the origins of contemporary france-2-第52章

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explicit；　whose　enthusiasm　is　contagious；　who　cherish　no　scruples；

and　whose　presumption　is　unbounded。　　Thus　has　the　rigid　will　been

wrought　and　tempered　within　them；　the　inward　spring　of　energy　which；

being　daily　more　tightly　wound　up；　urges　them　on　to　propaganda　and

to　action。　…　During　the　second　half　of　the　year　1790　we　see　them

everywhere　following　the　example　of　the　Paris　Jacobins；　styling

themselves　friends　of　the　Constitution；　and　grouping　themselves

together　in　popular　associations。　　Each　town　and　village　gives　birth

to　a　club　of　patriots　who　regularly　every　evening；　or　several　times

a　week；　meet　〃for　the　purpose　of　co…operating　for　the　safety　of　the

commonwealth。〃＇34＇　This　is　a　new　and　spontaneous　organ；＇35＇　an

cancer　and　a　parasite；　which　develops　itself　in　the　social　body

alongside　of　its　legal　organizations。　　Its　growth　insensibly

increases；　attracting　to　itself　the　substance　of　the　others；

employing　them　for　its　own　ends；　substituting　itself　for　them；

acting　by　and　for　itself　alone；　a　sort　of　omnivorous　outgrowth　the

encroachment　of　which　is　irresistible；　not　only　because

circumstances　and　the　working　of　the　Constitution　nourish　it；　but

also　because　its　germ；　deposited　at　a　great　depth；　is　a　living

portion　of　the　Constitution　itself。



For；　placed　at　the　head　of　the　Constitution；　as　well　as　of　the

decrees　which　are　attached　to　it；　stands　the　Declaration　of　the

Rights　of　Man。　　According　to　this；　and　by　the　avowal　of　the

legislators　themselves；　there　are　two　parts　to　be　distinguished　in

the　law；　the　one　superior；　eternal；　inviolable；　which　is　the　self…

evident　principle；　and　the　other　inferior；　temporary；　and　open　to

discussion；　which　comprehends　more　or　less　exact　or　erroneous

applications　of　this　principle。　　No　application　of　the　law　is　valid

if　it　derogates　from　the　principle。　　No　institution　or　authority　is

entitled　to　obedience　if　it　is　opposed　to　the　rights　which　it　aims

to　guarantee。　　These　sacred　rights；　anterior　to　all　society；　take

precedence　of　every　social　convention；　and　whenever　we　would　know　if

a　legal　order　is　legitimate；　we　have　merely　to　ascertain　if　it　is　in

conformity　with　natural　right。　　Let　us；　accordingly；　in　every

doubtful　or　difficult　case；　refer　to　this　philosophic　gospel；　to

this　incontestable　catechism；　this　primordial　creed　proclaimed　by

the　National　Assembly。　…　The　National　Assembly　itself　invites　us　to

do　so。　　For　it　announces　that



〃ignorance；　neglect；　or　contempt　of　the　rights　of　man　are　the　sole

causes

　　of　public　misfortune；　　and　of　the　corruption　of　governments。〃



It　declares　that



〃the　object　of　every　political　association　is　the　preservation　of

natural　and

　imprescriptible　rights。〃



It　enumerates　them；　〃in　order　that　the　acts　of　legislative　power　and

the　acts　of　executive　power　may　at　once　be　compared　with　the　purpose

of　every　political　institution。〃　It　desires　〃that　every　member　of

the　social　body　should　have　its　declaration　constantly　in　mind。〃　…

Thus　we　are　told　to　control　all　acts　of　application　by　the

principle；　and　also　we　are　provided　with　the　rule　by　which　we　may

and　should　accord；　measure；　or　even　refuse　our　submission　to；

deference　for；　and　toleration　of　established　institutions　and　legal

authority。



What　are　these　superior　rights；　and；　in　case　of　dispute；　who　will

decide　as　arbitrator？　…　There　is　nothing　here　like　the　precise

declarations　of　the　American　Constitution；＇36＇　those　positive

prescriptions　which　serve　to　sustain　a　judicial　appeal；　those

express　prohibitions　which　prevent　beforehand　certain　species　of

