首页 >出版文学> The Spirit of Laws>第19章
  55。"Ourancestors,"saysCicero,ProCluentio,"wouldnotsufferanymanwhomthepartieshadnotagreedto,tobejudgeoftheleastpecuniaryaffair,muchlessofacitizen’sreputation。"
  56。SeeinthefragmentsoftheServilian,Cornelian,andotherlaws,inwhatmannertheselawsappointedjudgesforthecrimestheyproposedtopunish。Theywereoftenpitcheduponbychoice,sometimesbylot,or,infine,bylotmixedtogetherwithchoice。
  57。Seneca,DeBenefic。iii。7,infine。
  58。SeeQuintilian,iv,p。54,infol。ed。,Paris,1541。
  59。Leg。2ff。deorig。jur。Magistrateswhowerecalleddecemvirspresidedincourt,thewholeunderapr?tor’sdirection。
  60。QuoniamdecapitecivisRomani,injussupopuliRomani,noneratpermissumconsulibusjusdicere。——SeePomponius,Leg。2,§6,ff。deorig。jur。
  61。DionysiusHalicarnassus,v,p。322。
  62。Thecomitiabycenturies。ThusManliusCapitolinuswastriedinthesecomitia。——Livy,Dec。1,vi。20。
  63。Pomponius,inLeg。2,Dig。,deorig。jur。
  64。SeeafragmentofUlpian,whogivesanotheroftheCornelianLaw:itistobemetwithintheCollationoftheMosaicandRomanLaws,tit。i,DeSicariisethomicidiis。
  65。Thistookplace,especiallyinregardtocrimescommittedinItaly,whichweresubjectchieflytotheinspectionofthesenate。SeeLivy,Dec。1,ix,26,concerningtheconspiraciesatCapua。
  66。ThiswasthecaseintheprosecutionforthemurderofPosthumius,intheyear340ofRome。SeeLivy,iv。50。
  67。ThisjudgmentwaspassedintheyearofRome567。
  68。Bookviii。
  69。Cicero,inBrutus。
  70。ThisisprovedfromLivy,bookxliii。46,whosaysthatHannibalrenderedtheirmagistracyannual。
  71。Thesenatus—consultumswereinforceforthespaceofayear,thoughnotconfirmedbythepeople。——DionysiusHalicarnassusix,p。595;xi,p。735。
  72。Intheyear630。
  73。Capitecensosplerosque。——Sallust,DeBelloJugurth,84。
  74。Fragmentofthisauthor,xxxvi,inthecollectionofConstantinePorphyrogenitus,OfVirtuesandVices[Historica]。
  75。Fragmentofhishistory,takenfromtheextractOfVirtuesandVices[Historica]。
  76。FragmentofthebookxxxivintheextractOfVirtuesandVices[Historica]。
  77。PenesquosRom?tumjudiciaerant,atqueexequestriordinesolerentsortitojudiceseligiincausaPr?torumetProconsulum,quibuspostadministratamprovinciamdiesdictaerat。
  78。Theymadetheiredictsuponenteringtheprovinces。
  79。Bookv。19。Seealsoii,iii,iv,andv。
  80。AftertheconquestofMacedoniatheRomanspaidnotaxes。
  81。SpeechtakenfromTrogusPompeius,andrelatedbyJustin,xxxviii。
  4。
  82。SeetheorationsagainstVerres。
  83。ItiswellknownwhatsortofatribunalwasthatofVarus,whichprovokedtheGermanstorevolt。
  BookXII。OftheLawsThatFormPoliticalLiberty,inRelationtotheSubject1。IdeaofthisBook。Itisnotsufficienttohavetreatedofpoliticallibertyinrelationtotheconstitution;wemustexamineitlikewiseintherelationitbearstothesubject。
  Wehaveobservedthatintheformercaseitarisesfromacertaindistributionofthethreepowers;butinthelatter,wemustconsideritinanotherlight。Itconsistsinsecurity,orintheopinionpeoplehaveoftheirsecurity。
  Theconstitutionmayhappentobefree,andthesubjectnot。Thesubjectmaybefree,andnottheconstitution。Inthosecases,theconstitutionwillbefreebyright,andnotinfact;thesubjectwillbefreeinfact,andnotbyright。
  Itisthedispositiononlyofthelaws,andevenofthefundamentallaws,thatconstituteslibertyinrelationtotheconstitution。Butasitregardsthesubject:manners,customs,orreceivedexamplesmaygiverisetoit,andparticularcivillawsmayencourageit,asweshallpresentlyobserve。
  Further,asinmoststateslibertyismorecheckedordepressedthantheirconstitutionrequires,itispropertotreatoftheparticularlawsthatineachconstitutionareapttoassistorchecktheprincipleoflibertywhicheachstateiscapableofreceiving。
