new york-第5章

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feebleness　and　obvious　delusion　that　would　excite　our　wonder；　did

we　not　have　so　many　occasions　to　observe　and　comment　on　the

frailty　of　human　judgment　when　warped　by　motives　of　this　nature。

To　us　it　would　seem；　that　the　people　of　any　particular　State　have

just　the　same　claim　to　use　the　ships　of　war；　and　forts；　and

public　buildings　of　the　United　States；　as　they　have；　unpermitted

by　the　sovereign　power；　to　occupy　any　of　its　lands。　That　which　is

the　property　of　the　public　is　no　more　the　property　of

individuals；　in　law　or　reason；　than　the　estate　of　any　one　man　is

the　estate　of　his　neighbor。　Carry　out　the　doctrine　in　spirit；　and

it　would　lead　to　general　confusion；　and　a　state　of　things　so

impracticable　as　to　disorganize　society。　If　the　people　are　thus

intrinsically　masters　and　owners　of　all　around　them；　why　are　they

not　the　proprietors　of　the　banks　and　other　corporations　created

by　themselves？　They　made　the　government；　if　you　will；　though　in　a

very　limited　capacity；　and　they　made　these　corporations；　much

more　directly　and　unequivocally；　and；　admitting　the　truth　of　this

copartnership　principle；　in　which　every　man　is　so　far　a　member　of

the　firm　that　he　may　take　his　share　of　the　assets；　we　cannot　see

that　he　is　not　equally　entitled　to　lay　his　hands　on　all　the　other

progeny　of　the　popular　will。　In　a　word；　the　doctrine　would　seem

to　be　not　only　weak；　but　absurd；　and　we　find　a　difficulty　in

believing　that　any　cool…headed　and　reflecting　man　can　feel　the

necessity　for　refuting　it。



｛just　the　same　claim　=　Cooper　is　again　ridiculing　John　C。

Calhoun's　assertion　that；　because　the　new　Territories　of　the　West

acquired　from　Mexico　belonged　to　the　people　rather　than　the

Federal　Government；　Southerners　had　an　inherent　right　to　bring

and　keep　their　slaves　in　them　regardless　of　Federal　law｝



But　other　dangers　undeniably　beset　the　country；　that　have　no

connection　with　this　question　of　Slavery。　However　repugnant　it

may　be　to　the　pride　of　human　nature；　or　the　favorite　doctrines　of

the　day；　there　can　be　little　question　that　the　greatest　sources

of　apprehension　of　future　evil　to　the　people　of　this　country；　are

to　be　looked　for　in　the　abuses　which　have　their　origin　in　the

infirmities　and　characteristics　of　human　nature。　In　a　word；　the

people　have　great　cause　to　distrust　themselves；　and　the　numerous

and　serious　innovations　they　are　making　on　all　sides；　on　not　only

the　most　venerable　principles　in　favor　with　men；　but　on　the

divine　law；　must　cause　every　reflecting　man　to　forbode　a　state　of

things；　far　more　serious　than　even　that　which　would　arise　from　a

separation　of　the　States　into　isolated　parts。



The　particular　form　in　which　this　imminent　danger　is　now；　for　the

first　time　seriously　since　the　establishment　of　the　Government；

beginning　to　exhibit　itself；　is　through　the　combinations　of　the

designing　to　obtain　a　mercenary　corps　of　voters；　insignificant　as

to　numbers；　but　formidable　by　their　union；　to　hold　the　balance　of

power；　and　to　effect　their　purposes　by　practising　on　the　wilful；

blind；　wayward；　and；　we　might　almost　add；　fatal　obstinacy　of　the

two　great　political　parties　of　the　country。　Here；　in　our　view；　is

the　danger　that　the　nation　has　most　to　apprehend。　The　result　is

as　plain　as　it　is　lamentable。　In　effect；　it　throws　the　political

power　of　the　entire　Republic　into　the　hands　of　the　intriguer；　the

demagogue；　and　the　knave。　Honest　men　are　not　practised　on　by　such

combinations；　but；　with　a　fatality　that　would　seem　to　be　the　very

sport　of　demons；　there　they　stand；　drawn　up　in　formidable　array；

in　nearly　equal　lines　of　open　and　deriding　hostility；　leading

