19-on the duty of civil disobedience-第3章

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if　they　have　God　on　their　side；　without　waiting　for　that　other　one。

Moreover；　any　man　more　right　than　his　neighbors　constitutes　a

majority　of　one　already。

　　　　I　meet　this　American　government；　or　its　representative；　the

State　government；　directly；　and　face　to　face；　once　a　year　　no　more

　in　the　person　of　its　tax…gatherer；　this　is　the　only　mode　in　which

a　man　situated　as　I　am　necessarily　meets　it；　and　it　then　says

distinctly；　Recognize　me；　and　the　simplest；　the　most　effectual；　and；

in　the　present　posture　of　affairs；　the　indispensablest　mode　of

treating　with　it　on　this　head；　of　expressing　your　little

satisfaction　with　and　love　for　it；　is　to　deny　it　then。　　My　civil

neighbor；　the　tax…gatherer；　is　the　very　man　I　have　to　deal　with　

for　it　is；　after　all；　with　men　and　not　with　parchment　that　I　quarrel

　and　he　has　voluntarily　chosen　to　be　an　agent　of　the　government。

How　shall　he　ever　know　well　what　he　is　and　does　as　an　officer　of　the

government；　or　as　a　man；　until　he　is　obliged　to　consider　whether　he

shall　treat　me；　his　neighbor；　for　whom　he　has　respect；　as　a　neighbor

and　well…disposed　man；　or　as　a　maniac　and　disturber　of　the　peace；

and　see　if　he　can　get　over　this　obstruction　to　his　neighborliness

without　a　ruder　and　more　impetuous　thought　or　speech　corresponding

with　his　action？　　I　know　this　well；　that　if　one　thousand；　if　one

hundred；　if　ten　men　whom　I　could　name　　if　ten　honest　men　only　

ay；　if　one　HONEST　man；　in　this　State　of　Massachusetts；　ceasing　to

hold　slaves；　were　actually　to　withdraw　from　this　copartnership；　and

be　locked　up　in　the　county　jail　therefor；　it　would　be　the　abolition

of　slavery　in　America。　　For　it　matters　not　how　small　the　beginning

may　seem　to　be：　what　is　once　well　done　is　done　forever。　　But　we　love

better　to　talk　about　it：　that　we　say　is　our　mission。　　Reform　keeps

many　scores　of　newspapers　in　its　service；　but　not　one　man。　　If　my

esteemed　neighbor；　the　State's　ambassador；　who　will　devote　his　days

to　the　settlement　of　the　question　of　human　rights　in　the　Council

Chamber；　instead　of　being　threatened　with　the　prisons　of　Carolina；

were　to　sit　down　the　prisoner　of　Massachusetts；　that　State　which　is

so　anxious　to　foist　the　sin　of　slavery　upon　her　sister　　though　at

present　she　can　discover　only　an　act　of　inhospitality　to　be　the

ground　of　a　quarrel　with　her　　the　Legislature　would　not　wholly

waive　the　subject　the　following　winter。

　　　　Under　a　government　which　imprisons　any　unjustly；　the　true　place

for　a　just　man　is　also　a　prison。　　The　proper　place　to…day；　the　only

place　which　Massachusetts　has　provided　for　her　freer　and　less

desponding　spirits；　is　in　her　prisons；　to　be　put　out　and　locked　out

of　the　State　by　her　own　act；　as　they　have　already　put　themselves　out

by　their　principles。　　It　is　there　that　the　fugitive　slave；　and　the

Mexican　prisoner　on　parole；　and　the　Indian　come　to　plead　the　wrongs

of　his　race；　should　find　them；　on　that　separate；　but　more　free　and

honorable　ground；　where　the　State　places　those　who　are　not　with

her；　but　against　her　　the　only　house　in　a　slave　State　in　which　a

free　man　can　abide　with　honor。　　If　any　think　that　their　influence

would　be　lost　there；　and　their　voices　no　longer　afflict　the　ear　of

the　State；　that　they　would　not　be　as　an　enemy　within　its　walls；　they

do　not　know　by　how　much　truth　is　stronger　than　error；　nor　how　much

more　eloquently　and　effectively　he　can　combat　injustice　who　has

experienced　a　little　in　his　own　person。　　Cast　your　whole　vote；　not　a

strip　of　paper　merely；　but　your　whole　influence。　　A　minority　is

powerless　while　it　conforms　to　the　majority；　it　is　not　even　a

