democracy in america-1-第44章

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onderance；　overpowers　all　obstacles；　harasses　its　opponents；　and　appropriates　all　the　resources　of　society　to　its　own　purposes。　　The　vanquished　citizens　despair　of　success　and　they　conceal　their　dissatisfaction　in　silence　and　in　general　apathy。　　The　nation　seems　to　be　governed　by　a　single　principle；　and　the　prevailing　party　assumes　the　credit　of　having　restored　peace　and　unanimity　to　the　country。　　But　this　apparent　unanimity　is　merely　a　cloak　to　alarming　dissensions　and　perpetual　opposition。

This　is　precisely　what　occurred　in　America；　when　the　democratic　party　got　the　upper　hand；　it　took　exclusive　possession　of　the　conduct　of　affairs；　and　from　that　time　the　laws　and　the　customs　of　society　have　been　adapted　to　its　caprices。　　At　the　present　day　the　more　affluent　classes　of　society　are　so　entirely　removed　from　the　direction　of　political　affairs　in　the　United　States　that　wealth；　far　from　conferring　a　right　to　the　exercise　of　power；　is　rather　an　obstacle　than　a　means　of　attaining　to　it。　　The　wealthy　members　of　the　community　abandon　the　lists；　through　unwillingness　to　contend；　and　frequently　to　contend　in　vain；　against　the　poorest　classes　of　their　fellow　citizens。　They　concentrate　all　their　enjoyments　in　the　privacy　of　their　homes；　where　they　occupy　a　rank　which　cannot　be　assumed　in　public；　and　they　constitute　a　private　society　in　the　State；　which　has　its　own　tastes　and　its　own　pleasures。　They　submit　to　this　state　of　things　as　an　irremediable　evil；　but　they　are　careful　not　to　show　that　they　are　galled　by　its　continuance；　it　is　even　not　uncommon　to　hear　them　laud　the　delights　of　a　republican　government；　and　the　advantages　of　democratic　institutions　when　they　are　in　public。　　Next　to　hating　their　enemies；　men　are　most　inclined　to　flatter　them。

Mark；　for　instance；　that　opulent　citizen；　who　is　as　anxious　as　a　Jew　of　the　Middle　Ages　to　conceal　his　wealth。　　His　dress　is　plain；　his　demeanor　unassuming；　but　the　interior　of　his　dwelling　glitters　with　luxury；　and　none　but　a　few　chosen　guests　whom　he　haughtily　styles　his　equals　are　allowed　to　penetrate　into　this　sanctuary。　　No　European　noble　is　more　exclusive　in　his　pleasures；　or　more　jealous　of　the　smallest　advantages　which　his　privileged　station　confers　upon　him。　　But　the　very　same　individual　crosses　the　city　to　reach　a　dark　counting…house　in　the　centre　of　traffic；　where　every　one　may　accost　him　who　pleases。　　If　he　meets　his　cobbler　upon　the　way；　they　stop　and　converse；　the　two　citizens　discuss　the　affairs　of　the　State　in　which　they　have　an　equal　interest；　and　they　shake　hands　before　they　part。

But　beneath　this　artificial　enthusiasm；　and　these　obsequious　attentions　to　the　preponderating　power；　it　is　easy　to　perceive　that　the　wealthy　members　of　the　community　entertain　a　hearty　distaste　to　the　democratic　institutions　of　their　country。　　The　populace　is　at　once　the　object　of　their　scorn　and　of　their　fears。　　If　the　maladministration　of　the　democracy　ever　brings　about　a　revolutionary　crisis；　and　if　monarchical　institutions　ever　become　practicable　in　the　United　States；　the　truth　of　what　I　advance　will　become　obvious。

The　two　chief　weapons　which　parties　use　in　order　to　ensure　success　are　the　public　press　and　the　formation　of　associations。　

Chapter　XI：　Liberty　Of　The　Press　In　The　United　States

Chapter　Summary

Difficulty　of　restraining　the　liberty　of　the　press　…　Particular　reasons　which　some　nations　have　to　cherish　this　liberty　…　The　liberty　of　the　press　a　necessary　consequence　of　the　sovereignty　of　the　people　as　it　is　understood　in　America　…　Violent　language　of　the　periodical　press　in　the　United　States　…Propensities　of　the　periodical　press　…　Illustrated　by　the　United　States　…Opinion　of　the　Americans　upon　the　repression　of　the　abuse　of　the　liberty　of　the　press　by　judicial　prosecutions　…　Reasons　for　which　the　press　is　less　powerful　in　America　than　in　France。

