Iheartilyacceptthemotto,—“Thatgovernmentisbestwhichgovernsleast”andIshouldliketoseeitacteduptomorerapidlyandsystematically.Carriedout,itfinallyamountstothis,whichalsoIbelieve—“Thatgovernmentisbestwhichgovernsnotatall”andwhenmenarepreparedforit,thatwillbethekindofgovernmentwhichtheywillhave.Governmentisatbestbutanexpedientbutmostgovernmentsareusually,andallgovernmentsaresometimes,inexpedient.Theobjectionswhichhavebeenbroughtagainstastandingarmy,andtheyaremanyandweighty,anddeservetoprevail,mayalsoatlastbebroughtagainstastandinggovernment.Thestandingarmyisonlyanarmofthestandinggovernment.Thegovernmentitself,whichisonlythemodewhichthepeoplehavechosentoexecutetheirwill,isequallyliabletobeabusedandpervertedbeforethepeoplecanactthroughit.WitnessthepresentMexicanwar,theworkofcomparativelyafewindividualsusingthestandinggovernmentastheirtoolfor,intheoutset,thepeoplewouldnothaveconsentedtothismeasure.
ThisAmericangovernment,—whatisitbutatradition,thougharecentone,endeavoringtotransmititselfunimpairedtoposterity,buteachinstantlosingsomeofitsintegrity?Ithasnotthevitalityandforceofasinglelivingmanforasinglemancanbendittohiswill.Itisasortofwoodenguntothepeoplethemselvesand,ifevertheyshoulduseitinearnestasarealoneagainsteachother,itwillsurelysplit.Butitisnotthelessnecessaryforthisforthepeoplemusthavesomecomplicatedmachineryorother,andhearitsdin,tosatisfythatideaofgovernmentwhichtheyhave.Governmentsshowthushowsuccessfullymencanbeimposedon,evenimposeonthemselves,fortheirownadvantage.Itisexcellent,wemustallallowyetthisgovernmentneverofitselffurtheredanyenterprise,butbythealacritywithwhichitgotoutofitsway.Itdoesnotkeepthecountryfree.ItdoesnotsettletheWest.Itdoesnoteducate.ThecharacterinherentintheAmericanpeoplehasdoneallthathasbeenaccomplishedanditwouldhavedonesomewhatmore,ifthegovernmenthadnotsometimesgotinitsway.Forgovernmentisanexpedient,bywhichmenwouldfainsucceedinlettingoneanotheraloneand,ashasbeensaid,whenitismostexpedient,thegovernedaremostletalonebyit.Tradeandcommerce,iftheywerenotmadeofIndiarubber,wouldnevermanagetobounceoverobstacleswhichlegislatorsarecontinuallyputtingintheirwayand,ifoneweretojudgethesemenwhollybytheeffectsoftheiractions,andnotpartlybytheirintentions,theywoulddeservetobeclassedandpunishedwiththosemischievouspersonswhoputobstructionsontherailroads.
But,tospeakpracticallyandasacitizen,unlikethosewhocallthemselvesno-governmentmen,Iaskfor,notatoncenogovernment,butatonceabettergovernment.Leteverymanmakeknownwhatkindofgovernmentwouldcommandhisrespect,andthatwillbeonesteptowardobtainingit.
Afterall,thepracticalreasonwhy,whenthepowerisonceinthehandsofthepeople,amajorityarepermitted,andforalongperiodcontinue,torule,isnotbecausetheyaremostlikelytobeintheright,norbecausethisseemsfairesttotheminority,butbecausetheyarephysicallythestrongest.Butagovernmentinwhichthemajorityruleinallcasescannotbebasedonjustice,evenasfarasmenunderstandit.Cantherenotbeagovernmentinwhichthemajoritiesdonotvirtuallydeciderightandwrong,butconscience?—inwhichmajoritiesdecideonlythosequestionstowhichtheruleofexpediencyisapplicable?Mustthecitizeneverforamoment,orintheleastdegree,resignhisconsciencetothelegislator?Whyhaseverymanaconscience,then?Ithinkthatweshouldbemenfirst,andsubjectsafterward.Itisnotdesirabletocultivatearespectforthelaw,somuchasfortheright.TheonlyobligationwhichIhavearighttoassume,istodoatanytimewhatIthinkright.Itistrulyenoughsaidthatacorporationhasnoconsciencebutacorporationofconscientiousmenisacorporationwithaconscience.Lawnevermademenawhitmorejustand,bymeansoftheirrespectforit,eventhewell-disposedaredailymadetheagentsofinjustice.Acommonandnaturalresultofanunduerespectforthelawis,thatyoumayseeafileofsoldiers,colonel,captain,corporal,privates,powder-monkeysandall,marchinginadmirableorderoverhillanddaletothewars,againsttheirwills,aye,againsttheircommonsenseandconsciences,whichmakesitverysteepmarchingindeed,andproducesapalpitationoftheheart.Theyhavenodoubtthatitisadamnablebusinessinwhichtheyareconcernedtheyareallpeaceablyinclined.Now,whatarethey?Menatall?orsmallmovablefortsandmagazines,attheserviceofsomeunscrupulousmaninpower?VisittheNavyYard,andbeholdamarine,suchamanasanAmericangovernmentcanmake,orsuc