19-on the duty of civil disobedience-第5部分

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in　their　village。

　　　　It　was　formerly　the　custom　in　our　village；　when　a　poor　debtor

came　out　of　jail；　for　his　acquaintances　to　salute　him；　looking

through　their　fingers；　which　were　crossed　to　represent　the　grating

of　a　jail　window；　〃How　do　ye　do？〃　　My　neighbors　did　not　thus　salute

me；　but　first　looked　at　me；　and　then　at　one　another；　as　if　I　had

returned　from　a　long　journey。　　I　was　put　into　jail　as　I　was　going　to

the　shoemaker's　to　get　a　shoe　which　was　mended。　　When　I　was　let　out

the　next　morning；　I　proceeded　to　finish　my　errand；　and；　having　put

on　my　mended　shoe；　joined　a　huckleberry　party；　who　were　impatient　to

put　themselves　under　my　conduct；　and　in　half　an　hour　　for　the

horse　was　soon　tackled　　was　in　the　midst　of　a　huckleberry　field；

on　one　of　our　highest　hills；　two　miles　off；　and　then　the　State　was

nowhere　to　be　seen。

　　　　This　is　the　whole　history　of　〃My　Prisons。〃

　　　　I　have　never　declined　paying　the　highway　tax；　because　I　am　as

desirous　of　being　a　good　neighbor　as　I　am　of　being　a　bad　subject；

and　as　for　supporting　schools；　I　am　doing　my　part　to　educate　my

fellow…countrymen　now。　　It　is　for　no　particular　item　in　the　tax…bill

that　I　refuse　to　pay　it。　　I　simply　wish　to　refuse　allegiance　to　the

State；　to　withdraw　and　stand　aloof　from　it　effectually。　　I　do　not

care　to　trace　the　course　of　my　dollar；　if　I　could；　till　it　buys　a

man　or　a　musket　to　shoot　one　with　　the　dollar　is　innocent　　but　I

am　concerned　to　trace　the　effects　of　my　allegiance。　　In　fact；　I

quietly　declare　war　with　the　State；　after　my　fashion；　though　I　will

still　make　what　use　and　get　what　advantage　of　her　I　can；　as　is　usual

in　such　cases。

　　　　If　others　pay　the　tax　which　is　demanded　of　me；　from　a　sympathy

with　the　State；　they　do　but　what　they　have　already　done　in　their　own

case；　or　rather　they　abet　injustice　to　a　greater　extent　than　the

State　requires。　　If　they　pay　the　tax　from　a　mistaken　interest　in　the

individual　taxed；　to　save　his　property；　or　prevent　his　going　to

jail；　it　is　because　they　have　not　considered　wisely　how　far　they　let

their　private　feelings　interfere　with　the　public　good。

　　　　This；　then；　is　my　position　at　present。　　But　one　cannot　be　too

much　on　his　guard　in　such　a　case；　lest　his　action　be　biased　by

obstinacy　or　an　undue　regard　for　the　opinions　of　men。　　Let　him　see

that　he　does　only　what　belongs　to　himself　and　to　the　hour。

　　　　I　think　sometimes；　Why；　this　people　mean　well；　they　are　only

ignorant；　they　would　do　better　if　they　knew　how：　why　give　your

neighbors　this　pain　to　treat　you　as　they　are　not　inclined　to？　　But　I

think；　again；　This　is　no　reason　why　I　should　do　as　they　do；　or

