new york-第6章

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changes　must　speedily　come；　either　from　the　powerful　but

invisible　control　of　that　Being　who　effects　his　own　purposes　in

his　own　wise　ways；　or　the　time　is　much　nearer　than　is　ordinarily

supposed　when　the　very　existence　of　the　political　institutions　of

this　country　are　to　be　brought　to　the　test　of　the　severest

practical　experiment。　The　downward　tendency　can　hardly　proceed

much　further　with　the　smallest　necessary　security　to　the　rights

of　civilized　men。　When　a　legislative　body　can　be　brought　solemnly

to　decide　by　its　vote　that　because　the　principles　of　law　leave

them　the　control　of　the　rules　for　the　descent　of　property；

therefore；　whenever　a　landlord　may　happen　to　die；　his　tenant

shall　have　the　privilege　of　converting　his　leasehold　estate　into

a　fee　on　which　the　debt　is　secured　in　the　shape　of　mortgage；

there　is　little　left　in　the　way　of　security　to　the　affluent　and

unrepresented。　They　must　unite　their　means　to　prevent

destruction；　and　woe　to　that　land　which　gives　so　plausible　an

excuse　to　the　rich　and　intelligent　for　combining　their　means　to

overturn　the　liberties　of　a　nation；　as　is　to　be　found　in　abuses

like　those　just　named。　We　very　well　know　that　the　idea　is

prevalent　among　us　of　the　irresistible　power　of　popular　sway；　but

he　has　lived　in　vain　who　has　seen　the　course　of　events　in　other

nations　for　the　last　half　century；　and　has　not　made　the　discovery

that　men　in　political　matters　become　the　servants　of　money　as

certainly　and　almost　as　actively　as　the　spirits　of　the　lamp　were

made　to　do　the　bidding　of　Aladdin。　To　us；　it　would　seem　that　the

future　of　this　country　holds　out　but　three　possible　solutions　of

the　tendencies　of　the　present　timeviz。　the　bayonet；　a　return　to

the　true　principles　of　the　original　government；　or　the　sway　of

money。　For　the　first　it　may　be　too　soon；　the　pressure　of　society

is　scarcely　sufficient　to　elevate　a　successful　soldier　to　the

height　of　despotism；　though　the　ladder　has　been　raised　more　than

once　against　the　citadel　of　the　Constitution　by　adventurers　of

this　character；　through　the　folly　and　heedless　impulses　of　the

masses。　Fifty　years　hence；　and　a　condition　of　society　will

probably　exist　among　us　that　would　effectually　have　carried　out

the　principle　of　despotic　rule　which　is　beginning　to　show　itself

in　the　bud　amongst　us；　and　which　is　nothing　more　than　the

shadowing　out　of　coming　events。



｛legislative　body　can　be　brought　=　the　New　York　State　legislature

had　enacted　laws　giving　certain　tenant　farmers　the　right　to

purchase　the　land　they　occupied；　thus　ending　one　of　the　causes　of

the　so…called　〃anti…rent　wars〃　of　the　1840s　in　upstate　New　York｝



Notwithstanding　all　these　obvious　tendencies　and　the　manifest

dangers　that　beset　the　real　liberties　of　the　country；　we　do　not

see　that　any　material　influence　will　be　brought　by　them　to　bear

upon　the　fortunes　and　ascendancy　of　the　particular　place　of　which

we　are　writing。　Even　political　despotism　in　this　age　would

necessarily　respect　the　ordinary　rights　of　commerce；　and　quite

probably　the　greater　security　that　would　be　given　to　property；

the　increased　dignity　and　authority　of　the　courts　of　justice；　and

the　visible　control　of　a　vigilant　and　efficient　government　might

rather　have　a　tendency　to　build　up　than　to　check　the　progress　of

the　capital　of　any　country。



Civil　war；　in　our　view；　can　alone　produce　any　material　checks　to

the　prosperity　of　these　towns　of　Manhattan。　Against　the　malign

influence　of　so　great　a　source　of　evil　no　one　can　with　discretion

venture　to　predict　the　consequences。　But　we　do　not　think　that　it

