thoughts on man-第50部分

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Opulence　has　two　ways　of　this　grosser　sort；　by　which　it　may　enable　its　possessor　to　command　the　man　below　him；punishment　and　reward。　　As　the　holder；　for　example；　of　a　large　landed　estate；　or　the　administrator　of　an　ample　income；　may　punish　the　man　who　shews　himself　refractory　to　his　will；　so　he　may　also　reward　the　individual　who　yields　to　his　suggestions。　　This；　in　whatever　form　it　presents　itself；　may　be　classed　under　the　general　head　of　bribery。

The　remedy　for　all　this　therefore；　real　or　potential；　mischief；　is　said　to　lie　in　the　vote　by　ballot；　a　contrivance；　by　means　of　which　every　man　shall　be　enabled　to　give　his　vote　in　favour　of　or　against　any　candidate　that　shall　be　nominated；　in　absolute　secrecy；　without　it　being　possible　for　any　one　to　discover　on　which　side　the　elector　decided；nay；　a　contrivance；　by　which　the　elector　is　invited　to　practise　mystery　and　concealment；　inasmuch　as　it　would　seem　an　impertinence　in　him　to　speak　out；　when　the　law　is　expressly　constructed　to　bid　him　act　and　be　silent。　　If　he　speaks；　he　is　guilty　of　a　sort　of　libel　on　his　brother…electors；　who　are　hereby　implicitly　reproached　by　him　for　their　impenetrableness　and　cowardice。

We　are　told　that　the　institution　of　the　ballot　is　indispensible　to　the　existence　of　a　free　state；　in　a　country　where　the　goods　of　fortune　are　unequally　distributed。　　In　England；　as　the　right　of　sending　members　to　parliament　is　apportioned　at　the　time　I　am　writing；　the　power　of　electing　is　bestowed　with　such　glaring　inequality；　and　the　number　of　electors　in　many　cases　is　so　insignificant；　as　inevitably　to　give　to　the　noble　and　the　rich　the　means　of　appointing　almost　any　representatives　they　think　fit；　so　that　the　house　of　commons　may　more　justly　be　styled　the　nominees　of　the　upper　house；　than　the　deputies　of　the　nation。　　And　it　is　further　said；　Remedy　this　inequality　as　much　as　you　please；　and　reform　the　state　of　the　representation　to　whatever　degree；　still；　so　long　as　the　votes　at　elections　are　required　to　be　given　openly；　the　reform　will　be　unavailing；　and　the　essential　part　of　the　mischief　will　remain。　　The　right　of　giving　our　votes　in　secrecy；　is　the　only　remedy　that　can　cut　off　the　ascendancy　of　the　more　opulent　members　of　the　community　over　the　rest；　and　give　us　the　substance　of　liberty；　instead　of　cheating　us　with　the　shadow。

On　the　other　side　I　would　beg　the　reader　to　consider；　that　the　vote　by　ballot；　in　its　obvious　construction；　is　not　the　symbol　of　liberty；　but　of　slavery。　　What　is　it；　that　presents　to　every　eye　the　image　of　liberty；　and　compels　every　heart　to　confess；　This　is　the　temple　where　she　resides？　　An　open　front；　a　steady　and　assured　look；　an　habitual　and　uninterrupted　commerce　between　the　heart　and　the　tongue。　　The　free　man　communicates　with　his　neighbour；　not　in　corners　and　concealed　places；　but　in　market…places　and　scenes　of　public　resort；　and　it　is　thus　that　the　sacred　spark　is　caught　from　man　to　man；　till　all　are　inspired　with　a　common　flame。　　Communication　and　publicity　are　of　the　essence　of　liberty；　it　is　the　air　they　breathe；　and　without　it　they　die。

If　on　the　contrary　I　would　characterise　a　despotism；　I　should　say；　It　implied　a　certain　circumference　of　soil；　through　whose　divisions　and　districts　every　man　suspected　his　neighbour；　where　every　man　was　haunted　with　the　terror　that　〃walls　have　ears；〃　and　only　whispered　his　discontent；　his　hopes　and　his　fears；　to　the　trees　of　the　forest　and　the　silent　streams。　　If　the　dwellers　on　this　soil　consulted　together；　it　would　be　in　secret　cabals　and　with　closed　doors；　engaging　in　the　sacred　cause　of　public　welfare　and　happiness；　as　if　it　were　a　thing　of　guilt；　which　the　conspirator　scarcely　ventured　to　confess　to　his　own　heart。

A　shrewd　person　of　my　acquaintance　the　other　day；　to　whom　I　unadvisedly　proposed　a　question　as　to　what　he　thought　of　some　public　transaction；　instantly　replied　with　symptoms　of　alarm；　〃I　beg　to　say　that　I　never　disclose　my　opinions　upon　matters　either　of　religion　or　politics　to　any　one。〃　　What　did　this　answer　imply　as　to　the　political　government　of　the　country　where　it　was　given？

Is　it　characteristic　of　a　free　state　or　a　tyranny？

One　of　the　first　and　highest　duties　that　falls　to　the　lot　of　a　human　creature；　is　that　which　he　owes　to　the　aggregate　of　reasonable　beings　inhabiting　what　he　calls　his　country。　　Our　duties　are　then　most　solemn　and　elevating；　when　they　are　calculated　to　affect　the　well　being　of　the　greatest　number　of　men；　and　of　consequence　what　a　patriot　owes　to　his　native　soil　is　the　noblest　theatre　for　his　moral　faculties。　　And　shall　we　teach　men　to　discharge　this　debt　in　the　dark？　　Surely　every　man　ought　to　be　able　to　〃render　a　reason　of　the　hope　that　is　in　him；〃　and　give　a　modest；　but　an　assured；　account　of　his　political　conduct。　　When　he　approaches　the　hustings　at　the　period　of　a　public　election；　this　is　his　altar；　where　he　sacrifices　in　the　face　of　men　to　that　deity；　which　is　most　worth　his　adoration　of　all　the　powers　whose　single　province　is　our　sublunary　state。

