第 57 节
作者:开了      更新:2021-02-18 23:01      字数:9315
  Constitution of the clergy。〃  Cf。  sitting of January 2; 1791;
  speech by the Bishop of Clermont。
  '75' Duvergier; law of May 7; 1791; to maintain the right of
  nonjuring priests to perform mass in national or private edifices。
  (Demanded by Talleyrand and Sieyès。)
  '76' 〃Archives Nationales;〃 F7; 3235。  Letter of M。  de Chateau…
  Randon; deputy of la Lozère; May 28; 1791。  After the decree of May
  23rd; all the functionaries of the department handed in their
  resignations。
  '77' Duvergier; law of May 21…29; 1791。
  '78' Sauzay; I。  366; 538 to 593; 750。   Archives Nationales;〃 F7;
  3235; Letter of M。  de Chanteau…Randon; May 10; 1791。   Mercure;
  April 23rd; and April 16; 1701。  Articles of Mallet du Pan; letter
  from Bordeaux; March 20; 1791。
  '79' Buchez and Roux; XII; 77。  Report of Gallois and Gensonné sent
  to La Vendée and the Deux Sévres (July 25; 1791)。   〃 Archives
  Nationales;〃 F7; 3253; letter of the Directory of the Bas…Rhin
  (letter of January 7; 1792)。   〃 Le District de Machecoul de 1788
  à 1793;〃 by Lallier。  〃 Histoire de Joseph Lebon;〃 by Paris。
  Sauzay; vol。  I。  and II。  in full。
  '80' Mercure; January 15th; April 23rd; May 16th and 30th; June 1st;
  November 23rd; 1791。   〃Le District de Machecoul;〃 by Lallier;
  173。   Sauzay; I。  295。   Lavirotte; 〃Annales d'Arnay…le…Duc
  (February 5; 1792)。   〃Archives Nationales;〃 F7; 3223。  Petition
  of a number of the inhabitants of Montpellier; November 17; 1791。
  '81' Duvergier; decree of November 29; 1791。   Mercure; November
  30; 1791 (article by Mallet du Pan)。
  CHAPTER III。  THE CONSTRUCTIONS … THE CONSTITUTION OF 1791。。
  That which is called a Government is a concert of powers; each with
  a distinct function; and all working towards a final and complete
  end。  The merit of a Government consists in the attainment of this
  end; the worth of a machine depends upon the work it accomplishes。
  The important thing is not to produce a good mechanical design on
  paper; but to see that the machine works well when set up on the
  ground。  In vain might its founders allege the beauty of their plan
  and the logical connection of their theorems; they are not required
  to furnish either plan or theorems; but an instrument。
  Two conditions are requisite to render this instrument serviceable
  and effective。  In the first place; the public powers must harmonize
  with each other; if not; one will neutralize the other; in the
  second place they must be obeyed; or they are null。
  The Constituent Assembly made no provision for securing this harmony
  or this obedience。  In the machine which it constructed the motions
  all counteract each other; the impulse is not transmitted; the
  gearing is not complete between the center and the extremities; the
  large central and upper wheels turn to no purpose; the innumerable
  small wheels near the ground break or get out of order: the machine;
  by virtue of its own mechanism; remains useless; over…heated; under
  clouds of waste steam; creaking and thumping in such a matter as to
  show clearly that it must explode。
  I。
  Powers of the Central Government。 … The Assembly on the partition of
  power。 … Rupture of every tie between the Legislature and the King。
  … The Assembly on the subordination of the executive power。 … How
  this is nullified。 … Certainty of a conflict。 … The deposition of
  the King is inevitable。
  Let us first consider the two central powers; the Assembly and the
  King。 … Ordinarily when distinct powers of different origin are
  established by a Constitution; it makes; in the case of conflict
  between them; a provision for an arbiter in the institution of an
  Upper Chamber。  Each of these powers; at least; has a hold on the
  other。  The Assembly must have one on the King: which is the right
  to refuse taxation。  The King must have one on the Assembly: which
  is the right of dissolving it。  Otherwise; one of the two being
  disarmed; the other becomes omnipotent; and; consequently; insane。
  The peril here is as great for an omnipotent Assembly as it is for
  an absolute King。  If the former is desirous of remaining in its
  right mind; it needs repression and control as much as the latter。
  If it is proper for the Assembly to restrain the King by refusing
  him subsidies; it is proper for him to be able to defend himself by
  appealing to the electors。 … But; besides these extreme measures;
  which are dangerous and rarely resorted to; there is another which
