the american republic-第33部分

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f　the　theory　or　understanding　of　　the　statesmen　of　the　eighteenth　century。　　The　civil　war　has　　vindicated　the　Union；　and　defeated　the　armed　forces　of　the　State　　sovereignty　men；　but　it　has　not　refuted　their　doctrine；　and　as　　far　as　it　has　had　any　effect；　it　has　strengthened　the　tendency　to　　consolidation　or　centralism。

But　the　philosophy；　the　theory　of　government；　the　understanding　　of　the　framers　of　the　constitution；　must　be　considered；　if　the　　expres…　243　　　　　　　sion　will　be　allowed；　as　obiter　dicta；　and　be　judged　on　　their　merits。　　What　binds　is　the　thing　done；　not　the　theory　on　　which　it　was　done；　or　on　which　the　actors　explained　their　work　　either　to　themselves　or　to　others。　　Their　political　philosophy；　　or　their　political　theory；　may　sometimes　affect　the　phraseology　　they　adopt；　but　forms　no　rule　for　interpreting　their　work。　　Their　　work　was　inspired　by　and　accords　with　the　historical　facts　in　the　　case；　and　is　authorized　and　explained　by　them。　　The　American　　people　were　not　made　one　people　by　the　written　constitution；　as　　Mr。　Jefferson；　Mr。　Madison；　Mr。　Webster；　and　so　many　others　　supposed；　but　were　made　so　by　the　unwritten　constitution；　born　　with　and　inherent　in　them。




244　CHAPTER　XI。

THE　CONSTITUTIONCONTINUED。


Providence；　or　God　operating　through　historical　facts；　　constituted　the　American　people　one　political　or　sovereign　　people；　existing　and　acting　in　particular　communities；　　organizations；　called　states。　　This　one　people　organized　as　　states；　meet　in　convention；　frame　and　ordain　the　constitution　of　　government；　or　institute　a　general　government　in　place　of　the　　Continental　Congress；　and　the　same　people；　in　their　respective　　State　organizations；　meet　in　convention　in　each　State；　and　frame　　and　ordain　a　particular　government　for　the　State　individually；　　which；　in　union　with　the　General　government；　constitutes　the　　complete　and　supreme　government　within　the　States；　as　the　General　　government；　in　union　with　all　the　particular　governments；　　constitutes　the　complete　and　supreme　government　of　the　nation　or　　whole　country。　　This　is　clearly　the　view　taken　by　Mr。　Madison　in　　his　letter　to　Mr。　Everett；　　245　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　when　freed　from　his　theory　of　the　　origin　of　government　in　compact。

The　constitution　of　the　people　as　one　people；　and　the　　distinction　at　the　same　time　of　this　one　people　into　particular　　States；　precedes　the　convention；　and　is　the　unwritten　　constitution；　the　Providential　constitution；　of　the　American　　people　or　civil　society；　as　distinguished　from　the　constitution　　of　the　government；　which；　whether　general　or　particular；　is　the　　ordination　of　civil　society　itself。　　The　unwritten　constitution　　is　the　creation　or　constitution　of　the　sovereign；　and　the　　sovereign　providentially　constituted　constitutes　in　turn　the　　government；　which　is　not　sovereign；　but　is　clothed　with　just　so　　much　and　just　so　little　authority　as　the　sovereign　wills　or　　ordains。

The　sovereign　in　the　republican　order　is　the　organic　people；　or　　State；　and　is　with　us　the　United　States；　for　with　us　the　organic　　people　exist　only　as　organized　into　States　united；　which　in　their　　union　form　one　compact　and　indissoluble　whole。　　That　is　to　say；　　the　organic　American　people　do　not　exist　as　a　consolidated　people　　or　state；　they　exist　only　as　organized　into　distinct　but　　inseparable　States。　　Each　State　is　a　living　member　of　the　one　　body；　and　derives　its　life　from　its　union　with　the　body；　so　that　　the　Amer…　246　　　　　　　　　ican　state　is　one　body　with　many　members；　and　the　　members；　instead　of　being　simply　individuals；　are　States；　or　　individuals　organized　into　States。　　The　body　consists　of　many　　members；　and　is　one　body；　because　the　members　are　all　members　of　　it；　and　members　one　of　another。　　It　does　not　exist　as　separate　　or　distinct　from　the　members；　but　exists　in　their　solidarity　or　　membership　one　of　another。　　There　is　no　sovereign　people　or　　existence　of　the　United　States　distinguishable　from　the　people　　or　existence　of　the　particular　States　united。　　The　people　of　the　　United　States；　the　state　called　the　United　States；　are　the　　people　of　the　particular　States　united。　　The　solidarity　of　the　　members　constitutes　the　unity　of　the　body。　　The　difference　　between　this　view　and　Mr。　Madison's　is；　that　while　his　view　　supposes　the　solidarity　to　be　conventional；　originating　and　　existing　in　compact；　or　agreement；　this　supposes　it　to　be　real；　　living；　and　prior　to　the　convention；　as　much　the　work　of　　Providence　as　the　existence　in　the　human　body　of　the　living　　solidarity　of　its　members。　　One　law；　one　life；　circulates　　through　all　the　members；　constituting　them　a　living　organism；　　binding　them　in　living　union；　all　to　each　and　each　to　all。

Such　is　the　sovereign　people；　and　so　far　the　original　unwritten　　constitution。　　The　sovereign；　　247　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　in　order　to　live　and　act；　must　　have　an　organ　through　which　be　expresses　his　will。　　This　organ　　under　the　American　system；　is　primarily　the　Convention。　　The　　convention　is　the　supreme　political　body；　the　concrete　sovereign　　authority；　and　exercises　practically　the　whole　sovereign　power　　of　the　people。　　The　convention　persists　always；　although　not　in　　permanent　session。　　It　can　at　any　time　be　convened　by　the　　ordinary　authority　of　the　government；　or；　in　its　failure；　by　a　　plebiscitum。