minority　then；　but　it　is　irresistible　when　it　clogs　by　its　whole

weight。　　If　the　alternative　is　to　keep　all　just　men　in　prison；　or

give　up　war　and　slavery；　the　State　will　not　hesitate　which　to

choose。　　If　a　thousand　men　were　not　to　pay　their　tax…bills　this

year；　that　would　not　be　a　violent　and　bloody　measure；　as　it　would　be

to　pay　them；　and　enable　the　State　to　commit　violence　and　shed

innocent　blood。　　This　is；　in　fact；　the　definition　of　a　peaceable

revolution；　if　any　such　is　possible。　　If　the　tax…gatherer；　or　any

other　public　officer；　asks　me；　as　one　has　done；　〃But　what　shall　I

do？〃　my　answer　is；　〃If　you　really　wish　to　do　anything；　resign　your

office。〃　　When　the　subject　has　refused　allegiance；　and　the　officer

has　resigned　his　office；　then　the　revolution　is　accomplished。　　But

even　suppose　blood　should　flow。　　Is　there　not　a　sort　of　blood　shed

when　the　conscience　is　wounded？　　Through　this　wound　a　man's　real

manhood　and　immortality　flow　out；　and　he　bleeds　to　an　everlasting

death。　　I　see　this　blood　flowing　now。

　　　　I　have　contemplated　the　imprisonment　of　the　offender；　rather

than　the　seizure　of　his　goods　　though　both　will　serve　the　same

purpose　　because　they　who　assert　the　purest　right；　and

consequently　are　most　dangerous　to　a　corrupt　State；　commonly　have

not　spent　much　time　in　accumulating　property。　　To　such　the　State

renders　comparatively　small　service；　and　a　slight　tax　is　wont　to

appear　exorbitant；　particularly　if　they　are　obliged　to　earn　it　by

special　labor　with　their　hands。　　If　there　were　one　who　lived　wholly

without　the　use　of　money；　the　State　itself　would　hesitate　to　demand

it　of　him。　　But　the　rich　man　　not　to　make　any　invidious　comparison

　is　always　sold　to　the　institution　which　makes　him　rich。

Absolutely　speaking；　the　more　money；　the　less　virtue；　for　money

comes　between　a　man　and　his　objects；　and　obtains　them　for　him；　and

it　was　certainly　no　great　virtue　to　obtain　it。　　It　puts　to　rest　many

questions　which　he　would　otherwise　be　taxed　to　answer；　while　the

only　new　question　which　it　puts　is　the　hard　but　superfluous　one；　how

to　spend　it。　　Thus　his　moral　ground　is　taken　from　under　his　feet。

The　opportunities　of　living　are　diminished　in　proportion　as　what　are

called　the　〃means〃　are　increased。　　The　best　thing　a　man　can　do　for

his　culture　when　he　is　rich　is　to　endeavor　to　carry　out　those

schemes　which　he　entertained　when　he　was　poor。　　Christ　answered　the

Herodians　according　to　their　condition。　　〃Show　me　the

tribute…money；〃　said　he；　　and　one　took　a　penny　out　of　his　pocket；

　if　you　use　money　which　has　the　image　of　Caesar　on　it；　and　which

he　has　made　current　and　valuable；　that　is；　if　you　are　men　of　the

State；　and　gladly　enjoy　the　advantages　of　Caesar's　government；　then

pay　him　back　some　of　his　own　when　he　demands　it；　〃Render　therefore

to　Caesar　that　which　is　Caesar's；　and　to　God　those　things　which　are

God's〃　　leaving　them　no　wiser　than　before　as　to　which　was　which；

for　they　did　not　wish　to　know。

　　　　When　I　converse　with　the　freest　of　my　neighbors；　I　perceive

that；　whatever　they　may　say　about　the　magnitude　and　seriousness　of

the　question；　and　their　regard　for　the　public　tranquillity；　the　long

and　the　short　of　the　matter　is；　that　they　cannot　spare　the

protection　of　the　existing　government；　and　they　dread　the

consequences　to　their　property　and　families　of　disobedience　to　it。

For　my　own　part；　I　should　not　like　to　think　that　I　ever　rely　on　the

protection　of　the　State。　　But；　if　I　deny　the　authority　of　the　State

when　it　presents　its　tax…bill；　it　will　soon　take　and　waste　all　my

property；　and　so　harass　me　and　my　children　without　end。　　This　is

hard。　　This　makes　it　impossible　for　a　man　to　live　honestly；　and　at