laws　from　being　passed；　which　prescribe　limits　to　public　powers；

which　mark　out　the　province　not　to　be　invaded　by　the　State　because

it　is　reserved　to　the　individual。



On　the　contrary；　in　the　declaration　of　the　national　Assembly；　most

of　the　articles　are　abstract　dogmas；＇37＇　metaphysical　definitions；

more　or　less　literary　axioms；　that　is　to　say；　more　or　less　false；

now　vague　and　now　contradictory；　open　to　various　interpretations　and

to　opposite　constructions；　These　are　good　for　platform　display　but

bad　in　practice；　mere　stage　effect；　a　sort　of　pompous　standard；

useless　and　heavy；　which；　hoisted　in　front　of　the　Constitutional

house　and　shaken　every　day　by　violent　hands；　cannot　fail　soon　to

tumble　on　the　heads　of　passers　by。＇38＇　…　　Nothing　is　done　to　ward

off　this　visible　danger。　　There　is　nothing　here　like　that　Supreme

Court　which；　in　the　United　States；　guards　the　Constitution　even

against　its　Congress；　and　which；　in　the　name　of　the　Constitution；

actually　invalidates　a　law；　even　when　it　has　passed　through　all

formalities　and　been　voted　on　by　all　the　powers；　which　listens　to

the　complaints　of　the　individual　affected　by　an　unconstitutional

law；　which　stays　the　sheriff's　or　collector's　hand　raised　against

him；　and　which　above　their　heads　gives　judgment　on　his　interests　and

wrongs。　　Ill…defined　and　discordant　laws　are　proclaimed　without　any

provision　being　made　for　their　interpretation；　application　or

sanction。　　No　means　are　taken　to　have　them　specially　expounded。　　No

district　tribunal　is　assigned　to　consider　the　claims　which　grow　out

of　them；　to　put　an　end　to　litigation　legally；　peacefully；　on　a　last

appeal；　and　through　a　final　decision　which　becomes　a　precedent　and

fixes　the　loose　sense　of　the　text。　　All　this　is　made　the　duty　of

everybody；　that　is　to　say　of　those　who　are　disposed　to　charge

themselves　with　it；　…　in　other　words；　the　active　minority　in　council

assembled。　…　Thus；　in　each　town　or　village　it　is　the　local　club

which；　by　the　authorization　of　the　legislator　himself；　becomes　the

champion；　judge；　interpreter　and　administrator　of　the　rights　of　man；

and　which；　in　the　name　of　these　superior　rights；　may　protest　or

rebel；　as　it　seems　best；　not　only　against　the　legitimate　acts　of

legal　powers；　but　also　against　the　authentic　text　of　the

Constitution　and　the　Laws。＇39＇



Consider；　indeed；　these　rights　as　they　are　proclaimed；　along　with

the　commentary　of　the　speaker　who　expounds　them　at　the　club　before

an　audience　of　heated　and　daring　spirits；　or　in　the　street　to　the

rude　and　fanatical　multitude。　　Every　article　in　the　Declaration　is　a

dagger　pointed　at　human　society；　and　the　handle　has　only　to　be

pressed　to　make　the　blade　enter　the　flesh。＇40＇　　Among　〃these　natural

and　imprescriptible　rights〃　the　legislator　has　placed　〃resistance　to

oppression。〃　We　are　oppressed　：　let　us　resist　and　take　up　arms。

According　to　this　legislator；　〃society　has　the　right　to　bring　every

public　agent　of　the　Administration　to　account。〃　Let　us　away　to　the

H？tel…de…Ville；　and　interrogate　our　lukewarm　or　suspected

magistrates；　and　watch　their　sessions　to　see　if　they　prosecute

priests　and　disarm　the　aristocrats；　let　us　stop　their　intrigues

against　the　people；　let　us　force　these　slow　clerks　to　hasten　their

steps。　…　According　to　this　legislator　〃all　citizens　have　the　right

to　take　part　in　person；　or　through　their　representatives；　in　the

formation　of　the　law。〃　There　must　thus　be　no　more　electors

privileged　by　their　payment　of　a　three…franc　tax。　　Down　with　the　new

aristocracy　of　active　citizens！　Let　us　restore　to　the　two　millions

of　proletarians　the　right　of　suffrage；　of　which　the　Constitution　has