permit　others　to　suffer　much　greater　pain　of　a　different　kind。

Again；　I　sometimes　say　to　myself；　When　many　millions　of　men；　without

heat；　without　ill…will；　without　personal　feeling　of　any　kind；　demand

of　you　a　few　shillings　only；　without　the　possibility；　such　is　their

constitution；　of　retracting　or　altering　their　present　demand；　and

without　the　possibility；　on　your　side；　of　appeal　to　any　other

millions；　why　expose　yourself　to　this　overwhelming　brute　force？　　You

do　not　resist　cold　and　hunger；　the　winds　and　the　waves；　thus

obstinately；　you　quietly　submit　to　a　thousand　similar　necessities。

You　do　not　put　your　head　into　the　fire。　　But　just　in　proportion　as　I

regard　this　as　not　wholly　a　brute　force；　but　partly　a　human　force；

and　consider　that　I　have　relations　to　those　millions　as　to　so　many

millions　of　men；　and　not　of　mere　brute　or　inanimate　things；　I　see

that　appeal　is　possible；　first　and　instantaneously；　from　them　to　the

Maker　of　them；　and；　secondly；　from　them　to　themselves。　　But；　if　I

put　my　head　deliberately　into　the　fire；　there　is　no　appeal　to　fire

or　to　the　Maker　of　fire；　and　I　have　only　myself　to　blame。　　If　I

could　convince　myself　that　I　have　any　right　to　be　satisfied　with　men

as　they　are；　and　to　treat　them　accordingly；　and　not　according；　in

some　respects；　to　my　requisitions　and　expectations　of　what　they　and

I　ought　to　be；　then；　like　a　good　Mussulman　and　fatalist；　I　should

endeavor　to　be　satisfied　with　things　as　they　are；　and　say　it　is　the

will　of　God。　　And；　above　all；　there　is　this　difference　between

resisting　this　and　a　purely　brute　or　natural　force；　that　I　can

resist　this　with　some　effect；　but　I　cannot　expect；　like　Orpheus；　to

change　the　nature　of　the　rocks　and　trees　and　beasts。

　　　　I　do　not　wish　to　quarrel　with　any　man　or　nation。　　I　do　not　wish

to　split　hairs；　to　make　fine　distinctions；　or　set　myself　up　as

better　than　my　neighbors。　　I　seek　rather；　I　may　say；　even　an　excuse

for　conforming　to　the　laws　of　the　land。　　I　am　but　too　ready　to

conform　to　them。　　Indeed；　I　have　reason　to　suspect　myself　on　this

head；　and　each　year；　as　the　tax…gatherer　comes　round；　I　find　myself

disposed　to　review　the　acts　and　position　of　the　general　and　State

governments；　and　the　spirit　of　the　people；　to　discover　a　pretext　for

conformity。

　　　　　　　　　　　　〃We　must　affect　our　country　as　our　parents；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　And　if　at　any　time　we　alienate

　　　　　　　　　　　　　Our　love　or　industry　from　doing　it　honor；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　We　must　respect　effects　and　teach　the　soul

　　　　　　　　　　　　　Matter　of　conscience　and　religion；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　And　not　desire　of　rule　or　benefit。〃



