Thelifeinusislikethewaterintheriver。Itmayrisethisyearhigherthanmanhaseverknownit，andfloodtheparcheduplands；eventhismaybetheeventfulyear，whichwilldrownoutallourmuskrats。Itwasnotalwaysdrylandwherewedwell。Iseefarinlandthebankswhichthestreamancientlywashed，beforesciencebegantorecorditsfreshets。EveryonehasheardthestorywhichhasgonetheroundsofNewEngland，ofastrongandbeautifulbugwhichcameoutofthedryleafofanoldtableofapple-treewood，whichhadstoodinafarmer’skitchenforsixtyyears，firstinConnecticut，andafterwardinMassachusetts——fromaneggdepositedinthelivingtreemanyyearsearlierstill，asappearedbycountingtheannuallayersbeyondit；whichwasheardgnawingoutforseveralweeks，hatchedperchancebytheheatofanurn。Whodoesnotfeelhisfaithinaresurrectionandimmortalitystrengthenedbyhearingofthis？Whoknowswhatbeautifulandwingedlife，whoseegghasbeenburiedforagesundermanyconcentriclayersofwoodennessinthedeaddrylifeofsociety，depositedatfirstinthealburnumofthegreenandlivingtree，whichhasbeengraduallyconvertedintothesemblanceofitswell-seasonedtomb——heardperchancegnawingoutnowforyearsbytheastonishedfamilyofman，astheysatroundthefestiveboard——
mayunexpectedlycomeforthfromamidstsociety’smosttrivialandhandselledfurniture，toenjoyitsperfectsummerlifeatlast！
IdonotsaythatJohnorJonathanwillrealizeallthis；butsuchisthecharacterofthatmorrowwhichmerelapseoftimecannevermaketodawn。Thelightwhichputsoutoureyesisdarknesstous。Onlythatdaydawnstowhichweareawake。Thereismoredaytodawn。Thesunisbutamorningstar。
Iheartilyacceptthemotto，——“Thatgovernmentisbestwhichgovernsleast“；andIshouldliketoseeitacteduptomorerapidlyandsystematically。Carriedout，itfinallyamountstothis，whichalsoIbelieve，——“Thatgovernmentisbestwhichgovernsnotatall“；andwhenmenarepreparedforit，thatwillbethekindofgovernmentwhichtheywillhave。Governmentisatbestbutanexpedient；butmostgovernmentsareusually，andallgovernmentsaresometimes，inexpedient。Theobjectionswhichhavebeenbroughtagainstastandingarmy，andtheyaremanyandweighty，anddeservetoprevail，mayalsoatlastbebroughtagainstastandinggovernment。Thestandingarmyisonlyanarmofthestandinggovernment。Thegovernmentitself，whichisonlythemodewhichthepeoplehavechosentoexecutetheirwill，isequallyliabletobeabusedandpervertedbeforethepeoplecanactthroughit。WitnessthepresentMexicanwar，theworkofcomparativelyafewindividualsusingthestandinggovernmentastheirtool；for，intheoutset，thepeoplewouldnothaveconsentedtothismeasure。
ThisAmericangovernment——whatisitbutatradition，thougharecentone，endeavoringtotransmititselfunimpairedtoposterity，buteachinstantlosingsomeofitsintegrity？Ithasnotthevitalityandforceofasinglelivingman；forasinglemancanbendittohiswill。Itisasortofwoodenguntothepeoplethemselves。Butitisnotthelessnecessaryforthis；forthepeoplemusthavesomecomplicatedmachineryorother，andhearitsdin，tosatisfythatideaofgovernmentwhichtheyhave。
Governmentsshowthushowsuccessfullymencanbeimposedon，evenimposeonthemselves，fortheirownadvantage。Itisexcellent，wemustallallow。Yetthisgovernmentneverofitselffurtheredanyenterprise，butbythealacritywithwhichitgotoutofitsway。
Itdoesnotkeepthecountryfree。ItdoesnotsettletheWest。Itdoesnoteducate。ThecharacterinherentintheAmericanpeoplehasdoneallthathasbeenaccomplished；anditwouldhavedonesomewhatmore，ifthegovernmenthadnotsometimesgotinitsway。Forgovernmentisanexpedientbywhichmenwouldfainsucceedinlettingoneanotheralone；and，ashasbeensaid，whenitismostexpedient，thegovernedaremostletalonebyit。Tradeandcommerce，iftheywerenotmadeofIndiarubber，wouldnevermanagetobounceovertheobstacleswhichlegislatorsarecontinuallyputtingintheirway；and，ifoneweretojudgethesemenwhollybytheeffectsoftheiractions，andnotpartlybytheirintentions，theywoulddeservetobeclassedandpunishedwiththosemischievouspersonswhoputobstructionsontherailroads。
