Written　laws　exist　in　America；　and　one　sees　that　they　are　daily　executed；　but　although　everything　is　in　motion；　the　hand　which　gives　the　impulse　to　the　social　machine　can　nowhere　be　discovered。　　Nevertheless；　as　all　peoples　are　obliged　to　have　recourse　to　certain　grammatical　forms；　which　are　the　foundation　of　human　language；　in　order　to　express　their　thoughts；　so　all　communities　are　obliged　to　secure　their　existence　by　submitting　to　a　certain　dose　of　authority；　without　which　they　fall　a　prey　to　anarchy。　　This　authority　may　be　distributed　in　several　ways；　but　it　must　always　exist　somewhere。

There　are　two　methods　of　diminishing　the　force　of　authority　in　a　nation：　The　first　is　to　weaken　the　supreme　power　in　its　very　principle；　by　forbidding　or　preventing　society　from　acting　in　its　own　defence　under　certain　circumstances。　　To　weaken　authority　in　this　manner　is　what　is　generally　termed　in　Europe　to　lay　the　foundations　of　freedom。　　The　second　manner　of　diminishing　the　influence　of　authority　does　not　consist　in　stripping　society　of　any　of　its　rights；　nor　in　paralyzing　its　efforts；　but　in　distributing　the　exercise　of　its　privileges　in　various　hands；　and　in　multiplying　functionaries；　to　each　of　whom　the　degree　of　power　necessary　for　him　to　perform　his　duty　is　entrusted。　　There　may　be　nations　whom　this　distribution　of　social　powers　might　lead　to　anarchy；　but　in　itself　it　is　not　anarchical。　The　action　of　authority　is　indeed　thus　rendered　less　irresistible　and　less　perilous；　but　it　is　not　totally　suppressed。

The　revolution　of　the　United　States　was　the　result　of　a　mature　and　dignified　taste　for　freedom；　and　not　of　a　vague　or　ill…defined　craving　for　independence。　　It　contracted　no　alliance　with　the　turbulent　passions　of　anarchy；　but　its　course　was　marked；　on　the　contrary；　by　an　attachment　to　whatever　was　lawful　and　orderly。　

It　was　never　assumed　in　the　United　States　that　the　citizen　of　a　free　country　has　a　right　to　do　whatever　he　pleases；　on　the　contrary；　social　obligations　were　there　imposed　upon　him　more　various　than　anywhere　else。　　No　idea　was　ever　entertained　of　attacking　the　principles　or　of　contesting　the　rights　of　society；　but　the　exercise　of　its　authority　was　divided；　to　the　end　that　the　office　might　be　powerful　and　the　officer　insignificant；　and　that　the　community　should　be　at　once　regulated　and　free。　　In　no　country　in　the　world　does　the　law　hold　so　absolute　a　language　as　in　America；　and　in　no　country　is　the　right　of　applying　it　vested　in　so　many　hands。　　The　administrative　power　in　the　United　States　presents　nothing　either　central　or　hierarchical　in　its　constitution；　which　accounts　for　its　passing；　unperceived。　　The　power　exists；　but　its　representative　is　not　to　be　perceived。

We　have　already　seen　that　the　independent　townships　of　New　England　protect　their　own　private　interests；　and　the　municipal　magistrates　are　the　persons　to　whom　the　execution　of　the　laws　of　the　State　is　most　frequently　entrusted。　*i　Besides　the　general　laws；　the　State　sometimes　passes　general　police　regulations；　but　more　commonly　the　townships　and　town　officers；　conjointly　with　justices　of　the　peace；　regulate　the　minor　details　of　social　life；　according　to　the　necessities　of　the　different　localities；　and　promulgate　such　enactments　as　concern　the　health　of　the　community；　and　the　peace　as　well　as　morality　of　the　citizens。　*j　Lastly；　these　municipal　magistrates　provide；　of　their　own　accord　and　without　any　delegated　powers；　for　those　unforeseen　emergencies　which　frequently　occur　in　society。　*k

＇Footnote　i：　See　〃The　Town…Officer；〃　especially　at　the　words　Selectmen；　Assessors；　Collectors；　Schools；　Surveyors　of　Highways。　　I　take　one　example