those　who　no　longer　conceive　it　necessary　to　even　affect　the

semblance　of　respect　to　many　of　the　plainest　and　most　important

of　the　principles　of　social　integrity　that　have　ever　been

received　among　men。



Anyone　familiar　with　the　condition　of　Europe　must　know；　that

under　the　pressure　of　society　in　that　quarter　of　the　world；　and

toward　which　we　are　fast　tending　by　a　rapid　accumulation　of

numbers；　the　present　institutions　of　America；　exercised　under　the

prevalent　opinions　of　the　day；　could　not　endure　a　twelvemonth。

That　which　is　now　seen　in　France　rendering　real　political　liberty

a　mere　stalking…horse　for　the　furtherance　of　the　projects　of　the

boldest　adventurers；　would　inevitably　be　seen　here；　the　bayonet

alone　would　be　relied　on　for　the　preservation　of　the　nearest　and

dearest　of　human　rights。　There　could　and　would　be　no　other

security　for　the　peace　of　society；　and　that　circle　of　power

which；　rising　in　the　masses；　ends　in　the　sceptre　of　the　single

despot；　would　once　more　be　made　as　it　might　be　in　derision　of　all

our　efforts　to　be　free。



｛now　seen　in　France　=　following　the　French　Revolution　of　1848

Louis　Napoleon　Bonaparte　（1808…1873）；　nephew　of　the　first　Emperor

Napoleon；　had　been　elected　as　President　of　France　and　was

consolidating　his　powerin　December　1851；　shortly　after　Cooper's

death；　he　would　proclaim　himself　Emperor　Napoleon　III｝



If　the　existence　of　nations　resembled　that　of　individuals；　it

would　not　be　difficult　to　foretell　the　consequences　of　this　state

of　things；　but　communities　may　be　said　to　have　no　lives；　and　are

ever　to　be　found　occupying　their　places；　and　using　the　means

assigned　to　them　by　Providence；　whether　free　or　enslaved；

prosperous　or　the　reverse。　No　one　can　foretell　the　future　of　this

great　country；　in　consequence　of　the　extent　and　number　of　its

outlets；　each　a　provision　of　Providence　to　put　a　check　on

revolutions　and　violence。



The　elements　of　a　monarchy　do　not　exist　among　us；　the　habits　of

the　entire　country　are　opposed　to　the　reception　of　such　a　form　of

government。　Nor　do　we　know；　bad　as　our　condition　is　rapidly

getting　to　be；　strong　as　are　the　tendencies　to　social

dissolution；　and　to　the　abuses　which　demand　force　to　subdue；　that

anything　would　be　gained　by　the　adoption　of　any　substitute　for

the　present　polity　of　the　country　to　be　found　in　Europe。　The

abuses　there　are　possibly　worse　than　our　own；　and　the　only

question　would　seem　to　be　as　to　the　degree　of　suffering　and　wrong

to　which　men　are　compelled　to　submit　through　the　infirmities　of

their　own　nature。　There　is　one　great　advantage　in　the　monarchical

principle；　when　subdued　by　liberal　institutions；　as　in　the　case

of　the　government　of　that　nation　from　which　we　are　derived；　which

it　would　seem　a　republic　cannot　possess。　We　allude　to　the

transmission　of　a　nominal　executive　power　that　spares　the

turmoil；　expense；　and　struggles　of　an　election；　and　which　answers

all　the　purposes　of　the　real　authorities　of　the　State　in

designating　those　who　are　to　exercise　the　functions　of　rulers　for

the　time　being。　It　has　often　been　predicted　that　the　periodical

elections　of　the　chief　magistrate　of　this　country　will；　at　no

distant　day；　destroy　the　institutions。　It　would　be　idle　to　deny

that　the　danger　manifestly　increases　with　the　expedients　of

factions；　and　that　there　are　very　grave　grounds　for　apprehending

the　worst　consequences　from　this　source　of　evil。　As　it　now　is；

the　working　of　the　system　has　already　produced　a　total　departure

from　the　original　intention　of　the　Government；　a　scheme；

probably；　that　was　radically　defective　when　adopted；　and　which