But，tospeakpracticallyandasacitizen，unlikethosewhocallthemselvesno-governmentmen，Iaskfor，notatoncenogovernment，butatonceabettergovernment。Leteverymanmakeknownwhatkindofgovernmentwouldcommandhisrespect，andthatwillbeonesteptowardobtainingit。
Afterall，thepracticalreasonwhy，whenthepowerisonceinthehandsofthepeople，amajorityarepermitted，andforalongperiodcontinue，torule，isnotbecausetheyaremostlikelytobeintheright，norbecausethisseemsfairesttotheminority，butbecausetheyarephysicallythestrongest。Butagovernmentinwhichthemajorityruleinallcasescannotbebasedonjustice，evenasfarasmenunderstandit。Cantherenotbeagovernmentinwhichmajoritiesdonotvirtuallydeciderightandwrong，butconscience？——inwhichmajoritiesdecideonlythosequestionstowhichtheruleofexpediencyisapplicable？Mustthecitizeneverforamoment，orintheleastdegree，resignhisconsciencetothelegislator？Whyhaseverymanaconscience，then？Ithinkthatweshouldbemenfirst，andsubjectsafterward。Itisnotdesirabletocultivatearespectforthelaw，somuchasfortheright。TheonlyobligationwhichIhavearighttoassumeistodoatanytimewhatIthinkright。Itistrulyenoughsaidthatacorporationhasnoconscience；butacorporationofconscientiousmenisacorporationwithaconscience。Lawnevermademenawhitmorejust；and，bymeansoftheirrespectforit，eventhewell-disposedaredailymadetheagentsofinjustice。Acommonandnaturalresultofanunduerespectforlawis，thatyoumayseeafileofsoldiers，colonel，captain，corporal，privates，powder-monkeys，andall，marchinginadmirableorderoverhillanddaletothewars，againsttheirwills，ay，againsttheircommonsenseandconsciences，whichmakesitverysteepmarchingindeed，andproducesapalpitationoftheheart。
Theyhavenodoubtthatitisadamnablebusinessinwhichtheyareconcerned；theyareallpeaceablyinclined。Now，whatarethey？
Menatall？orsmallmovablefortsandmagazines，attheserviceofsomeunscrupulousmaninpower？VisittheNavyYard，andbeholdamarine，suchamanasanAmericangovernmentcanmake，orsuchasitcanmakeamanwithitsblackarts——amereshadowandreminiscenceofhumanity，amanlaidoutaliveandstanding，andalready，asonemaysay，buriedunderarmswithfuneralaccompaniments，thoughitmaybe“Notadrumwasheard，notafuneralnote，Ashiscorsetotherampartwehurried；
NotasoldierdischargedhisfarewellshotO’erthegravewhereourheroweburied。“
Themassofmenservethestatethus，notasmenmainly，butasmachines，withtheirbodies。Theyarethestandingarmy，andthemilitia，jailers，constables，possecomitatus，etc。Inmostcasesthereisnofreeexercisewhateverofthejudgmentorofthemoralsense；buttheyputthemselvesonalevelwithwoodandearthandstones；andwoodenmencanperhapsbemanufacturedthatwillservethepurposeaswell。Suchcommandnomorerespectthanmenofstraworalumpofdirt。Theyhavethesamesortofworthonlyashorsesanddogs。Yetsuchastheseevenarecommonlyesteemedgoodcitizens。Others，asmostlegislators，politicians，lawyers，ministers，andoffice-holders，servethestatechieflywiththeirheads；and，astheyrarelymakeanymoraldistinctions，theyareaslikelytoservethedevil，withoutintendingit，asGod。Averyfew，asheroes，patriots，martyrs，reformersinthegreatsense，andmen，servethestatewiththeirconsciencesalso，andsonecessarilyresistitforthemostpart；andtheyarecommonlytreatedasenemiesbyit。Awisemanwillonlybeusefulasaman，andwillnotsubmittobe“clay，“and“stopaholetokeepthewindaway，“
butleavethatofficetohisdustatleast:——
“Iamtoohigh-borntobepropertied，Tobeasecondaryatcontrol，Orusefulserving-manandinstrumentToanysovereignstatethroughouttheworld。“
Hewhogiveshimselfentirelytohisfellow-menappearstothemuselessandselfish；buthewhogiveshimselfpartiallytothemispronouncedabenefactorandphilanthropist。
HowdoesitbecomeamantobehavetowardthisAmericangovernmentto-day？Ianswer，thathecannotwithoutdisgracebeassociatedwithit。Icannotforaninstantrecognizethatpoliticalorganizationasmygovernmentwhichistheslave’sgovernmentalso。
