第98章

Suchagovernmentisevidentlyrestrainedtoverynarrowlimitsofspaceandpopulation。IdoubtifitwouldbepracticablebeyondtheextentofaNewEnglandtownship。Thefirstshadefromthispureelement，which，likethatofpurevitalair，cannotsustainlifeofitself，wouldbewherethepowersofthegovernment，beingdivided，shouldbeexercisedeachbyrepresentativeschoseneither_prohacvice_，orforsuchshorttermsasshouldrendersecurethedutyofexpressingthewilloftheirconstituents。ThisIshouldconsiderasthenearestapproachtoapurerepublic，whichispracticableonalargescaleofcountryorpopulation。AndwehaveexamplesofitinsomeofourStatesconstitutions，which，ifnotpoisonedbypriest-craft，wouldproveitsexcellenceoverallmixtureswithotherelements；and，withonlyequaldosesofpoison，wouldstillbethebest。Othershadesofrepublicanismmaybefoundinotherformsofgovernment，wheretheexecutive，judiciaryandlegislativefunctions，andthedifferentbranchesofthelatter，arechosenbythepeoplemoreorlessdirectly，forlongertermsofyearsorforlife，ormadehereditary；orwheretherearemixturesofauthorities，somedependenton，andothersindependentofthepeople。Thefurtherthedeparturefromdirectandconstantcontrolbythecitizens，thelesshasthegovernmentoftheingredientofrepublicanism；evidentlynonewheretheauthoritiesarehereditary，asinFrance，Venice，&c。，orself-chosen，asinHolland；andlittle，whereforlife，inproportionasthelifecontinuesinbeingaftertheactofelection。

ThepurestrepublicanfeatureinthegovernmentofourownState，istheHouseofRepresentatives。TheSenateisequallysothefirstyear，lessthesecond，andsoon。TheExecutivestillless，becausenotchosenbythepeopledirectly。TheJudiciaryseriouslyanti-republican，becauseforlife；andthenationalarmwielded，asyouobserve，bymilitaryleadersirresponsiblebuttothemselves。

Addtothistheviciousconstitutionofourcountycourts(towhomthejustice，theexecutiveadministration，thetaxation，police，themilitaryappointmentsofthecounty，andnearlyallourdailyconcernsareconfided)，self-appointed，self-continued，holdingtheirauthoritiesforlife，andwithanimpossibilityofbreakinginontheperpetualsuccessionofanyfactiononcepossessedofthebench。

Theyareintruth，theexecutive，thejudiciary，andthemilitaryoftheirrespectivecounties，andthesumofthecountiesmakestheState。Andadd，also，thatonehalfofourbrethrenwhofightandpaytaxes，areexcluded，likeHelots，fromtherightsofrepresentation，asifsocietywereinstitutedforthesoil，andnotforthemeninhabitingit；oronehalfofthesecoulddisposeoftherightsandthewilloftheotherhalf，withouttheirconsent。”WhatconstitutesaState?

Nothigh-raisedbattlements，orlabor’dmound，Thickwall，ormoatedgate；

Notcitiesproud，withspiresandturretscrown’d；

No：men，highmindedmen；

Men，whotheirdutiesknow；

Butknowtheirrights；andknowing，daremaintain。

TheseconstituteaState。”

IntheGeneralGovernment，theHouseofRepresentativesismainlyrepublican；theSenatescarcelysoatall，asnotelectedbythepeopledirectly，andsolongsecuredevenagainstthosewhodoelectthem；theExecutivemorerepublicanthantheSenate，fromitsshorterterm，itselectionbythepeople，in_practice_，(fortheyvoteforAonlyonanassurancethathewillvoteforB，)andbecause，_inpracticealso_，aprincipleofrotationseemstobeinacourseofestablishment；thejudiciaryindependentofthenation，theircoercionbyimpeachmentbeingfoundnugatory。

If，then，thecontrolofthepeopleovertheorgansoftheirgovernmentbethemeasureofitsrepublicanism，andIconfessIknownoothermeasure，itmustbeagreedthatourgovernmentshavemuchlessofrepublicanismthanoughttohavebeenexpected；inotherwords，thatthepeoplehavelessregularcontrolovertheiragents，thantheirrightsandtheirinterestsrequire。AndthisIascribe，nottoanywantofrepublicandispositionsinthosewhoformedtheseconstitutions，buttoasubmissionoftrueprincipletoEuropeanauthorities，tospeculatorsongovernment，whosefearsofthepeoplehavebeeninspiredbythepopulaceoftheirowngreatcities，andwereunjustlyentertainedagainsttheindependent，thehappy，andthereforeorderlycitizensoftheUnitedStates。MuchIapprehendthatthegoldenmomentispastforreformingtheseheresies。Thefunctionariesofpublicpowerrarelystrengthenintheirdispositionstoabridgeit，andanunorganizedcallfortimelyamendmentisnotlikelytoprevailagainstanorganizedoppositiontoit。Wearealwaystoldthatthingsaregoingonwell；whychangethem?_”Chistabene，nonsimuove，”_saidtheItalian，”lethimwhostandswell，standstill。”Thisistrue；andIverilybelievetheywouldgoonwellwithusunderanabsolutemonarch，whileourpresentcharacterremains，oforder，industryandloveofpeace，andrestrained，ashewouldbe，bytheproperspiritofthepeople。Butitiswhileitremainssuch，weshouldprovideagainsttheconsequencesofitsdeterioration。Andletusrestinthehopethatitwillyetbedone，andspareourselvesthepainofevilswhichmayneverhappen。

Onthisviewoftheimportoftheterm_republic_，insteadofsaying，ashasbeensaid，”thatitmaymeananythingornothing，”wemaysaywithtruthandmeaning，thatgovernmentsaremoreorlessrepublicanastheyhavemoreorlessoftheelementofpopularelectionandcontrolintheircomp