第 38 节
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公主站记 更新:2021-04-30 17:05 字数:9322
her; and corruption of every sort。 The British government cannot be carried on by fair; honest; and honorable means; any more than could the Roman under the antagonism created by the tribunitial veto。 The French tried the English system of organized antagonism in 1789; as a cure for the centralism introduced by Richelieu and Louis XIV。; and again under the Restoration and Louis Philippe; and called it the system of constitutional guarantees; but they could never manage it; and they have taken refuge in unmitigated centralism under Napoleon III。; who; however well disposed; finds no means in the constitution of the French nation of tempering it。 The English system; called the constitutional; and sometimes the parliamentary system; will not work in France; and indeed works really well nowhere。
The American system; sometimes called the Federal system; is not founded on antagonism 254 of classes; estates; or interests; and is in no sense a system of checks and balances。 It needs and tolerates no obstructive forces。 It does not pit section against section; the States severally against the General government; nor the General government against the State governments; and nothing is more hurtful than the attempt to explain it and work it on the principles of British constitutionalism。 The convention created no antagonistic powers; it simply divided the powers of government; and gave neither to the General government nor to the State governments all the powers of government; nor in any instance did it give to the two governments jurisdiction in the same matters。 Hence each has its own sphere; in which it can move on without colliding with that of the other。 Each is independent and complete in relation to its own work; incomplete and dependent on the other for the complete work of government。
The division of power is not between a NATIONAL government and State governments; but between a GENERAL government and particular governments。 The General government; inasmuch as it extends to matters common to all the States; is usually called the Government of the United States; and sometimes the Federal 255 government; to distinguish it from the particular or State governments; but without strict propriety; for the government of the United States; or the Federal government; means; in strictness; both the General government and the particular Governments; since neither is in itself the complete government of the country。 The General government has authority within each of the States; and each of the State governments has authority in the Union。 The line between the Union and the States severally; is not precisely the line between the General government and the particular governments。 As; for instance; the General government lays direct taxes on the people of the States; and collects internal revenue within them; and the citizens of a particular State; and none others; are electors of President and Vice…President of the United States; and representatives in the lower house of Congress; while senators in Congress are elected by the State legislatures themselves。
The line that distinguishes the two governments is that which distinguishes the general relations and interests from the particular relations and interests of the people of the United States。 These general relations and interests are placed under the General government; which; because its jurisdiction is coextensive with the 256 Union; is called the Government of the United States; the particular relations and interests are placed under particular governments; which; because their jurisdiction is only coextensive; with the States respectively; are called State governments。 The General government governs supremely all the people of the United States and Territories belonging to the Union; in all their general relations and interests; or relations and interests common alike to them all; the particular or State government governs supremely the people of a particular State; as Massachusetts; New York; or New Jersey; in all that pertains to their particular or private rights; relations; and interests。 The powers of each are equally sovereign; and neither are derived from the other。 The State governments are not subordinate to the General government; nor the General government to the State governments。 They are co…ordinate governments; each standing on the same level; and deriving its powers from the same sovereign authority。 In their respective spheres neither yields to the other。 In relation to the matters within its jurisdiction; each government is independent and supreme in regard of the other; and subject only to the convention。
257 The powers of the General government are the power
To lay and collect taxes; duties; imposts; and excises; to pay the debts and provide for the general welfare of the United States; to borrow money on the credit of the United States; to regulate commerce with foreign nations; among the several States; and with the Indian tribes; to establish a uniform rule of naturalization; and uniform laws on the subject of bankruptcies throughout the United States; to coin money and regulate the value thereof; and fix the standard of weights and measures; to provide for the punishment of counterfeiting the securities and current coin of the United States; to establish post…offices and post…roads; to promote the progress of science and of the useful arts; by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries; to define and punish piracies and felonies committed on the high seas; and offences against the law of nations; to declare war; grant letters of marque and reprisal; and make rules concerning captures on land and water; to raise and support armies; to provide and maintain a navy; to make rules for the government of the land and naval forces; to provide for calling forth the militia to 258 execute the laws of the Union; suppress insurrections; and repel invasions; to provide for organizing; arming; and disciplining the militia; and of governing such part of them as may be employed in the service of the United States; to exercise exclusive legislation in all cases whatsoever over such district; not exceeding ten miles square; as may by cession of particular States and the acceptance of Congress; become the seat of the government of the United States; and to exercise a like authority over all places purchased by the consent of the legislature of the State in which the same shall be; for the erection of forts; magazines; arsenals; dock…yards; and other needful buildings; and to make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers; and all other powers vested by this constitution in the government of the United States; or in any department or office thereof。
In addition to these; the General government is clothed with the treaty…making power; and the whole charge of the foreign relations of the country; with power to admit new States into the Union; to dispose of and make all needful rules and regulations concerning the territory and all other property belonging to the United States; to declare; with certain restrictions; the punishment 259 of treason; the constitution itself defining what is treason against the United States; and to propose; or to call; on the application of the legislatures of two…thirds of all the states; a convention for proposing amendments to this constitution; and is vested with supreme judicial power; original or appellate; in all cases of law and equity arising under this constitution; the laws of the United States; and treaties made or to be made under their authority; in all cases affecting ambassadors; other public ministers; and consuls; in all cases of admiralty and maritime jurisdiction; in all controversies to which the United States shall be a party; all controversies between two or more States; between a State and citizens of another State; between citizens of different States; between citizens of the same State claiming lands under grants of different States; and between a State or the citizens thereof and foreign states; citizens; or subjects。
These; with what is incidental to them; and what is necessary and proper to carry them into effect; are all the positive powers with which the convention vests the General government; or government of the United States; as distinguished from the governments of the particular States; and these; with the exception of what relates to the district in which it has 260 its seat; and places of forts; magazines; &c。; are of a general nature; and restricted to the common relations and interests of the people; or at least to interests and relations which extend beyond the limits of a particular State。 They are all powers that regard matters which extend beyond not only the individual citizen; but the individual State; and affect alike the relations and interests of al