enters　into　the　spirit　of　the　true　American　character；　so

remarkable　for　its　mildness　and　disposition　to　mercy；　in　carrying

out　the　powers　of　government；　to　permit　such　a　struggle　as　would

be　likely　to　produce　long…continued；　or　very　withering　local

distress。　Compromises　in　some　form　or　other　would　be　resorted　to；

to　restore　the　course　of　the　commerce　of　the　country；　and

although　it　might　be；　and　probably　would　be；　that　this　could　only

be　accomplished　in　the　midst　of　the　triumph　of　disorder；

irresponsibility；　and　the　derangement　of　most　that　is　necessary

to　permanent　security　and　quiet；　a　set　of　laws　would　arise　for

the　control　of　the　affairs　of　the　towns　that　would　exercise　their

sway；　without　any　appeal　to　regularly　constituted　authority；

beyond　that　of　the　law　of　necessity。　At　this　very　moment；　when　we

have　all　the　machinery　of　an　efficient　government　around　us；　and

one　has　a　right　to　look　to　the　courts　for　the　protection　of　his

rights；　a　thousand　dollars　of　debt　are　secured　and　paid　in　a

place　like　that　of　New　York；　by　the　sole　influence　of　commercial

opinion；　where　one　dollar　is　secured　and　paid　by　the　process　of

law。　Trade　issues　its　own　edicts；　and　they　are　ordinarily　found

to　be　too　powerful　for　resistance；　wherever　there　are　the

concentrated　means　of　rendering　them　formidable　by　the　magnitude

of　the　interests　they　control。



We　see；　then；　nothing　in　the　future　that　is　very　likely　seriously

to　disturb　the　continued　growth　and　increasing　ascendancy　of　the

great　mart　of　the　country。　A　trading　people　will　pursue　its

interests　under　any　conceivable　or　tolerable　condition　of　things。

It　would　require　a　generation　or　two；　indeed；　to　obliterate；　or

even　sensibly　to　diminish　the　habits　and　opinions　now　in

existence　among　the　people；　and　it　must　ever　be　remembered　that

society　pursues　its　regular　course　more　or　less　successfully；

according　to　circumstances；　even　in　the　midst　of　revolution；　war；

and　rapine。　A　battle　is　fought　to…day；　and　a　month　hence　it

becomes　difficult　to　discover　its　traces；　over　which　the　p｛l｝ough

has　already　passed；　and　among　which　the　husbandman　is　resuming

his　toil；　as　he　replaces　his　fences；　and　clears　away　his　fallen

trees　after　the　passage　of　the　whirlwind。　It　follows　from　these

views；　and　this　course　of　reasoning；　which　might　be　greatly

extended　and　much　more　satisfactorily　developed；　that　political

changes　have　less　direct　influence　on　the　ordinary　march　of

society　than　is　commonly　supposed。　The　spirit　of　the　age　is　and

must　be　respected　by　rulers　of　every　shade　of　character；　and　the

fourth　estate；　as　opinion　is　commonly　termed；　enters　largely　into

the　ordinary　action　of　every　form　of　government　or　combination　of

social　organization　that　the　accidents　of　history　have　produced；

or　the　sagacity　and　wants　of　men　have　more　ambitiously　paraded

before　the　eyes　of　their　fellow　creatures。　When　we　couple　with

these　facts　the　certainty　that　there　are　undercurrents　which

enable　ordinary　society；　trade；　and　all　the　other　active　and

daily　recurring　interests　of　life；　to　manage　their　own　affairs

more　or　less　in　their　own　way；　it　is　not　easy　to　foresee　any

material　consequences　to　the　progress　of　a　place　like　this　at　the

mouth　of　the　Hudson；　that　can　trace　their　rise　to　the　future

course　of　political　events　in　the　country。　We　do　not　anticipate

any　apparent　dissolution　of　the　ordinary　ties　of　society；　for　we

know　that　nations　will　bear　burdens　of　this　nature　for　a　long

period　of　time；　without　struggling　or　making　the　effort　necessary

to　remove　them；　and　that　it　is　only　when　they　are　felt　to　be

intolerable　to　the　great　body　of　the　people　that　one　may