Next　follows　the　Government　created　and　constituted　by　the　　convention。　　The　government　is　constituted　in　such　manner；　and　　has　such　and　only　such　powers；　as　the　convention　ordains。　　The　　government　has；　in　the　strict　sense；　no　political　authority　　under　the　American　system；　which　separates　the　government　from　　the　convention。　　All　political　questions　proper；　such　as　the　　elective　franchise；　eligibility；　the　constitution　of　the　several　　departments　of　government；　as　the　legislative；　the　judicial；　and　　the　executive；　changing；　altering；　or　amending　the　constitution　　of　government；　enlarging；　or　contracting　its　powers；　in　a　word；　　all　those　questions　that　arise　on　which　it　is　necessary　to　take　　the　immediate　orders　of　the　sovereign；　belong　not　to　the　　government；　but　to　the　convention；　and　where　the　will　of　the　　sover…　248　　　　　　eign　is　not　sufficiently　expressed　in　the　constitution；　a　　new　appeal　to　the　convention　is　necessary；　and　may　always　be　had。　　　The　constitution　of　Great　Britain　makes　no　distinction　between　　the　convention　and　the　government。　　Theoretically　the　　constitution　of　Great　Britain　is　feudal；　and　there　is；　properly　　speaking；　no　British　state；　there　are　only　the　estates；　king；　　lords；　and　commons；　and　these　three　estates　constitute　the　　Parliament；　which　is　held　to　be　omnipotent；　that　is；　has　the　　plenitude　of　political　sovereignty。　　The　British　Parliament；　　composed　of　the　three　estates；　possesses　in　itself　all　the　　powers　of　the　convention　in　the　American　constitution；　and　is　at　　once　the　convention　and　the　government。　　The　imperial　　constitution　of　France　recognizes　no　convention；　but　clothes　the　　senate　with　certain　political　functions；　which；　in　some　　respects；　subjects　theoretically　the　sovereign　to　his　creature。　　　The　emperor　confessedly　holds　his　power　by　the　grace　of　God　and　　the　will　of　the　nation；　which　is　a　clear　acknowledgment　that　the　　sovereignty　vests　in　the　French　people　as　the　French　state；　but　　the　imperial　constitution；　which　is　the　constitution　of　the　　government；　not　of　the　state；　studies；　while　acknowledging　the　　sovereignty　of　the　people；　to　render　it　nugatory；　by　　249　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　transferring　　it；　under　various　subtle　disguises；　to　the　government；　and　　practically　to　the　emperor　as　chief　of　the　government。　　The　　senate；　the　council　of　state；　the　legislative　body；　and　the　　emperor；　are　all　creatures　of　the　French　state；　and　have　properly　　no　political　functions；　and　to　give　them　such　functions　is　to　　place　the　sovereign　under　his　own　subjects！　　The　real　aim　of　the　　imperial　constitution　is　to　secure　despotic　power　under　the　　guise　of　republicanism。　　It　leaves　and　is　intended　to　leave　the　　nation　no　way　of　practically　asserting　its　sovereignty　but　by　　either　a　revolution　or　a　plebiscitum；　and　a　plebiscitum　is　　permissible　only　where　there　is　no　regular　government。

The　British　constitution　is　consistent　with　itself；　but　imposes　　no　restriction　on　the　power　of　the　government。　　The　French　　imperial　constitution　is　illogical；　inconsistent　with　itself　as　　well　as　with　the　free　action　of　the　nation。　　The　American　　constitution　has　all　the　advantages　of　both；　and　the　　disadvantages　of　neither。　　The　convention　is　not　the　government　　like　the　British　Parliament；　nor　a　creature　of　the　state　like　　the　French　senate；　but　the　sovereign　state　itself；　in　a　　practical　form。　　By　means　of　the　convention　the　government　is　　restricted　to　its　delegated　powers；　and　these；　if　found　in　　practice　either　　250　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　too　great　or　too　small；　can　be　enlarged　or　　contracted　in　a　regular；　orderly　way；　without　resorting　to　a　　revolution　or　to　a　plebiscitum。　　Whatever　political　grievances　　there　may　be；　there　is　always　present　the　sovereign　convention　　competent　to　redress　them。　　The　efficiency　of　power　is　thus　　secured　without　danger　to　liberty；　and　freedom　without　danger　to　　power。　　The　recognition　of　the　convention；　the　real　political　　sovereign　of　the　country　and　its　separation　from　and　　independence　of　the　ordinary　government；　is　one　of　the　most　　striking　features　of　the　American　constitution。

The　next　thing　to　be　noted；　after　the　convention；　is　the　　constitution　by　the　convention　of　the　government。　　This　　constitution；　as　Mr。　Madison　well　observes；　divides　the　powers　　conceded　by　the　convention　to　government　between　the　General　　Government　and　the　particular　State　governments。　　Strictly　　speaking；　the　government　is　one；　and　its　powers　only　are　divided　　and　exercised　by　two　sets　of　agents　or　ministries。　　This　　division　of　the　powers　of　government　could　never　have　been　　established　by　the　convention　if　the　American　people　had　not　　been　providentially　constituted　one　people；　existing　and　acting　　through　particular　State　organizations。　　Here　the　unwritten　　constitution；　or　the　constitution　　251　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　written　in　the　people　　themselves；　rendered　practicable　and　dictated　the　written　　constitution；　or　constit