contained　the　seeds　of　its　own　ruin。　Recourse　to　electors　has

become　an　idle　form；　ponderous　and　awkward；　and　in　some　of　its

features　uselessly　hazardous。　We　are　in　the　habit　of　comparing

the　cost　of　government　in　this　country　with　that　of　other　nations

in　the　Old　World。　Beyond　a　question；　the　Americans　enjoy　great

advantages　in　this　important　particular；　owing　to　their　exemption

from　sources　of　expenses　that　weigh　so　heavily　on　those　who　rely

for　the　peace　of　society　solely　on　the　strong　hand。　But　confining

the　investigation　simply　to　the　cost　of　Executives　it　may　well　be

questioned　if　we　have　not　adopted　the　most　expensive　mode　at

present　known　among　civilized　nations。　We　entertain　very　little

doubt　that　the　cost　of　a　presidential　election　fully　equals　the

expenditures　of　the　empire　of　Great　Britain；　liberal　as　they　are

known　to　be；　for　the　maintenance　of　the　dignity　of　its　chief

magistracy。　Nor　is　this　the　worst　of　it；　for　while　much　of　the

civil　list　of　a　monarch　is　usefully　employed　in　cherishing　the

arts；　and　in　fostering　industry；　to　say　nothing　of　its　boons　to

the　dependent　and　meritorious　in　the　shape　of　pensions；　not　a

dollar　of　the　millions　that　are　wasted　every　fourth　year　among

ourselves　in　the　struggles　of　parties；　can　be　said　to　be　applied

to　a　purpose　that　has　not　a　greater　tendency　to　evil　than　to

good。　The　simple　publication　of　documents；　perhaps；　may　form　some

exception　to　these　abuses；　but　even　they　are　so　much　filled　with

falsehoods；　fallacies；　audacious　historical　misstatements；

exaggerations；　and　every　other　abuse；　naturally　connected　with

such　struggles；　that　we　are　compelled　to　yield　them　our　respect

and　credulity　with　large　allowances　for　caution　and　truth。　Were

this　the　place；　and　did　our　limits　permit；　we　would　gladly　pursue

this　subject；　for　so　completely　has　the　hurrah　of　popular　sway

looked　down　everything　like　real　freedom　in　the　discussion　of

such　a　topic　as　to　render　the　voice　of　dissent　almost　unknown　to

us。　But　our　purpose　is　merely　to　show　what　probable　effects　are

to　flow　from　the　abuses　of　the　institutions　on　the　growth　of　the

great　commercial　mart　of　which　we　are　writing。



｛recourse　to　electors　=　the　Electoral　College｝



We　certainly　think　that　even　the　looseness　of　law；　legislation；

and　justice；　that　is　so　widely　spreading　itself　over　the　land；　is

not　exactly　unsuited　to　sustain　the　rapid　settlement　of　a

country。　No　doubt　men　accomplish　more　in　the　earlier　stages　of

society　when　perfectly　unfettered；　than　when　brought　under　the

control　of　those　principles　and　regulations　which　alone　can

render　society　permanently　secure　or　happy。　In　this　sense　even

the　abuses　to　which　we　have　slightly　alluded　may　be　tolerated；

which　it　would　be　impossible　to　endure　when　the　class　of　the

needy　become　formidable　from　its　numbers；　and　they　who　had　no

other　stake　in　society　than　their　naked　assistance；　could　combine

to　transfer　the　fruits　of　the　labors　of　the　more　industrious　and

successful　to　themselves　by　a　simple　recurrence　to　the　use　of　the

ballot　box。　We　do　not　say　that　such　is　to　be　the　fate　of　this

country；　for　the　great　results　that　seem　to　be　dependent　on　its

settlement　raise　a　hope　that　the　hand　of　Providence　may　yet　guide

us　in　safety　through　the　period　of　delusion；　and　the　reign　of

political　fallacies；　which　is　fast　drawing　around　us。　Evil　is　so

much　mixed　with　good　in　all　the　interests　of　life；　that　it　would

be　bold　to　pretend　to　predict　consequences　of　such　magnitude　in

the　history　of　any　nation。　But　we　feel　persuaded　that　radical

changes　must　speedily　come；　either　from　the　powerful　but

invisible　control　of　that　Being　who　effects　his　own　purposes　in

his