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

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go　at　large　again。

　　　　If　the　injustice　is　part　of　the　necessary　friction　of　the

machine　of　government；　let　it　go；　let　it　go；　perchance　it　will　wear

smooth　　certainly　the　machine　will　wear　out。　　If　the　injustice　has

a　spring；　or　a　pulley；　or　a　rope；　or　a　crank；　exclusively　for

itself；　then　perhaps　you　may　consider　whether　the　remedy　will　not　be

worse　than　the　evil；　but　if　it　is　of　such　a　nature　that　it　requires

you　to　be　the　agent　of　injustice　to　another；　then；　I　say；　break　the

law。　　Let　your　life　be　a　counter　friction　to　stop　the　machine。　　What

I　have　to　do　is　to　see；　at　any　rate；　that　I　do　not　lend　myself　to

the　wrong　which　I　condemn。

　　　　As　for　adopting　the　ways　which　the　State　has　provided　for

remedying　the　evil；　I　know　not　of　such　ways。　　They　take　too　much

time；　and　a　man's　life　will　be　gone。　　I　have　other　affairs　to　attend

to。　　I　came　into　this　world；　not　chiefly　to　make　this　a　good　place

to　live　in；　but　to　live　in　it；　be　it　good　or　bad。　　A　man　has　not

everything　to　do；　but　something；　and　because　he　cannot　do

everything；　it　is　not　necessary　that　he　should　do　something　wrong。

It　is　not　my　business　to　be　petitioning　the　Governor　or　the

Legislature　any　more　than　it　is　theirs　to　petition　me；　and　if　they

should　not　hear　my　petition；　what　should　I　do　then？　　But　in　this

case　the　State　has　provided　no　way；　its　very　Constitution　is　the

evil。　　This　may　seem　to　be　harsh　and　stubborn　and　unconciliatory；

but　it　is　to　treat　with　the　utmost　kindness　and　consideration　the

only　spirit　that　can　appreciate　or　deserves　it。　　So　is　an　change　for

the　better；　like　birth　and　death　which　convulse　the　body。

　　　　I　do　not　hesitate　to　say；　that　those　who　call　themselves

Abolitionists　should　at　once　effectually　withdraw　their　support；

both　in　person　and　property；　from　the　government　of　Massachusetts；

and　not　wait　till　they　constitute　a　majority　of　one；　before　they

suffer　the　right　to　prevail　through　them。　　I　think　that　it　is　enough

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