what is property-第80章

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d　not　believe　yesterday；　I　do　not　know　that　I　shall　believe　it　to…morrow〃？

No；　there　is　no　real　superiority　among　men；　since　all　talents　and　capacities　are　combined　never　in　one　individual。　　This　man　has　the　power　of　thought；　that　one　imagination　and　style；　still　another　industrial　and　commercial　capacity。　　By　our　very　nature　and　education；　we　possess　only　special　aptitudes　which　are　limited　and　confined；　and　which　become　consequently　more　necessary　as　they　gain　in　depth　and　strength。　　Capacities　are　to　each　other　as　functions　and　persons；　who　would　dare　to　classify　them　in　ranks？　　The　finest　genius　is；　by　the　laws　of　his　existence　and　development；　the　most　dependent　upon　the　society　which　creates　him。　　Who　would　dare　to　make　a　god　of　the　glorious　child？

〃It　is　not　strength　which　makes　the　man；〃　said　a　Hercules　of　the　market…place　to　the　admiring　crowd；　〃it　is　character。〃　　That　man；　who　had　only　his　muscles；　held　force　in　contempt。　　The　lesson　is　a　good　one；　proletaires；　we　should　profit　by　it。　　It　is　not　talent　（which　is　also　a　force）；　it　is　not　knowledge；　it　is　not　beauty　which　makes　the　man。　　It　is　heart；　courage；　will；　virtue。　　Now；　if　we　are　equal　in　that　which　makes　us　men；　how　can　the　accidental　distribution　of　secondary　faculties　detract　from　our　manhood？

Remember　that　privilege　is　naturally　and　inevitably　the　lot　of　the　weak；　and　do　not　be　misled　by　the　fame　which　accompanies　certain　talents　whose　greatest　merit　consists　in　their　rarity；　and　a　long　and　toilsome　apprenticeship。　　It　is　easier　for　M。　Lamennais　to　recite　a　philippic；　or　sing　a　humanitarian　ode　after　the　Platonic　fashion；　than　to　discover　a　single　useful　truth；　it　is　easier　for　an　economist　to　apply　the　laws　of　production　and　distribution　than　to　write　ten　lines　in　the　style　of　M。　Lamennais；　it　is　easier　for　both　to　speak　than　to　act。　　You；　then；　who　put　your　hands　to　the　work；　who　alone　truly　create；　why　do　you　wish　me　to　admit　your　inferiority？　　But；　what　am　I　saying？

Yes；　you　are　inferior；　for　you　lack　virtue　and　will！　　Ready　for　labor　and　for　battle；　you　have；　when　liberty　and　equality　are　in　question；　neither　courage　nor　character！

In　the　preface　to　his　pamphlet　on　〃Le　Pays　et　le　Gouvernement；〃　as　well　as　in　his　defence　before　the　jury；　M。　Lamennais　frankly　declared　himself　an　advocate　of　property。　　Out　of　regard　for　the　author　and　his　misfortune；　I　shall　abstain　from　characterizing　this　declaration；　and　from　examining　these　two　sorrowful　performances。　　M。　Lamennais　seems　to　be　only　the　tool　of　a　quasi…　radical　party；　which　flatters　him　in　order　to　use　him；　without　respect　for　a　glorious；　but　hence　forth　powerless；　old　age。　　What　means　this　profession　of　faith？　　From　the　first　number　of　〃L'Avenir〃　to　〃L'Esquisse　d'une　Philosophie；〃　M。　Lamennais　always　favors　equality；　association；　and　even　a　sort　of　vague　and　indefinite　communism。　　M。　Lamennais；　in　recognizing　the　right　of　property；　gives　the　lie　to　his　past　career；　and　renounces　his　most　generous　tendencies。　　Can　it；　then；　be　true　that　in　this　man；　who　has　been　too　roughly　treated；　but　who　is　also　too　easily　flattered；　strength　of　talent　has　already　outlived　strength　of　will？

