按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
to complete the fact； which otherwise would be only an initial； inchoate fact； not a fait accompli。 But that right ceases when its claimant； willingly or unwillingly； formally or virtually； abandons it； and he does so when he practically abandons the struggle； and shows no ability or intention 206 of soon renewing it with any reasonable prospect of success。
The notion of right； independent of the fact as applied to sovereignty； is founded in error。 Empty titles to states and kingdoms are of no validity。 The sovereignty is； under God； in the nation and the title and the possession are inseparable。 The title of the Palaeologi to the Roman Empire of the East； of the king of Sicily； the king of Sardinia； or the king of Spainfor they are all claimantsto the kingdom of Jerusalem founded by Godfrey and his crusaders； of the Stuarts to the thrones of England； Ireland； and Scotland； or of the Bourbons to the throne of France； are vacated and not worth the parchment on which they are engrossed。 The contrary opinion； so generally entertained； belongs to barbarism； not to civilization。 It is in modern society a relic of feudalism； which places the state in the government； and makes the government a private estatea private； and not a public righta right to govern the public； not a right to govern held from or by the public。
The proprietor may be dispossessed in fact of his estate by violence； by illegal or unjust means； without losing his right； and another may usurp it； occupy it； and possess it in fact without acquiring any right or legal title to it。 207 The man who holds the legal title has the right to oust him and re…enter upon his estate whenever able to do so。 Here； in the economical order； the fact and the right are distinguishable； and the actual occupant may be required to show his title…deeds。 Holding sovereignty to be a private estate； the feudal lawyers very properly distinguish between governments de facto and governments de jure； and argue very logically that violent dispossession of a prince does not invalidate his title。 But sovereignty； it has been shown； is not in the government； but in the state； and the state is inseparable from the public domain。 The people organized and held by the domain or national territory； are under God the sovereign nation； and remain so as long as the nation subsists without subjection to another。 The government； as distinguished from the state or nation； has only a delegated authority； governs only by a commission from the nation。 The revocation of the commission vacates； its title and extinguishes its rights。 The nation is always sovereign； and every organic people fixed to the soil； and actually independent of every other； is a nation。 There can then be no independent nation de facto that is not an independent nation de jure； nor de jure that is not de facto。 The moment a 208 people cease to be an independent nation in fact； they cease to be sovereign； and the moment they become in fact an independent nation； they are so of right。 Hence in the political order the fact and the right are born and expire together； and when it is proved that a people； are in fact an independent nation； there is no question to be asked as to their right to be such nation。
In the case of the United States there is only the question of fact。 If they are in fact one people they are so in right； whatever the opinions and theories of statesmen； or even the decisions of courts； for the courts hold from the national authority； and the theories and opinions of statesmen may be erroneous。 Certain it is that the States in the American Union have never existed and acted as severally sovereign states。 Prior to independence； they were colonies under the sovereignty of Great Britain； and since independence they have existed and acted only as states united。 The colonists； before separation and independence； were British subjects； and whatever rights the colonies had they held by charter or concession from the British crown。 The colonists never pretended to be other than British subjects； and the alleged ground of their complaint against the mother country was not that she had violated their 209 natural rights as men； but their rights as British subjectsrights； as contended by the colonists； secured by the English constitution to all Englishmen or British su6jects。 The denial to them of these common rights of Englishmen they called tyranny； and they defended themselves in throwing off their allegiance to George III。； on the ground that he had； in their regard； become a tyrant； and the tyranny of the prince absolves the subject from his allegiance。
In the Declaration of Independence they declared themselves independent states indeed； but not severally independent。 The declaration was not made by the states severally； but by the states jointly； as the United States。 They unitedly declared their independence； they carried on the war for independence； won it； and were acknowledged by foreign powers and by the mother country as the United States； not as severally independent sovereign states。 Severally they have never exercised the full powers of sovereign states； they have had no flagsymbol of sovereigntyrecognized by foreign powers； have made no foreign treaties； held no foreign relations； had no commerce foreign or interstate； coined no money； entered into no alliances or confederacies with foreign states or with one another； and in several re… 210 spects have been more restricted in their powers in the Union than they were as British colonies。
Colonies are initial or inchoate states； and become complete states by declaring and winning their independence； and if the English colonies； now the United States； had separately declared and won their independence； they would unquestionably have become separately independent states； each invested by the law of nature with all the rights and powers of a sovereign nation。 But they did not do this。 They declared and won their independence jointly； and have since existed and exercised sovereignty only as states united； or the United States； that is； states sovereign in their union； but not in their separation。 This is of itself decisive of the whole question。
But the colonists have not only never exercised the full powers of sovereignty save as citizens of states united； therefore as one people； but they were； so far as a people at all； one people even before independence。 The colonies were all erected and endowed with their rights and powers by one and the same national authority； and the colonists were subjects of one and the same national sovereign。 Mr。 Quincy Adams； who almost alone among our prominent statesmen maintains the unity of 211 the colonial people； adds indeed to their subjection to the same sovereign authority； community of origin； of language； manners； customs； and law。 All these； except the last； or common law； may exist without