But　the　principle　of　the　institution　of　ballot　is　to　teach　men　to　perform　their　best　actions　under　the　cloke　of　concealment。　　When　I　return　from　giving　my　vote　in　the　choice　of　a　legislative　representative；　I　ought；　if　my　mode　of　proceeding　were　regulated　by　the　undebauched　feelings　of　our　nature；　to　feel　somewhat　proud　that　I　had　discharged　this　duty；　uninfluenced；　uncorrupted；　in　the　sincere　frame　of　a　conscientious　spirit。　　But　the　institution　of　ballot　instigates　me　carefully　to　conceal　what　I　have　done。　　If　I　am　questioned　respecting　it；　the　proper　reply　which　is　as　it　were　put　into　my　mouth　is；　〃You　have　no　right　to　ask　me；　and　I　shall　not　tell。〃　But；　as　every　man　does　not　recollect　the　proper　reply　at　the　moment　it　is　wanted；　and　most　men　feel　abashed；　when　a　direct　question　is　put　to　them　to　which　they　know　they　are　not　to　return　a　direct　answer；　many　will　stammer　and　feel　confused；　will　perhaps　insinuate　a　falshood；　while　at　the　same　time　their　manner　to　a　discerning　eye　will；　in　spite　of　all　their　precautions；　disclose　the　very　truth。

The　institution　of　ballot　not　only　teaches　us　that　our　best　actions　are　those　which　we　ought　most　steadily　to　disavow；　but　carries　distrust　and　suspicion　into　all　our　most　familiar　relations。　　The　man　I　want　to　deceive；　and　throw　out　in　the　keenness　of　his　hunting；　is　my　landlord。　　But　how　shall　I　most　effectually　conceal　the　truth　from　him？　　May　I　be　allowed　to　tell　it　to　my　wife　or　my　child？　　I　had　better　not。　　It　is　a　known　maxim　of　worldly　prudence；　that　the　truth　which　may　be　a　source　of　serious　injury　to　me；　is　safest；　when　it　is　shut　up　in　my　own　bosom。　　If　I　once　let　it　out；　there　is　no　saying　where　the　communication　may　stop。　　〃Day　unto　day　uttereth　speech；　and　night　unto　night　sheweth　forth　knowledge。〃

And　is　this　the　proud　attitude　of　liberty；　to　which　we　are　so　eager　to　aspire？　　After　all；　there　will　be　some　ingenuous　men　in　the　community；　who　will　not　know　how　for　ever　to　suppress　what　is　dearest　to　their　hearts。　　But　at　any　rate　this　institution　holds　out　a　prize　to　him　that　shall　be　most　secret　and　untraceable　in　his　proceedings；　that　shall　〃shoe　his　horses　with　felt；〃　and　proceed　in　all　his　courses　with　silence　and　suspicion。

The　first　principle　of　morality　to　social　man　is；　that　we　act　under　the　eye　of　our　fellows。　　The　truly　virtuous　man　would　do　as　he　ought；　though　no　eye　observed　him。　　Persons；　it　is　true；　who　deport　themselves　merely　as　〃men…pleasers；〃　for　ever　considering　how　the　by…standers　will　pronounce　of　their　conduct；　are　entitled　to　small　commendation。　　The　good　man；　it　is　certain；　will　see

　　　　　To　do　what　virtue　would；　though　sun　and　moon　　　　　　Were　in　the　flat　sea　sunk。

But；　imperfect　creatures　as　we　mortals　usually　are；　these　things　act　and　react　upon　each　other。　　A　man　of　honourable　intentions　will　demean　himself　justly；　from　the　love　of　right。　　But　he　is　confirmed　in　his　just　dealing　by　the　approbation　of　his　fellows；　and；　if　he　were　tempted　to　step　awry；　he　would　be　checked　by　the　anticipation　of　their　censure。　　Such　is　the　nature　of　our　moral　education。　　It　is　with　virtue；　as　it　is　with　literary　fame。　　If　I　write　well；　I　can　scarcely　feel　secure　that　I　do　so；　till　I　obtain　the　suffrage　of　some　competent　judges；　confirming　the　verdict　which　I　was　before　tempted　to　pronounce　in　my　own　favour。

This　acting　as　in　a　theatre；　where　men　and　Gods　are　judges　of　my　conduct；　is　the　true　destination　of　man；　and　we　cannot　violate　the　universal　law　under　which　we　were　born；　without　having　reason　to　fear　the　most　injurious　effects。

And　is　this　mysterious　and　concealed　way　of　proceeding　one　of　the　forms　through　which　we　are　to　pass　in　the　school　of　liberty？　　The　great　end　of　all　liberal　institutions　is；　to　make　a　man　fearless；　frank　as　the　day；　acting　from　a　lively　and　earnest　impulse；　which　will　not　be　restrained；　disdains　all　half…measures；　and　prompts　us；　as　it　were；　to　carry　our　hearts　in　our　hands；　for　all　men　to　challenge；　and　all　men　to　comment　on。　　It　is　true；　that　the　devisers　of　liberal　institutions　will　have　foremost　in　their　thoughts；　how　men　shall　be　secure　in　their　personal　liberty；　unrestrained　in　the　execution　of　what　their　thoughts　prompt　them　to　do；　and　uncontrolled　in　the　administration　of　the　fruits