It　is　said　that　M。　Lamennais　has　rejected　the　offers　of　several　of　his　friends　to　try　to　procure　for　him　a　commutation　of　his　sentence。　　M。　Lamennais　prefers　to　serve　out　his　time。　　May　not　this　affectation　of　a　false　stoicism　come　from　the　same　source　as　his　recognition　of　the　right　of　property？　　The　Huron；　when　taken　prisoner；　hurls　insults　and　threats　at　his　conqueror；that　is　the　heroism　of　the　savage；　the　martyr　prays　for　his　executioners；　and　is　willing　to　receive　from　them　his　life；that　is　the　heroism　of　the　Christian。　　Why　has　the　apostle　of　love　become　an　apostle　of　anger　and　revenge？　　Has；　then；　the　translator　of　〃L'Imitation〃　forgotten　that　he　who　offends　charity　cannot　honor　virtue？　　Galileo；　retracting　on　his　knees　before　the　tribunal　of　the　inquisition　his　heresy　in　regard　to　the　movement　of　the　earth；　and　recovering　at　that　price　his　liberty；　seems　to　me　a　hundred　times　grander　than　M。　Lamennais。　　What！　if　we　suffer　for　truth　and　justice；　must　we；　in　retaliation；　thrust　our　persecutors　outside　the　pale　of　human　society；　and；　when　sentenced　to　an　unjust　punishment；　must　we　decline　exemption　if　it　is　offered　to　us；　because　it　pleases　a　few　base　satellites　to　call　it　a　pardon？　　Such　is　not　the　wisdom　of　Christianity。　　But　I　forgot　that　in　the　presence　of　M。　Lamennais　this　name　is　no　longer　pronounced。　　May　the　prophet　of　〃L'Avenir〃　be　soon　restored　to　liberty　and　his　friends；　but；　above　all；　may　he　henceforth　derive　his　inspiration　only　from　his　genius　and　his　heart！

O　proletaires；　proletaires！　how　long　are　you　to　be　victimized　by　this　spirit　of　revenge　and　implacable　hatred　which　your　false　friends　kindle；　and　which；　perhaps；　has　done　more　harm　to　the　development　of　reformatory　ideas　than　the　corruption；　ignorance；　and　malice　of　the　government？　　Believe　me；　at　the　present　time　everybody　is　to　blame。　　In　fact；　in　intention；　or　in　example；　all　are　found　wanting；　and　you　have　no　right　to　accuse　any　one。　　The　king　himself　（God　forgive　me！　　I　do　not　like　to　justify　a　king）；the　king　himself　is；　like　his　predecessors；　only　the　personification　of　an　idea；　and　an　idea；　proletaires；　which　possesses　you　yet。　　His　greatest　wrong　consists　in　wishing　for　its　complete　realization；　while　you　wish　it　realized　only　partially；consequently；　in　being　logical　in　his　government；　while　you；　in　your　complaints；　are　not　at　all　so。　　You　clamor　for　a　second　regicide。　　He　that　is　without　sin　among　you；let　him　cast　at　the　prince　of　property　the　first　stone！

How　successful　you　would　have　been　if；　in　order　to　influence　men；　you　had　appealed　to　the　self…love　of　men；if；　in　order　to　alter　the　constitution　and　the　law；　you　had　placed　yourselves　within　the　constitution　and　the　law！　　Fifty　thousand　laws；　they　say；　make　up　our　political　and　civil　codes。　　Of　these　fifty　thousand　laws；　twenty…five　thousand　are　for　you；　twenty…five　thousand　against　you。　　Is　it　not　clear　that　your　duty　is　to　oppose　the　former　to　the　latter；　and　thus；　by　the　argument　of　contradiction；　drive　privilege　into　its　last　ditch？　　This　method　of　action　is　henceforth　the　only　useful　one；　being　the　only　moral　and　rational　one。

For　my　part；　if　I　had　the　ear　of　this　nation；　to　which　I　am　attached　by　birth　and　predilection；　with　no　intention　of　playing　the　leading　part　in　the　future　republic；　I　would　instruct　the　laboring　masses　to　conquer　property　through　institutions　and　judicial　pleadings；　to　seek　auxiliaries　and　accomplices　in　the　highest　ranks　of　society；　and　to　ruin　all　privileged　classes　by　taking　advantage　of　their　common　desire　for　power　and　popularity。

The　petition　for　the　electoral　reform　has　already　received　two　hundred　thousand　signatures；　and　the　illustrious　Arago　threatens　us　with　a　million。　　Surely；　that　will　be　well　done；　but　from　this　million　of　citizens；　who　are　as　willing　to　vote　for　an　emperor　as　for　equality；　could　we　not　select　ten　thousand　signaturesI　mean　bona　fide　signatureswhose　authors　can　read；　write；　cipher；　and　even　think　a　little；　and　whom　we　could　invite；　after　due　perusal　and　verbal　explanation；　to　sign　such　a　petition　as　the　following：


〃TO　HIS　EXCELLENCY　THE　MINISTER　OF　THE　INTERIOR：


〃MONSIEUR　LE　MINISTRE；On　the　day　when　a　royal　ordinance；　decreeing　the　establishment　of　model　national　workshops；　shall　appear　in　the　‘Moniteur；'　the　undersigned；　to　the　number　of　TEN　THOUSAND；　will　repair　to　the　Palace　of　the　Tuileries；　and　there；　with　all　the　power　of　their　lungs；　will　shout；　‘Long　live　Louis　Philippe！'

