democracy in america-1-第31章

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　interpreter　of　the　laws；　and　the　representative　of　France　at　home　and　abroad；　he　was　justified　in　asserting　that　the　State　was　identified　with　his　person。　Nevertheless；　the　administration　was　much　less　centralized　under　Louis　XIV。　than　it　is　at　the　present　day。

In　England　the　centralization　of　the　government　is　carried　to　great　perfection；　the　State　has　the　compact　vigor　of　a　man；　and　by　the　sole　act　of　its　will　it　puts　immense　engines　in　motion；　and　wields　or　collects　the　efforts　of　its　authority。　　Indeed；　I　cannot　conceive　that　a　nation　can　enjoy　a　secure　or　prosperous　existence　without　a　powerful　centralization　of　government。　　But　I　am　of　opinion　that　a　central　administration　enervates　the　nations　in　which　it　exists　by　incessantly　diminishing　their　public　spirit。　If　such　an　administration　succeeds　in　condensing　at　a　given　moment；　on　a　given　point；　all　the　disposable　resources　of　a　people；　it　impairs　at　least　the　renewal　of　those　resources。　　It　may　ensure　a　victory　in　the　hour　of　strife；　but　it　gradually　relaxes　the　sinews　of　strength。　　It　may　contribute　admirably　to　the　transient　greatness　of　a　man；　but　it　cannot　ensure　the　durable　prosperity　of　a　nation。　

If　we　pay　proper　attention；　we　shall　find　that　whenever　it　is　said　that　a　State　cannot　act　because　it　has　no　central　point；　it　is　the　centralization　of　the　government　in　which　it　is　deficient。　　It　is　frequently　asserted；　and　we　are　prepared　to　assent　to　the　proposition；　that　the　German　empire　was　never　able　to　bring　all　its　powers　into　action。　　But　the　reason　was；　that　the　State　was　never　able　to　enforce　obedience　to　its　general　laws；　because　the　several　members　of　that　great　body　always　claimed　the　right；　or　found　the　means；　of　refusing　their　co…operation　to　the　representatives　of　the　common　authority；　even　in　the　affairs　which　concerned　the　mass　of　the　people；　in　other　words；　because　there　was　no　centralization　of　government。　　The　same　remark　is　applicable　to　the　Middle　Ages；　the　cause　of　all　the　confusion　of　feudal　society　was　that　the　control；　not　only　of　local　but　of　general　interests；　was　divided　amongst　a　thousand　hands；　and　broken　up　in　a　thousand　different　ways；　the　absence　of　a　central　government　prevented　the　nations　of　Europe　from　advancing　with　energy　in　any　straightforward　course。

We　have　shown　that　in　the　United　States　no　central　administration　and　no　dependent　series　of　public　functionaries　exist。　　Local　authority　has　been　carried　to　lengths　which　no　European　nation　could　endure　without　great　inconvenience；　and　which　has　even　produced　some　disadvantageous　consequences　in　America。　　But　in　the　United　States　the　centralization　of　the　Government　is　complete；　and　it　would　be　easy　to　prove　that　the　national　power　is　more　compact　than　it　has　ever　been　in　the　old　nations　of　Europe。　　Not　only　is　there　but　one　legislative　body　in　each　State；　not　only　does　there　exist　but　one　source　of　political　authority；　but　district　assemblies　and　county　courts　have　not　in　general　been　multiplied；　lest　they　should　be　tempted　to　exceed　their　administrative　duties；　and　interfere　with　the　Government。　　In　America　the　legislature　of　each　State　is　supreme；　nothing　can　impede　its　authority；　neither　privileges；　nor　local　immunities；　nor　personal　influence；　nor　even　the　empire　of　reason；　since　it　represents　that　majority　which　claims　to　be　the　sole　organ　of　reason。　　Its　own　determination　is；　therefore；　the　only　limit　to　this　action。　　In　juxtaposition　to　it；　and　under　its　immediate　control；　is　the　representative　of　the　executive　power；　whose　duty　it　is　to　constrain　the　refractory　to　submit　by　superior　force。　　The　only　symptom　of　weakness　lies　in　certain　details　of　the　action　of　the　Government。　　The　American　republics　have　no　standing　armies　to　intimidate　a　discontented　minority；　but　as　no　minority　has　as　yet　been　reduced　to　declare　open　war；　the　necessity　of　an　army　has　not　been　felt。　*q　The　State　usually　employs　the　officers　of　the　township　or　the　county　to　deal　with　the　citizens。　　Thus；　for　instance；　in　New　England；　the　assessor　fixes　the　rate　of　taxes；　the　collector　receives　them；　the　town…treasurer　transmits　the　amount　to　the　public　treasury；　and　the　disputes　which　may　arise　are　brought　before　the　ordinary　courts　of　justice。　　This　method　of　collecting　taxes　is　slow　as　well　as　inconvenient；　and　it　would　prove　a　perpetual　hindrance　to　a　Government　whose　pecuniary　demands　were　large。　　It　is　desirable　that；　in　whatever　materially　affects　its　existence；　the　Government　should　be　served　by　officers　of　its　own；　appointed　by　itself；　removable　at　pleasure；　and　accustomed　to　rapid　methods　of　proceeding。　　But　it　will　always　be　easy　for　the　central　government；　organized　as　it　is　in　America；　to　introduce　new　and　more　efficacious　modes　of　action；　proportioned　to　its　wants。　　＇Footnote　q：　＇The　Civil　War　of　1860…65　cruelly　belied　this　statement；　and　in　the　course　of　the　struggle　the　North　alone　called　two　millions　and　a　half　of　men　to　arms；　but　to　the　honor　of　the　United　States　it　must　be　added　that；　with　the　cessation　of　the　contest；　this　army　disappeared　as　rapidly　as　it　had　been　raised。　…　Translator's　Note。＇＇