the　same　time　comfortably　in　outward　respects。　　It　will　not　be　worth

the　while　to　accumulate　property；　that　would　be　sure　to　go　again。

You　must　hire　or　squat　somewhere；　and　raise　but　a　small　crop；　and

eat　that　soon。　　You　must　live　within　yourself；　and　depend　upon

yourself　always　tucked　up　and　ready　for　a　start；　and　not　have　many

affairs。　　A　man　may　grow　rich　in　Turkey　even；　if　he　will　be　in　all

respects　a　good　subject　of　the　Turkish　government。　　Confucius　said；

〃If　a　state　is　governed　by　the　principles　of　reason；　poverty　and

misery　are　subjects　of　shame；　if　a　state　is　not　governed　by　the

principles　of　reason；　riches　and　honors　are　the　subjects　of　shame。〃

No：　until　I　want　the　protection　of　Massachusetts　to　be　extended　to

me　in　some　distant　Southern　port；　where　my　liberty　is　endangered；　or

until　I　am　bent　solely　on　building　up　an　estate　at　home　by　peaceful

enterprise；　I　can　afford　to　refuse　allegiance　to　Massachusetts；　and

her　right　to　my　property　and　life。　　It　costs　me　less　in　every　sense

to　incur　the　penalty　of　disobedience　to　the　State　than　it　would　to

obey。　　I　should　feel　as　if　I　were　worth　less　in　that　case。

　　　　Some　years　ago；　the　State　met　me　in　behalf　of　the　Church；　and

commanded　me　to　pay　a　certain　sum　toward　the　support　of　a　clergyman

whose　preaching　my　father　attended；　but　never　I　myself。　　〃Pay；〃　it

said；　〃or　be　locked　up　in　the　jail。〃　　I　declined　to　pay。　　But；

unfortunately；　another　man　saw　fit　to　pay　it。　　I　did　not　see　why　the

schoolmaster　should　be　taxed　to　support　the　priest；　and　not　the

priest　the　schoolmaster：　for　I　was　not　the　State's　schoolmaster；　but

I　supported　myself　by　voluntary　subscription。　　I　did　not　see　why　the

lyceum　should　not　present　its　tax…bill；　and　have　the　State　to　back

its　demand；　as　well　as　the　Church。　　However；　at　the　request　of　the

selectmen；　I　condescended　to　make　some　such　statement　as　this　in

writing：　〃Know　all　men　by　these　presents；　that　I；　Henry　Thoreau；

do　not　wish　to　be　regarded　as　a　member　of　any　incorporated　society

which　I　have　not　joined。〃　　This　I　gave　to　the　town　clerk；　and　he　has

it。　　The　State；　having　thus　learned　that　I　did　not　wish　to　be

regarded　as　a　member　of　that　church；　has　never　made　a　like　demand　on

me　since；　though　it　said　that　it　must　adhere　to　its　original

presumption　that　time。　　If　I　had　known　how　to　name　them；　I　should

then　have　signed　off　in　detail　from　all　the　societies　which　I　never

signed　on　to；　but　I　did　not　know　where　to　find　a　complete　list。

　　　　I　have　paid　no　poll…tax　for　six　years。　　I　was　put　into　a　jail

once　on　this　account；　for　one　night；　and；　as　I　stood　considering　the

walls　of　solid　stone；　two　or　three　feet　thick；　the　door　of　wood　and

iron；　a　foot　thick；　and　the　iron　grating　which　strained　the　light；　I

could　not　help　being　struck　with　the　foolishness　of　that　institution

which　treated　me　as　if　I　were　mere　flesh　and　blood　and　bones；　to　be

locked　up。　　I　wondered　that　it　should　have　concluded　at　length　that

this　was　the　best　use　it　could　put　me　to；　and　had　never　thought　to

avail　itself　of　my　services　in　some　way。　　I　saw　that；　if　there　was　a

wall　of　stone　between　me　and　my　townsmen；　there　was　a　still　more

difficult　one　to　climb　or　break　through；　before　they　could　get　to　be

as　free　as　I　was。　　I　did　not　for　a　moment　feel　confined；　and　the

walls　seemed　a　great　waste　of　stone　and　mortar。　　I　felt　as　if　I

alone　of　all　my　townsmen　had　paid　my　tax。　　They　plainly　did　not　know

how　to　treat　me；　but　behaved　like　persons　who　are　underbred。　　In

every　threat　and　in　every　compliment　there　was　a　blunder；　for　they

thought　that　my　chief　desire　was　to　stand　the　other　side　of　that

stone　wall。　　I　could　not　but　smile　to　see