〃On　the　day　when　the　‘Moniteur'　shall　inform　the　public　that　this　petition　is　refused；　the　undersigned；　to　the　number　of　TEN　THOUSAND；　will　say　secretly　in　their　hearts；　‘Down　with　Louis　Philippe！'〃


If　I　am　not　mistaken；　such　a　petition　would　have　some　effect。＇1＇　　The　pleasure　of　a　popular　ovation　would　be　well　worth　the　sacrifice　of　a　few　millions。　　They　sow　so　much　to　reap　unpopularity！　　Then；　if　the　nation；　its　hopes　of　1830　restored；　should　feel　it　its　duty　to　keep　its　promise；and　it　would　keep　it；　for　the　word　of　the　nation　is；　like　that　of　God；　sacred；if；　I　say；　the　nation；　reconciled　by　this　act　with　the　public…spirited　monarchy；　should　bear　to　the　foot　of　the　throne　its　cheers　and　its　vows；　and　should　at　that　solemn　moment　choose　me　to　speak　in　its　name；　the　following　would　be　the　substance　of　my　speech：

＇1＇　　The　electoral　reform；　it　is　continually　asserted；　is　not　an　END；　but　a　MEANS。　　Undoubtedly；　but　what；　then；　is　the　end？　　Why　not　furnish　an　unequivocal　explanation　of　its　object？　　How　can　the　people　choose　their　representatives；　unless　they　know　in　advance　the　purpose　for　which　they　choose　them；　and　the　object　of　the　commission　which　they　entrust　to　them？

But；　it　is　said；　the　very　business　of　those　chosen　by　the　people　is　to　find　out　the　object　of　the　reform。

That　is　a　quibble。　　What　is　to　hinder　these　persons；　who　are　to　be　elected　in　future；　from　first　seeking　for　this　object；　and　then；　when　they　have　found　it；　from　communicating　it　to　the　people？　　The　reformers　have　well　said；　that；　while　the　object　of　the　electoral　reform　remains　in　the　least　indefinite；　it　will　be　only　a　means　of　transferring　power　from　the　hands　of　petty　tyrants　to　the　hands　of　other　tyrants。　　We　know　already　how　a　nation　may　be　oppressed　by　being　led　to　believe　that　it　is　obeying　only　its　own　laws。　　The　history　of　universal　suffrage；　among　all　nations；　is　the　history　of　the　restrictions　of　liberty　by　and　in　the　name　of　the　multitude。

Still；　if　the　electoral　reform；　in　its　present　shape；　were　rational；　practical；　acceptable　to　clean　consciences　and　upright　minds；　perhaps　one　might　be　excused；　though　ignorant　of　its　object；　for　supporting　it。　　But；　no；　the　text　of　the　petition　determines　nothing；　makes　no　distinctions；　requires　no　conditions；　no　guarantee；　it　establishes　the　right　without　the　duty。　　〃Every　Frenchman　is　a　voter；　and　eligible　to　office。〃　　As　well　say：　　〃Every　bayonet　is　intelligent；　every　savage　is　civilized；　every　slave　is　free。〃　　In　its　vague　generality；　the　reformatory　petition　is　the　weakest　of　abstractions；　or　the　highest　form　of　political　treason。　　Consequently；　the　enlightened　patriots　distrust　and　despise　each　other。　　The　most　radical　writer　of　the　time；he　whose　economical　and　social　theories　are；　without　comparison；　the　most　advanced；M。　Leroux；　has　taken　a　bold　stand　against　universal　suffrage　and　democratic　government；　and　has　written　an　exceedingly　keen　criticism　of　J。　J。　Rousseau。　　That　is　undoubtedly　the　reason　why　M。　Leroux　is　no　longer　the　philosopher　of　〃Le　National。〃　　That　journal；　like　Napoleon；　does　not　like　men　of　ideas。　　Nevertheless；　〃Le　National〃　ought　to　know　that　he　who　fights　against　ideas　will　perish　by　ideas。




〃SIRE；This　is　what　the　nation　wishes　to　say　to　your　Majesty：

〃O　King！　you　see　what　it　costs　to　gain　the　applause　of　the　citizens。　　Would　you　like　us　henceforth　to　take　for　our　motto：　　‘Let　us　help　the　King；　the　King　will　help　us'？　　Do　you　wish　the　people　to　cry：　　‘THE　KING　AND　THE　FRENCH　NATION'？　　Then　abandon　these　grasping　bankers；　these　quarrelsome　lawyers；　these　miserable　bourgeois；　these　infamous　writers；　these　dishonored　men。　　All　these；　Sire；　hate　you；　and　continue　to　s