Allmenrecognizetherightofrevolution；thatis，therighttorefuseallegianceto，andtoresist，thegovernment，whenitstyrannyoritsinefficiencyaregreatandunendurable。Butalmostallsaythatsuchisnotthecasenow。Butsuchwasthecase，theythink，intheRevolutionof’75。Ifoneweretotellmethatthiswasabadgovernmentbecauseittaxedcertainforeigncommoditiesbroughttoitsports，itismostprobablethatIshouldnotmakeanadoaboutit，forIcandowithoutthem。Allmachineshavetheirfriction；andpossiblythisdoesenoughgoodtocounterbalancetheevil。Atanyrate，itisagreateviltomakeastiraboutit。Butwhenthefrictioncomestohaveitsmachine，andoppressionandrobberyareorganized，Isay，letusnothavesuchamachineanylonger。Inotherwords，whenasixthofthepopulationofanationwhichhasundertakentobetherefugeoflibertyareslaves，andawholecountryisunjustlyoverrunandconqueredbyaforeignarmy，andsubjectedtomilitarylaw，Ithinkthatitisnottoosoonforhonestmentorebelandrevolutionize。Whatmakesthisdutythemoreurgentisthefactthatthecountrysooverrunisnotourown，butoursistheinvadingarmy。
Paley，acommonauthoritywithmanyonmoralquestions，inhischapteronthe“DutyofSubmissiontoCivilGovernment，“resolvesallcivilobligationintoexpediency；andheproceedstosaythat“solongastheinterestofthewholesocietyrequiresit，thatis，solongastheestablishedgovernmentcannotberesistedorchangedwithoutpublicinconveniency，itisthewillofGod……thattheestablishedgovernmentbeobeyed，andnolonger……Thisprinciplebeingadmitted，thejusticeofeveryparticularcaseofresistanceisreducedtoacomputationofthequantityofthedangerandgrievanceontheoneside，andoftheprobabilityandexpenseofredressingitontheother。“Ofthis，hesays，everymanshalljudgeforhimself。ButPaleyappearsnevertohavecontemplatedthosecasestowhichtheruleofexpediencydoesnotapply，inwhichapeople，aswellasanindividual，mustdojustice，costwhatitmay。IfIhaveunjustlywrestedaplankfromadrowningman，ImustrestoreittohimthoughIdrownmyself。This，accordingtoPaley，wouldbeinconvenient。Buthethatwouldsavehislife，insuchacase，shallloseit。Thispeoplemustceasetoholdslaves，andtomakewaronMexico，thoughitcostthemtheirexistenceasapeople。
Intheirpractice，nationsagreewithPaley；butdoesanyonethinkthatMassachusettsdoesexactlywhatisrightatthepresentcrisis？
“Adrabofstate，acloth-o’-silverslut，Tohavehertrainborneup，andhersoultrailinthedirt。“
Practicallyspeaking，theopponentstoareforminMassachusettsarenotahundredthousandpoliticiansattheSouth，butahundredthousandmerchantsandfarmershere，whoaremoreinterestedincommerceandagriculturethantheyareinhumanity，andarenotpreparedtodojusticetotheslaveandtoMexico，costwhatitmay。
Iquarrelnotwithfar-offfoes，butwiththosewho，nearathome，co-operatewith，anddothebiddingofthosefaraway，andwithoutwhomthelatterwouldbeharmless。Weareaccustomedtosay，thatthemassofmenareunprepared；butimprovementisslow，becausethefewarenotmateriallywiserorbetterthanthemany。Itisnotsoimportantthatmanyshouldbeasgoodasyou，asthattherebesomeabsolutegoodnesssomewhere；forthatwillleaventhewholelump。
Therearethousandswhoareinopinionopposedtoslaveryandtothewar，whoyetineffectdonothingtoputanendtothem；who，esteemingthemselveschildrenofWashingtonandFranklin，sitdownwiththeirhandsintheirpockets，andsaythattheyknownotwhattodo，anddonothing；whoevenpostponethequestionoffreedomtothequestionoffree-trade，andquietlyreadtheprices-currentalongwiththelatestadvicesfromMexico，afterdinner，and，itmaybe，fallasleepoverthemboth。Whatistheprice-currentofanhonestmanandpatriotto-day？Theyhesitate，andtheyregret，andsometimestheypetition；buttheydonothinginearnestandwitheffect。Theywillwait，welldisposed，forotherstoremedytheevil，thattheymaynolongerhaveittoregret。Atmost，theygiveonlyacheapvote，andafeeblecountenanceandGodspeed，totheright，asitgoesbythem。Thereareninehundredandninety-ninepatronsofvirtuetoonevirtuousman；butitiseasiertodealwiththerealpossessorofathingthanwiththetemporaryguardianofit。