confidently　hope　for　redress　and　reformation。　Petty　wrongs　are

never　repaired　by　the　masses；　they　sometimes　vindicate　their

rights　by　means　of　the　strong　arm；　when　seriously　required　to　do

so；　but　in　general　the　wrong　is　endured；　and　the　victim　immolated

without　awakening　attention　or　leaving　any　regrets　among　those

who　escape　its　immediate　consequences。



It　has　long　been　a　subject　of　investigation　among　moralists；

whether　the　existence　of　towns　like　those　of　London；　Paris；　New

York；　&c。；　is　or　is　not　favorable　to　the　development　of　the

better　qualities　of　the　human　character。　As　for　ourselves；　we　do

not　believe　any　more　in　the　superior　innocence　and　virtue　of　a

rural　population　than　in　that　of　the　largest　capitals；　perfectly

conscious　of　the　appalling　accumulation　of　vice；　and　sin；　and

crime　that　is　to　be　found　in　such　places　as　London　and　Paris；　and

even　in　New　York。　We　cannot　shut　our　eyes　to　the　numberless　evils

of　the　same　general　character　of　disobedience　to　the　law　of　God；

that　are　to　be　found　even　in　the　forest　and　the　most　secluded

dales　of　the　country。　If　there　be　incentives　to　wrong…doing　in

the　crowded　population　of　a　capital　town；　there　are　many

incentives　to　refinement；　public　virtue；　and　even　piety；　that　are

not　to　be　met　with　elsewhere。　In　this　respect　we　apprehend　that

good　and　evil　are　more　nearly　balanced　among　us　than　is　commonly

supposed；　and　we　doubt　if　it　were　possible　to　render　the　laws　a

dead　letter　in　the　streets　of　New　York；　as　has　been　done　around

the　bell　of　the　Capitol　at　Albany；　and　strictly　among　its　rural

population；　directly　beneath　the　eyes　of　the　highest　authority　of

the　State。　The　danger　to　valuable　and　movable　property　would　be

too　imminent；　and　those　who　felt　an　interest　in　its　preservation

would　not　fail　to　rally　in　its　defence。　It　is　precisely　on　this

principle　that　in　the　end　property　will　protect　itself　as　against

the　popular　inroads　which　are　inevitable；　should　the　present

tendencies　receive　no　check。　Calm；　disinterested；　and　judicious

legislation　is　a　thing　not　to　be　hoped　for。　It　never　occurs　in

any　state　of　society　except　under　the　pressure　of　great　events；

and　this　for　the　very　simple　reason　that　men；　acting　in　factions；

are　never　calm；　judicious；　or　disinterested。



｛around　the　bell　of　the　Capitol　=　Cooper　is　alluding　to　the

public　ferment　in　upstate　New　York；　during　the　〃anti…rent　wars〃

of　the　1840s；　resulting　in　laws　infringing；　in　Cooper's　view；　on

the　legal　contractual　and　property　rights　of　landowners｝



Nevertheless；　the　community　will　live　on；　suffer；　and　be　deluded：

it　may　even　fancy　itself　almost　within　reach　of　perfection；　but

it　will　live　on　to　be　disappointed。　There　is　no　such　thing　on

earth；　and　the　only　real　question　for　the　American　statesman　is

to　measure　the　results　of　different　defective　systems　for　the

government　of　the　human　race。　We　are　far　from　saying　that　our

own；　with　all　its　flagrant　and　obvious　defects；　will　be　the

worst；　more　especially　when　considered　solely　in　connection　with

whole　numbers；　though　we　cannot　deny；　nor　do　we　wish　to　conceal；

the　bitterness　of　the　wrongs　that　are　so　frequently　inflicted　by

the　many　on　the　few。　This　is；　perhaps；　the　worst　species　of

tyranny。　He　who　suffers　under　the　arbitrary　power　of　a　single

despot；　or　by　the　selfish　exactions　of　a　privileged　few；　is

certain　to　be　sustained　by　the　sympathies　of　the　masses。　But　he

who　is　crushed　by　the　masses　themselves；　must　look　beyond　the

limits　of　his　earthly　being　for　consolation　and　support。　The

wrongs　committed　by　democracies　are　of　the　most　cruel　character；

and　though　wanting　in　that　apparent　violence　and　sternness　that

marks　the　course　of　law