  2。OftheLibertyoftheSubject。Philosophiclibertyconsistsinthefreeexerciseofthewill;oratleast,ifwemustspeakagreeablytoallsystems,inanopinionthatwehavethefreeexerciseofourwill。
  Politicallibertyconsistsinsecurity,or,atleast,intheopinionthatweenjoysecurity。
  Thissecurityisnevermoredangerouslyattackedthaninpublicorprivateaccusations。Itis,therefore,onthegoodnessofcriminallawsthatthelibertyofthesubjectprincipallydepends。
  Criminallawsdidnotreceivetheirfullperfectionallatonce。Eveninplaceswherelibertyhasbeenmostsoughtafter,ithasnotbeenalwaysfound。Aristotle[1]informsusthatatCum?theparentsoftheaccusermightbewitnesses。SoimperfectwasthelawunderthekingsofRomethatServiusTulliuspronouncedsentenceagainstthechildrenofAncusMartius,whowerechargedwithhavingassassinatedtheking,hisfather—in—law。[2]UnderthefirstkingsofFrance,Clotariusmadealaw[3]thatnobodyshouldbecondemnedwithoutbeingheard;whichshowsthatacontrarycustomhadprevailedinsomeparticularcaseoramongsomebarbarouspeople。ItwasCharondasthatfirstestablishedpenaltiesagainstfalsewitnesses。[4]Whenthesubjecthasnofencetosecurehisinnocence,hehasnoneforhisliberty。
  Theknowledgealreadyacquiredinsomecountries,orthatmaybehereafterattainedinothers,concerningthesurestrulestobeobservedincriminaljudgments,ismoreinterestingtomankindthananyotherthingintheworld。
  Libertycanbefoundedonthepracticeofthisknowledgeonly;andsupposingastatetohavethebestlawsimaginableinthisrespect,apersontriedunderthatstate,andcondemnedtobehangedthenextday,wouldhavemuchmorelibertythanapashaenjoysinTurkey。
  3。ThesameSubjectcontinued。Thoselawswhichcondemnamantodeathonthedepositionofasinglewitnessarefataltoliberty。Inreasonthereshouldbetwo,becauseawitnesswhoaffirms,andtheaccusedwhodenies,makeanequalbalance,andathirdmustinclinethescale。
  TheGreeks[5]andRomans[6]requiredonevoicemoretocondemn:butourFrenchlawsinsistupontwo。TheGreekspretendthattheircustomwasestablishedbythegods;[7]butthismorejustlymaybesaidofours。
  4。ThatLibertyisfavouredbytheNatureandProportionofPunishments。
  Libertyisinperfectionwhencriminallawsderiveeachpunishmentfromtheparticularnatureofthecrime。Therearethennoarbitrarydecisions;thepunishmentdoesnotflowfromthecapriciousnessofthelegislator,butfromtheverynatureofthething;andmanusesnoviolencetoman。
  Therearefoursortsofcrimes。Thoseofthefirstspeciesareprejudicialtoreligion,thesecondtomorals,thethirdtothepublictranquillity,andthefourthtothesecurityofthesubject。Thepunishmentsinflictedforthesecrimesoughttoproceedfromthenatureofeachofthesespecies。
  Intheclassofcrimesthatconcernreligion,Irankonlythosewhichattackitdirectly,suchasallsimplesacrileges。Forastocrimesthatdisturbtheexerciseofit,theyareofthenatureofthosewhichprejudicethetranquillityorsecurityofthesubject,andoughttobereferredtothoseclasses。
  Inordertoderivethepunishmentofsimplesacrilegesfromthenatureofthething,[8]itshouldconsistindeprivingpeopleoftheadvantagesconferredbyreligioninexpellingthemoutofthetemples,inatemporaryorperpetualexclusionfromthesocietyofthefaithful,inshunningtheirpresence,inexecrations,comminations,andconjurations。
  Inthingsthatprejudicethetranquillityorsecurityofthestate,secretactionsaresubjecttohumanjurisdiction。ButinthosewhichoffendtheDeity,wherethereisnopublicact,therecanbenocriminalmatter,thewholepassesbetweenmanandGod,whoknowsthemeasureandtimeofHisvengeance。Nowifmagistrates,confoundingthings,shouldinquirealsointohiddensacrileges,thisinquisitionwouldbedirectedtoakindofactionthatdoesnotatallrequireit:thelibertyofthesubjectwouldbesubvertedbyarmingthezealoftimorousaswellasofpresumptuousconsciencesagainsthim。