Liberty　Of　The　Press　In　The　United　States

The　influence　of　the　liberty　of　the　press　does　not　affect　political　opinions　alone；　but　it　extends　to　all　the　opinions　of　men；　and　it　modifies　customs　as　well　as　laws。　　In　another　part　of　this　work　I　shall　attempt　to　determinate　the　degree　of　influence　which　the　liberty　of　the　press　has　exercised　upon　civil　society　in　the　United　States；　and　to　point　out　the　direction　which　it　has　given　to　the　ideas；　as　well　as　the　tone　which　it　has　imparted　to　the　character　and　the　feelings；　of　the　Anglo…Americans；　but　at　present　I　purpose　simply　to　examine　the　effects　produced　by　the　liberty　of　the　press　in　the　political　world。

I　confess　that　I　do　not　entertain　that　firm　and　complete　attachment　to　the　liberty　of　the　press　which　things　that　are　supremely　good　in　their　very　nature　are　wont　to　excite　in　the　mind；　and　I　approve　of　it　more　from　a　recollection　of　the　evils　it　prevents　than　from　a　consideration　of　the　advantages　it　ensures。　

If　any　one　could　point　out　an　intermediate　and　yet　a　tenable　position　between　the　complete　independence　and　the　entire　subjection　of　the　public　expression　of　opinion；　I　should　perhaps　be　inclined　to　adopt　it；　but　the　difficulty　is　to　discover　this　position。　　If　it　is　your　intention　to　correct　the　abuses　of　unlicensed　printing　and　to　restore　the　use　of　orderly　language；　you　may　in　the　first　instance　try　the　offender　by　a　jury；　but　if　the　jury　acquits　him；　the　opinion　which　was　that　of　a　single　individual　becomes　the　opinion　of　the　country　at　large。　　Too　much　and　too　little　has　therefore　hitherto　been　done。　　If　you　proceed；　you　must　bring　the　delinquent　before　a　court　of　permanent　judges。　　But　even　here　the　cause　must　be　heard　before　it　can　be　decided；　and　the　very　principles　which　no　book　would　have　ventured　to　avow　are　blazoned　forth　in　the　pleadings；　and　what　was　obscurely　hinted　at　in　a　single　composition　is　then　repeated　in　a　multitude　of　other　publications。　The　language　in　which　a　thought　is　embodied　is　the　mere　carcass　of　the　thought；　and　not　the　idea　itself；　tribunals　may　condemn　the　form；　but　the　sense　and　spirit　of　the　work　is　too　subtle　for　their　authority。　Too　much　has　still　been　done　to　recede；　too　little　to　attain　your　end；　you　must　therefore　proceed。　　If　you　establish　a　censorship　of　the　press；　the　tongue　of　the　public　speaker　will　still　make　itself　heard；　and　you　have　only　increased　the　mischief。　　The　powers　of　thought　do　not　rely；　like　the　powers　of　physical　strength；　upon　the　number　of　their　mechanical　agents；　nor　can　a　host　of　authors　be　reckoned　like　the　troops　which　compose　an　army；　on　the　contrary；　the　authority　of　a　principle　is　often　increased　by　the　smallness　of　the　number　of　men　by　whom　it　is　expressed。　　The　words　of　a　strong…minded　man；　which　penetrate　amidst　the　passions　of　a　listening　assembly；　have　more　power　than　the　vociferations　of　a　thousand　orators；　and　if　it　be　allowed　to　speak　freely　in　any　public　place；　the　consequence　is　the　same　as　if　free　speaking　was　allowed　in　every　village。　　The　liberty　of　discourse　must　therefore　be　destroyed　as　well　as　the　liberty　of　the　press；　this　is　the　necessary　term　of　your　efforts；　but　if　your　object　was　to　repress　the　abuses　of　liberty；　they　have　brought　you　to　the　feet　of　a　despot。　　You　have　been　led　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　n