unjustly　defrauded　them！　…　According　to　this　legislator；　〃men　are

born　and　remain　free；　and　equal　in　their　rights。〃　Consequently；　let

no　one　be　excluded　from　the　National　Guard；　let　everybody；　even　the

pauper；　have　some　kind　of　weapon；　a　pike　or　gun；　to　defend　his

freedom！　…　In　the　very　terms　of　the　Declaration；　〃the　law　is　the

expression　of　the　universal　will。〃　Listen　to　these　clamors　in　the

open　streets；　to　these　petitions　flowing　in　from　the　towns　on　all

sides；　behold　the　universal　will；　the　living　law　which　abolishes　the

written　law！　On　the　strength　of　this　the　leader　of　a　few　clubs　in

Paris　are　to　depose　the　King；　to　violate　the　Legislative　Assembly

and　decimate　the　National　Convention。　…　In　other　terms；　the

turbulent；　factious　minority　is　to　supplant　the　sovereign　nation；

and　henceforth　there　is　nothing　to　hinder　it　from　doing　what　it

pleases　just　when　it　pleases。　　The　operation　of　the　Constitution　has

given　to　it　the　reality　of　power；　while　the　preamble　of　the

Constitution　clothes　it　with　the　semblance　of　right。







VI。　　Summary　of　the　work　of　the　Constituent　Assembly。



Such　is　the　work　of　the　Constituent　Assembly。　　In　several　of　its

laws；　especially　those　which　relate　to　private　interests；　in　the

institution　of　civil　regulations；　in　the　penal　and　rural　codes；＇41＇

in　the　first　attempts　at；　and　the　promise　of；　a　uniform　civil　code；

in　the　enunciation　of　a　few　simple　regulations　regarding　taxation；

procedure；　and　administration；　it　planted　good　seed。　　But　in　all

that　relates　to　political　institutions　and　social　organization　its

proceedings　are　those　of　an　academy　of　Utopians；　and　not　those　of

practical　legislators。　…　On　the　sick　body　entrusted　to　it；　it

performed　amputations　which　were　as　useless　as　they　were　excessive；

and　applied　bandages　as　inadequate　as　they　were　injurious。　　With　the

exception　of　two　or　three　restrictions　admitted　inadvertently；　and

the　maintenance　of　the　show　of　royalty；　also　the　obligation　of　a

small　electoral　qualification；　it　carried　out　its　principle　to　the

end；　the　principle　of　Rousseau。　　It　deliberately　refused　to　consider

man　as　he　really　was　under　its　own　eyes；　and　persisted　in　seeing

nothing　in　him　but　the　abstract　being　created　in　books。

Consequently；　with　the　blindness　and　obstinacy　characteristic　of　a

speculative　surgeon；　it　destroyed；　in　the　society　submitted　to　its

scalpel　and　its　theories；　not　only　the　tumors；　the　enlargements；　and

the　inflamed　parts　of　the　organs；　but　also　the　organs　themselves；

and　even　the　vital　governing　centers　around　which　cells　arrange

themselves　to　recompose　an　injured　organ。　　That　is；　the　Assembly

destroyed　on　the　one　hand　the　time…honored；　spontaneous；　and　lasting

societies　formed　by　geographical　position；　history；　common

occupations　and　interests；　and　on　the　other；　those　natural　chiefs

whose　name；　repute；　education；　independence；　and　earnestness

designated　them　as　the　best　qualified　to　occupy　high　positions。　　In

one　direction　it　despoils　and　permits　the　ruin　and　proscription　of

the　superior　class；　the　nobles；　the　members　of　Parliament；　and　the

upper　middle　class。　　In　another　it　dispossesses　and　breaks　up　all

historic　or　natural　corporations；　religious　congregations；　clerical

bodies；　provinces；　parliaments；　societies　of　art　and　of　all　other

professions　and　pursuits。　　This　done；　every　tie　or　bond　which　holds

men　together　is　found　to　be　severed；　all　subordination　and　every

graduated　scale　of　rank　have　disappeared。　　There　is　no　longer　rank

and　file；　or　commander…in…chief。　　Nothing　remains　but　individual

particles；　26　millions　of　equal　and　disconnected　atoms。　　Never　was

so　much　disintegrated　matter；　less　capable　of　resistance；　offer