　　　　I　believe　that　the　State　will　soon　be　able　to　take　all　my　work

of　this　sort　out　of　my　hands；　and　then　I　shall　be　no　better　a

patriot　than　my　fellow…countrymen。　　Seen　from　a　lower　point　of　view；

the　Constitution；　with　all　its　faults；　is　very　good；　the　law　and　the

courts　are　very　respectable；　even　this　State　and　this　American

government　are；　in　many　respects；　very　admirable　and　rare　things；

to　be　thankful　for；　such　as　a　great　many　have　described　them；　but

seen　from　a　point　of　view　a　little　higher；　they　are　what　I　have

described　them；　seen　from　a　higher　still；　and　the　highest；　who　shall

say　what　they　are；　or　that　they　are　worth　looking　at　or　thinking　of

at　all？

　　　　However；　the　government　does　not　concern　me　much；　and　I　shall

bestow　the　fewest　possible　thoughts　on　it。　　It　is　not　many　moments

that　I　live　under　a　government；　even　in　this　world。　　If　a　man　is

thought…free；　fancy…free；　imagination…free；　that　which　is　not　never

for　a　long　time　appearing　to　be　to　him；　unwise　rulers　or　reformers

cannot　fatally　interrupt　him。

　　　　I　know　that　most　men　think　differently　from　myself；　but　those

whose　lives　are　by　profession　devoted　to　the　study　of　these　or

kindred　subjects；　content　me　as　little　as　any。　　Statesmen　and

legislators；　standing　so　completely　within　the　institution；　never

distinctly　and　nakedly　behold　it。　　They　speak　of　moving　society；　but

have　no　resting…place　without　it。　　They　may　be　men　of　a　certain

experience　and　discrimination；　and　have　no　doubt　invented　ingenious

and　even　useful　systems；　for　which　we　sincerely　thank　them；　but　all

their　wit　and　usefulness　lie　within　certain　not　very　wide　limits。

They　are　wont　to　forget　that　the　world　is　not　governed　by　policy　and

expediency。　　Webster　never　goes　behind　government；　and　so　cannot

speak　with　authority　about　it。　　His　words　are　wisdom　to　those

legislators　who　contemplate　no　essential　reform　in　the　existing

government；　but　for　thinkers；　and　those　who　legislate　for　all　time；

he　never　once　glances　at　the　subject。　　I　know　of　those　whose　serene

and　wise　speculations　on　this　theme　would　soon　reveal　the　limits　of

his　mind's　range　and　hospitality。　　Yet；　compared　with　the　cheap

professions　of　most　reformers；　and　the　still　cheaper　wisdom　and

eloquence　of　politicians　in　general；　his　are　almost　the　only

sensible　and　valuable　words；　and　we　thank　Heaven　for　him。

Comparatively；　he　is　always　strong；　original；　and；　above　all；

practical。　　Still；　his　quality　is　not　wisdom；　but　prudence。　　The

lawyer's　truth　is　not　truth；　but　consistency　or　a　consistent

expediency。　　Truth　is　always　in　harmony　with　herself；　and　is　not

concerned　chiefly　to　reveal　the　justice　that　may　consist　with

wrong…doing。　　He　well　deserves　to　be　called；　as　he　has　been　called；

the　Defender　of　the　Constitution。　　There　are　really　no　blows　to　be

given　by　him　but　defensive　ones。　　He　is　not　a　leader；　but　a

follower。　　His　leaders　are　the　men　of　'87。　　〃I　have　never　made　an

effort；〃　he　says；　〃and　never　propose　to　make　an　effort；　I　have　never

countenanced　an　effort；　and　never　mean　to　countenance　an　effort；　to

disturb　the　arrangement　as　originally　made；　by　which　the　various

States　came　into　the　Union。〃　　Still　thinking　of　the　sanction　which

the　Constitution　gives　to　slavery；　he　says；　〃Because　it　was　a　part

of　the　original　compact　　let　it　stand。〃　　Notwithstanding　his

special　acuteness　and　ability；　he　is　unable　to　take　a　fact　out　of

its　merely　political　relations；　and　behold　it　as　it　lies　absolutely

to　be　disposed　of　by　the　intellect　　what；　for　instance；　it

behooves　a　man　to　do　here　in　America　to…day　with　regard　to　slavery；

but　ventures；　or　is　driven；　to　make　some　such　desperate　answer　as

the　following；　while　professing　to　speak　absolutely；　and　as　a

private　man　　from　which　what　new　and　singular　code　of　social

duties　might　be　inferred？　　〃The　manner；〃　says　he；　〃in　which　the

governments　of　those　States　where　slavery　exists　are　to　regulate　it

is　for　their　own　consideration；　under　their　responsibility　to　their

constituents；　to　the　general　laws　of　propriety；　humanity；　and

justice；　and　to　God。　　Associations　formed　elsewhere；　springing　from

a　feeling　of　humanity；　or　any　other　cause；　have　nothing　whatever　to

do　with　it。　　They　have　never　received　any　encouragement　from　me；　and

they　never　will。〃

　　　　They　who　know　of　no　purer　sources　of　truth；　who　have　traced　up

its　stream　no　higher；　stand；　and　wisely　stand；　by　the　Bible　and　the

Constitution；　and　drink　at　it　there　with　reverence　and　humility；　but

they　who　behold　where　it　comes　trickling　into　this　lake　or　that

pool；　gird　up　their　loins　once　more；　and　continue　their　pilgrimage

toward　its　fountain…head。

　　　　No　man　with　a　genius　for　legislation　has　appeared　in　America。

They　are　rare　in　the　histor