democracy in america-1-第61章

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d　from　the　extreme　of　independence　to　the　extreme　of　subjection　without　meeting　with　a　single　tenable　position　for　shelter　or　repose。

There　are　certain　nations　which　have　peculiar　reasons　for　cherishing　the　liberty　of　the　press；　independently　of　the　general　motives　which　I　have　just　pointed　out。　　For　in　certain　countries　which　profess　to　enjoy　the　privileges　of　freedom　every　individual　agent　of　the　Government　may　violate　the　laws　with　impunity；　since　those　whom　he　oppresses　cannot　prosecute　him　before　the　courts　of　justice。　　In　this　case　the　liberty　of　the　press　is　not　merely　a　guarantee；　but　it　is　the　only　guarantee；　of　their　liberty　and　their　security　which　the　citizens　possess。　　If　the　rulers　of　these　nations　propose　to　abolish　the　independence　of　the　press；　the　people　would　be　justified　in　saying：　Give　us　the　right　of　prosecuting　your　offences　before　the　ordinary　tribunals；　and　perhaps　we　may　then　waive　our　right　of　appeal　to　the　tribunal　of　public　opinion。

But　in　the　countries　in　which　the　doctrine　of　the　sovereignty　of　the　people　ostensibly　prevails；　the　censorship　of　the　press　is　not　only　dangerous；　but　it　is　absurd。　　When　the　right　of　every　citizen　to　co…operate　in　the　government　of　society　is　acknowledged；　every　citizen　must　be　presumed　to　possess　the　power　of　discriminating　between　the　different　opinions　of　his　contemporaries；　and　of　appreciating　the　different　facts　from　which　inferences　may　be　drawn。　　The　sovereignty　of　the　people　and　the　liberty　of　the　press　may　therefore　be　looked　upon　as　correlative　institutions；　just　as　the　censorship　of　the　press　and　universal　suffrage　are　two　things　which　are　irreconcilably　opposed；　and　which　cannot　long　be　retained　among　the　institutions　of　the　same　people。　　Not　a　single　individual　of　the　twelve　millions　who　inhabit　the　territory　of　the　United　States　has　as　yet　dared　to　propose　any　restrictions　to　the　liberty　of　the　press。　　The　first　newspaper　over　which　I　cast　my　eyes；　upon　my　arrival　in　America；　contained　the　following　article：

In　all　this　affair　the　language　of　Jackson　has　been　that　of　a　heartless　despot；　solely　occupied　with　the　preservation　of　his　own　authority。　Ambition　is　his　crime；　and　it　will　be　his　punishment　too：　intrigue　is　his　native　element；　and　intrigue　will　confound　his　tricks；　and　will　deprive　him　of　his　power：　he　governs　by　means　of　corruption；　and　his　immoral　practices　will　redound　to　his　shame　and　confusion。　　His　conduct　in　the　political　arena　has　been　that　of　a　shameless　and　lawless　gamester。　　He　succeeded　at　the　time；　but　the　hour　of　retribution　approaches；　and　he　will　be　obliged　to　disgorge　his　winnings；　to　throw　aside　his　false　dice；　　and　to　end　his　days　in　some　retirement；　where　he　may　curse　his　madness　at　his　leisure；　for　repentance　is　a　virtue　with　which　his　heart　is　likely　to　remain　forever　unacquainted。

It　is　not　uncommonly　imagined　in　France　that　the　virulence　of　the　press　originates　in　the　uncertain　social　condition；　in　the　political　excitement；　and　the　general　sense　of　consequent　evil　which　prevail　in　that　country；　and　it　is　therefore　supposed　that　as　soon　as　society　has　resumed　a　certain　degree　of　composure　the　press　will　abandon　its　present　vehemence。　　I　am　inclined　to　think　that　the　above　causes　explain　the　reason　of　the　extraordinary　ascendency　it　has　acquired　over　the　nation；　but　that　they　do　not　exercise　much　influence　upon　the　tone　of　its　language。　The　periodical　press　appears　to　me　to　be　actuated　by　passions　and　propensities　independent　of　the　circumstances　in　which　it　is　placed；　and　the　present　position　of　America　corroborates　this　opinion。