  is ordinarily employed and is safe; that is; the right for the King
  to take his ministers from the Chamber。  Generally; the leaders of
  the majority form the ministry; their nomination being the means of
  restoring harmony between the King and Assembly; they are at once
  men belonging to the Assembly and men belonging to the King。
  Through this expedient not only is the confidence of the Assembly
  assured; since the Government remains in the hands of its leaders;
  but also it is under restraint because these become simultaneously
  both powerful and responsible。  Placed at the head of all branches
  of the service; they are; before proposing it or accepting it; in a
  position to judge whether a law is useful and practicable。  Nothing
  is so healthy for a majority as a ministry composed of its own
  chiefs; nothing is so effective in repressing rashness or
  intemperance。  A railway conductor is not willing that his
  locomotive should be deprived of coal; nor to have the rails he is
  about to run on broken up。 … This arrangement; with all its
  drawbacks and inconveniences; is the best one yet arrived at by
  human experience for the security of societies against despotism and
  anarchy。  For the absolute power which establishes or saves them may
  also oppress or exhaust them; there is a gradual substitution of
  differentiated powers; held together through the mediation of a
  third umpire; caused by reciprocal dependence and an which is common
  to both。
  Experience; however; is unimportant to the members of the
  Constituent Assembly; under the banner of principles they sunder one
  after another all the ties which keep the two powers together
  harmoniously。 … There must not be an Upper Chamber; because this
  would be an asylum or a nursery for aristocrats。  Moreover; 〃the
  nation being of one mind;〃 it is averse to 〃the creation of
  different organs。〃 So; applying ready…made formulas and metaphors;
  they continue to produce ideological definitions and distinctions。
  The King must not have a hold on the legislative body: the executive
  is an arm; whose business it is to obey; it is absurd for the arm to
  constrain or direct the head。  Scarcely is the monarch allowed a
  delaying veto。  Sieyès here enters with his protest declaring that
  this is a 〃lettre de cachet'1' launched against the universal will;〃
  and there is excluded from the action of the veto the articles of
  the Constitution; all money…bills; and some other laws。 … …Neither
  the monarch nor the electors of the Assembly are to convoke the
  Assembly; he has no voice in or oversight of the details of its
  formation; the electors are to meet together and vote without his
  summons or supervision。  Once the Assembly is elected he can neither
  adjourn nor dissolve it。  He cannot even propose a law;'2' per…
  mission is only granted to him 〃to invite it to take a subject into
  consideration。〃 He is limited to his executive duties; and still
  more; a sort of wall is built up between him and the Assembly; and
  the opening in it; by which each could take the other's hand; is
  carefully closed up。  The deputies are forbidden to become ministers
  throughout the term of their service and for two years afterwards。
  This is because fears are entertained that they might be corrupted
  through contact with the Court; and; again; whoever the ministers
  might be; there is no disposition to accept their ascendancy。'3'  If
  one of them is admitted into the Assembly it is not for the purpose
  of giving advice; but to furnish information; reply to
  interrogatories; and make protestations of his zeal in humble terms
  and in a dubious position。'4'  By virtue of being a royal agent he
  is under suspicion like the King himself; and he is sequestered in
  his bureau as the King is sequestered in his palace。… Such is the
  spirit of the Constitution: by force of the theory; and the better
  to secure a separation of the powers;'5' a common understanding
  between them is for ever rendered impossible; and to make up for
  this impossibility there remains nothing but to make one the master
  and the other the clerk。
  This they did not fail to do; and for greater security; the latter
  is made an honorary clerk; The executive power is conferred on him
  nominally and in appearance; he does not possess it in fact; care
  having been taken to place it in other hands。 … In effect; all
  executive agents and all secondary and local powers are elective。
  The King has no voice; directly or indirectly; in the choice of
  judge