concerning civil government-第25章

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places　grow　into　populous　countries　filled　with　wealth　and

inhabitants。　But　things　not　always　changing　equally；　and　private

interest　often　keeping　up　customs　and　privileges　when　the　reasons　of

them　are　ceased；　it　often　comes　to　pass　that　in　governments　where　part

of　the　legislative　consists　of　representatives　chosen　by　the　people；

that　in　tract　of　time　this　representation　becomes　very　unequal　and

disproportionate　to　the　reasons　it　was　at　first　established　upon。　To

what　gross　absurdities　the　following　of　custom　when　reason　has　left　it

may　lead；　we　may　be　satisfied　when　we　see　the　bare　name　of　a　town；

of　which　there　remains　not　so　much　as　the　ruins；　where　scarce　so

much　housing　as　a　sheepcote；　or　more　inhabitants　than　a　shepherd　is　to

be　found；　send　as　many　representatives　to　the　grand　assembly　of

law…makers　as　a　whole　county　numerous　in　people　and　powerful　in

riches。　This　strangers　stand　amazed　at；　and　every　one　must　confess

needs　a　remedy；　though　most　think　it　hard　to　find　one；　because　the

constitution　of　the　legislative　being　the　original　and　supreme　act

of　the　society；　antecedent　to　all　positive　laws　in　it；　and　depending

wholly　on　the　people；　no　inferior　power　can　alter　it。　And；

therefore；　the　people　when　the　legislative　is　once　constituted；　having

in　such　a　government　as　we　have　been　speaking　of　no　power　to　act　as

long　as　the　government　stands；　this　inconvenience　is　thought　incapable

of　a　remedy。

　　158。　Salus　populi　suprema　lex　is　certainly　so　just　and　fundamental　a

rule；　that　he　who　sincerely　follows　it　cannot　dangerously　err。　If；

therefore；　the　executive　who　has　the　power　of　convoking　the

legislative；　observing　rather　the　true　proportion　than　fashion　of

representation；　regulates　not　by　old　custom；　but　true　reason；　the

number　of　members　in　all　places；　that　have　a　right　to　be　distinctly

represented；　which　no　part　of　the　people；　however　incorporated；　can

pretend　to；　but　in　proportion　to　the　assistance　which　it　affords　to

the　public；　it　cannot　be　judged　to　have　set　up　a　new　legislative；

but　to　have　restored　the　old　and　true　one；　and　to　have　rectified　the

disorders　which　succession　of　time　had　insensibly　as　well　as

inevitably　introduced；　for　it　being　the　interest　as　well　as

intention　of　the　people　to　have　a　fair　and　equal　representative；

whoever　brings　it　nearest　to　that　is　an　undoubted　friend　to　and

establisher　of　the　government；　and　cannot　miss　the　consent　and

approbation　of　the　community；　prerogative　being　nothing　but　a　power　in

the　hands　of　the　prince　to　provide　for　the　public　good　in　such　cases

which；　depending　upon　unforeseen　and　uncertain　occurrences；　certain

and　unalterable　laws　could　not　safely　direct。　Whatsoever　shall　be　done

manifestly　for　the　good　of　the　people；　and　establishing　the　government

upon　its　true　foundations　is；　and　always　will　be；　just　prerogative。

The　power　of　erecting　new　corporations；　and　therewith　new

representatives；　carries　with　it　a　supposition　that　in　time　the

measures　of　representation　might　vary；　and　those　have　a　just　right

to　be　represented　which　before　had　none；　and　by　the　same　reason；　those

cease　to　have　a　right；　and　be　too　inconsiderable　for　such　a　privilege；

which　before　had　it。　It　is　not　a　change　from　the　present　state

which；　perhaps；　corruption　or　decay　has　introduced；　that　makes　an

inroad　upon　the　government；　but　the　tendency　of　it　to　injure　or

oppress　the　people；　and　to　set　up　one　part　or　party　with　a　distinction

from　and　an　unequal　subjection　of　the　rest。　Whatsoever　cannot　but　be

acknowledged　to　be　of　advantage　to　the　society　and　people　in

general；　upon　just　and　lasting　measures；　will　always；　when　done；

justify　itself；　and　whenever　the　people　shall　choose　their

representatives　upon　just　and　undeniably　equal　measures；　suitable　to

the　original　frame　of　the　government；　it　cannot　be　doubted　to　be　the

will　and　act　of　the　society；　whoever　permitted　or　proposed　to　them

so　to　do。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　XIV

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Of　Prerogative