America　is　perhaps；　at　this　moment；　the　country　of　the　whole　world　which　contains　the　fewest　germs　of　revolution；　but　the　press　is　not　less　destructive　in　its　principles　than　in　France；　and　it　displays　the　same　violence　without　the　same　reasons　for　indignation。　　In　America；　as　in　France；　it　constitutes　a　singular　power；　so　strangely　composed　of　mingled　good　and　evil　that　it　is　at　the　same　time　indispensable　to　the　existence　of　freedom；　and　nearly　incompatible　with　the　maintenance　of　public　order。　Its　power　is　certainly　much　greater　in　France　than　in　the　United　States；　though　nothing　is　more　rare　in　the　latter　country　than　to　hear　of　a　prosecution　having　been　instituted　against　it。　　The　reason　of　this　is　perfectly　simple：　the　Americans；　having　once　admitted　the　doctrine　of　the　sovereignty　of　the　people；　apply　it　with　perfect　consistency。　　It　was　never　their　intention　to　found　a　permanent　state　of　things　with　elements　which　undergo　daily　modifications；　and　there　is　consequently　nothing　criminal　in　an　attack　upon　the　existing　laws；　provided　it　be　not　attended　with　a　violent　infraction　of　them。　　They　are　moreover　of　opinion　that　courts　of　justice　are　unable　to　check　the　abuses　of　the　press；　and　that　as　the　subtilty　of　human　language　perpetually　eludes　the　severity　of　judicial　analysis；　offences　of　this　nature　are　apt　to　escape　the　hand　which　attempts　to　apprehend　them。　　They　hold　that　to　act　with　efficacy　upon　the　press　it　would　be　necessary　to　find　a　tribunal；　not　only　devoted　to　the　existing　order　of　things；　but　capable　of　surmounting　the　influence　of　public　opinion；　a　tribunal　which　should　conduct　its　proceedings　without　publicity；　which　should　pronounce　its　decrees　without　assigning　its　motives；　and　punish　the　intentions　even　more　than　the　language　of　an　author。　　Whosoever　should　have　the　power　of　creating　and　maintaining　a　tribunal　of　this　kind　would　waste　his　time　in　prosecuting　the　liberty　of　the　press；　for　he　would　be　the　supreme　master　of　the　whole　community；　and　he　would　be　as　free　to　rid　himself　of　the　authors　as　of　their　writings。　　In　this　question；　therefore；　there　is　no　medium　between　servitude　and　extreme　license；　in　order　to　enjoy　the　inestimable　benefits　which　the　liberty　of　the　press　ensures；　it　is　necessary　to　submit　to　the　inevitable　evils　which　it　engenders。　　To　expect　to　acquire　the　former　and　to　escape　the　latter　is　to　cherish　one　of　those　illusions　which　commonly　mislead　nations　in　their　times　of　sickness；　when；　tired　with　faction　and　exhausted　by　effort；　they　attempt　to　combine　hostile　opinions　and　contrary　principles　upon　the　same　soil。

The　small　influence　of　the　American　journals　is　attributable　to　several　reasons；　amongst　which　are　the　following：

The　liberty　of　writing；　like　all　other　liberty；　is　most　formidable　when　it　is　a　novelty；　for　a　people　which　has　never　been　accustomed　to　co…operate　in　the　conduct　of　State　affairs　places　implicit　confidence　in　the　first　tribune　who　arouses　its　attention。　　The　Anglo…Americans　have　enjoyed　this　liberty　ever　since　the　foundation　of　the　settlements；　moreover；　the　press　cannot　create　human　passions　by　its　own　power；　however　skillfully　it　may　kindle　them　where　they　exist。　　In　America　politics　are　discussed　with　animation　and　a　varied　activity；　but　they　rarely　touch　those　deep　passions　which　are　excited　whenever　the　positive　interest　of　a　part　of　the　community　is　impaired：　but　in　the　United　States　the　interests　of　the　community　are　in　a　most　prosperous　condition。　　A　single　glance　upon　a　French　and　an　American　newspaper　is　sufficient　to　show　the　difference　which　exists　between　the　two　nations　on　this　head。　　In　France　the　space　allotted　to　commercial　advertisements　is　very　limited；　and　the　intelligence　is　not　considerable；　but　the　most　essential　part　of　the　journal　is　that　which　contains　the　discussion　of　the　politics　of　the　day。　　In　America　three…quarters　of　the　enormous　sheet　which　is　set　before　the　reader　are　filled　with　advertisements；　and　the　remainder　is　frequently　occupied　by　political　intelligence　or　trivial　anecdotes：　it　is　only　from　time　to　time　that　one　finds　a　corner　devoted　to　passionate　discussions　like　those　with　which　the　journalists　of　France　are　wont　to　indulge　their　readers。

It　has　been　demonstrated　by　observation；　and　discovered　by　the　innate　sagacity　of　the　pettiest　as　well　as　the　greatest　of　despots；　that　the　influence　of　a　power　is　increased　in　proportion　as　its　direction　is　rendered　more　central。　　In　France　the　press　combines　a　twofold　centralization；　almost　all　its　power　is　centred　in　the　same　spot；　and　vested　in　the　same　hands；　for　its　organs　are　far　from　numerous。　　The　influence　of　a　public　press　thu