The　absence　of　a　central　government　will　not；　then；　as　has　often　been　asserted；　prove　the　destruction　of　the　republics　of　the　New　World；　far　from　supposing　that　the　American　governments　are　not　sufficiently　centralized；　I　shall　prove　hereafter　that　they　are　too　much　so。　　The　legislative　bodies　daily　encroach　upon　the　authority　of　the　Government；　and　their　tendency；　like　that　of　the　French　Convention；　is　to　appropriate　it　entirely　to　themselves。　Under　these　circumstances　the　social　power　is　constantly　changing　hands；　because　it　is　subordinate　to　the　power　of　the　people；　which　is　too　apt　to　forget　the　maxims　of　wisdom　and　of　foresight　in　the　consciousness　of　its　strength：　hence　arises　its　danger；　and　thus　its　vigor；　and　not　its　impotence；　will　probably　be　the　cause　of　its　ultimate　destruction。

The　system　of　local　administration　produces　several　different　effects　in　America。　　The　Americans　seem　to　me　to　have　outstepped　the　limits　of　sound　policy　in　isolating　the　administration　of　the　Government；　for　order；　even　in　second…rate　affairs；　is　a　matter　of　national　importance。　*r　As　the　State　has　no　administrative　functionaries　of　its　own；　stationed　on　different　points　of　its　territory；　to　whom　it　can　give　a　common　impulse；　the　consequence　is　that　it　rarely　attempts　to　issue　any　general　police　regulations。　　The　want　of　these　regulations　is　severely　felt；　and　is　frequently　observed　by　Europeans。　The　appearance　of　disorder　which　prevails　on　the　surface　leads　him　at　first　to　imagine　that　society　is　in　a　state　of　anarchy；　nor　does　he　perceive　his　mistake　till　he　has　gone　deeper　into　the　subject。　　Certain　undertakings　are　of　importance　to　the　whole　State；　but　they　cannot　be　put　in　execution；　because　there　is　no　national　administration　to　direct　them。　　Abandoned　to　the　exertions　of　the　towns　or　counties；　under　the　care　of　elected　or　temporary　agents；　they　lead　to　no　result；　or　at　least　to　no　durable　benefit。

＇Footnote　r：　The　authority　which　represents　the　State　ought　not；　I　think；　to　waive　the　right　of　inspecting　the　local　administration；　even　when　it　does　not　interfere　more　actively。　　Suppose；　for　instance；　that　an　agent　of　the　Government　was　stationed　at　some　appointed　spot　in　the　country；　to　prosecute　the　misdemeanors　of　the　town　and　county　officers；　would　not　a　more　uniform　order　be　the　result；　without　in　any　way　compromising　the　independence　of　the　township？　　Nothing　of　the　kind；　however；　exists　in　America：　there　is　nothing　above　the　county…courts；　which　have；　as　it　were；　only　an　incidental　cognizance　of　the　offences　they　are　meant　to　repress。＇　

The　partisans　of　centralization　in　Europe　are　wont　to　maintain　that　the　Government　directs　the　affairs　of　each　locality　better　than　the　citizens　could　do　it　for　themselves；　this　may　be　true　when　the　central　power　is　enlightened；　and　when　the　local　districts　are　ignorant；　when　it　is　as　alert　as　they　are　slow；　when　it　is　accustomed　to　act；　and　they　to　obey。　　Indeed；　it　is　evident　that　this　double　tendency　must　augment　with　the　increase　of　centralization；　and　that　the　readiness　of　the　one　and　the　incapacity　of　the　others　must　become　more　and　more　prominen