　　159。　WHERE　the　legislative　and　executive　power　are　in　distinct

hands；　as　they　are　in　all　moderated　monarchies　and　well…framed

governments；　there　the　good　of　the　society　requires　that　several

things　should　be　left　to　the　discretion　of　him　that　has　the

executive　power。　For　the　legislators　not　being　able　to　foresee　and

provide　by　laws　for　all　that　may　be　useful　to　the　community；　the

executor　of　the　laws；　having　the　power　in　his　hands；　has　by　the　common

law　of　Nature　a　right　to　make　use　of　it　for　the　good　of　the　society；

in　many　cases　where　the　municipal　law　has　given　no　direction；　till　the

legislative　can　conveniently　be　assembled　to　provide　for　it；　nay；　many

things　there　are　which　the　law　can　by　no　means　provide　for；　and

those　must　necessarily　be　left　to　the　discretion　of　him　that　has　the

executive　power　in　his　hands；　to　be　ordered　by　him　as　the　public

good　and　advantage　shall　require；　nay；　it　is　fit　that　the　laws

themselves　should　in　some　cases　give　way　to　the　executive　power；　or

rather　to　this　fundamental　law　of　Nature　and　government…　viz。；　that　as

much　as　may　be　all　the　members　of　the　society　are　to　be　preserved。　For

since　many　accidents　may　happen　wherein　a　strict　and　rigid　observation

of　the　laws　may　do　harm；　as　not　to　pull　down　an　innocent　man's　house

to　stop　the　fire　when　the　next　to　it　is　burning；　and　a　man　may　come

sometimes　within　the　reach　of　the　law；　which　makes　no　distinction　of

persons；　by　an　action　that　may　deserve　reward　and　pardon；　it　is　fit

the　ruler　should　have　a　power　in　many　cases　to　mitigate　the　severity

of　the　law；　and　pardon　some　offenders；　since　the　end　of　government

being　the　preservation　of　all　as　much　as　may　be；　even　the　guilty　are

to　be　spared　where　it　can　prove　no　prejudice　to　the　innocent。

　　160。　This　power　to　act　according　to　discretion　for　the　public

good；　without　the　prescription　of　the　law　and　sometimes　even　against

it；　is　that　which　is　called　prerogative；　for　since　in　some　governments

the　law…making　power　is　not　always　in　being　and　is　usually　too

numerous；　and　so　too　slow　for　the　dispatch　requisite　to　execution；　and

because；　also；　it　is　impossible　to　foresee　and　so　by　laws　to　provide

for　all　accidents　and　necessities　that　may　concern　the　public；　or　make

such　laws　as　will　do　no　harm；　if　they　are　executed　with　an

inflexible　rigour　on　all　occasions　and　upon　all　persons　that　may

come　in　their　way；　therefore　there　is　a　latitude　left　to　the　executive

power　to　do　many　things　of　choice　which　the　laws　do　not　prescribe。

　　161。　This　power；　whilst　employed　for　the　benefit　of　the　community

and　suitably　to　the　trust　and　ends　of　the　government；　is　undoubted

prerogative；　and　never　is　questioned。　For　the　people　are　very　seldom

or　never　scrupulous　or　nice　in　the　point　or　questioning　of　prerogative

whilst　it　is　in　any　tolerable　degree　employed　for　the　use　it　was

meant…　that　is；　the　good　of　the　people；　and　not　manifestly　against　it。

But　if　there　comes　to　be　a　question　between　the　executive　power　and

the　people　about　a　thing　claimed　as　a　prerogative；　the　tendency　of　the

exercise　of　such　prerogative；　to　the　good　or　hurt　of　the　people；

will　easily　decide　that　question。

　　162。　It　is　easy　to　conceive　that　in　the　infancy　of　governments；　when

commonwealths　differed　little　from　families　in　number　of　people；

they　differed　from　them　too　but　little　in　number　of　laws；　and　the

governors　being　as　the　fathers　of　them；　watching　over　them　for　their

good；　the　government　was　almost　all　prerogative。　A　few　established

laws　served　the　turn；　and　the　discretion　and　care　of　the　ruler　suppled

the　rest。　But　when　mistake　or　flattery　prevailed　with　weak　princes；　to

make　use　of　this　power　for　private　ends　of　their　own　and　not　for　the

public　good；　the　people　were　fain；　by　express　laws；　to　get　prerogative

determined　in　those　points　wherein　they　found　disadvantage　from　it；

and　declared　limitations　of　prerogative　in　those　cases　which　they

and　their　ancestors　had　left　in　the　utmost　latitude　to　the　wisdom　of

those　princes　who　made　no　other　but　a　right　use　of　it…　that　is；　for

the　good　of　their　people。

　　163。　And　there