  ThemischiefarisesfromanotionwhichsomepeoplehaveentertainedofrevengingthecauseoftheDeity。ButwemusthonourtheDeityandleavehimtoavengehisowncause。And,indeed,werewetobedirectedbysuchanotion,wherewouldbetheendofpunishments?IfhumanlawsaretoavengethecauseofaninfiniteBeing,theywillbedirectedbyhisinfinity,andnotbytheweakness,ignorance,andcapriceofman。
  Anhistorian[9]ofProvencerelatesafactwhichfurnishesuswithanexcellentdescriptionoftheconsequencesthatmayariseinweakcapacitiesfromthenotionofavengingtheDeity’scause。AJewwasaccusedofhavingblasphemedagainsttheVirginMary;anduponconvictionwascondemnedtobeflayedalive。Astrangespectaclewasthenexhibited:gentlemenmasked,withknivesintheirhands,mountedthescaffold,anddroveawaytheexecutioner,inordertobetheavengersthemselvesofthehonouroftheblessedVirgin。Idonotherechoosetoanticipatethereflectionsofthereader。
  Thesecondclassconsistsofthosecrimeswhichareprejudicialtomorals。Suchistheviolationofpublicorprivatecontinence,thatis,ofthepolicedirectingthemannerinwhichthepleasureannexedtotheconjunctionofthesexesistobeenjoyed。Thepunishmentofthosecrimesoughttobealsoderivedfromthenatureofthething;theprivationofsuchadvantagesassocietyhasattachedtothepurityofmorals,fines,shame,necessityofconcealment,publicinfamy,expulsionfromhomeandsociety,and,infine,allsuchpunishmentsasbelongtoacorrectivejurisdiction,aresufficienttorepressthetemerityofthetwosexes。Ineffectthesethingsarelessfoundedonmalicethanoncarelessnessandself—neglect。
  Wespeakhereofnonebutcrimeswhichrelatemerelytomorals,forastothosethatarealsoprejudicialtothepublicsecurity,suchasrapes,theybelongtothefourthspecies。
  Thecrimesofthethirdclassarethosewhichdisturbthepublictranquillity。Thepunishmentsoughtthereforetobederivedfromthenatureofthething,andtobeinrelationtothistranquillity;suchasimprisonment,exile,andotherlikechastisementsproperforreclaimingturbulentspirits,andobligingthemtoconformtotheestablishedorder。
  Iconfinethosecrimesthatinjurethepublictranquillitytothingswhichimplyabareoffenceagainstthepolice;forastothosewhichbydisturbingthepublicpeaceattackatthesametimethesecurityofthesubject,theyoughttoberankedinthefourthclass。
  Thepunishmentsinflicteduponthelattercrimesaresuchasareproperlydistinguishedbythatname。Theyareakindofretaliation,bywhichthesocietyrefusessecuritytoamemberwhohasactuallyorintentionallydeprivedanotherofhissecurity。Thesepunishmentsarederivedfromthenatureofthething,foundedonreason,anddrawnfromtheverysourceofgoodandevil。Amandeservesdeathwhenhehasviolatedthesecurityofthesubjectsofarastodeprive,orattempttodeprive,anothermanofhislife。Thispunishmentofdeathistheremedy,asitwere,ofasicksociety。Whenthereisabreachofsecuritywithregardtoproperty,theremaybesomereasonsforinflictingacapitalpunishment:butitwouldbemuchbetter,andperhapsmorenatural,thatcrimescommittedagainstthesecurityofpropertyshouldbepunishedwiththelossofproperty;andthisought,indeed,tobethecaseifmen’sfortuneswerecommonorequal。Butasthosewhohavenopropertyoftheirownaregenerallythereadiesttoattackthatofothers,ithasbeenfoundnecessary,insteadofapecuniary,tosubstituteacorporal,punishment。
  AllthatIhavehereadvancedisfoundedinnature,andextremelyfavourabletothelibertyofthesubject。
  5。OfcertainAccusationsthatrequireparticularModerationandPrudence。Itisanimportantmaxim,thatweoughttobeverycircumspectintheprosecutionofwitchcraftandheresy。Theaccusationofthesetwocrimesmaybevastlyinjurioustoliberty,andproductiveofinfiniteoppression,ifthelegislatorknowsnothowtosetboundstoit。Forasitdoesnotdirectlypointataperson’sactions,butathischaracter,itgrowsdangerousinproportiontotheignoranceofthepeople;andthenamanissuretobealwaysindanger,becausethemostexceptionalconduct,thepurestmorals,andtheconstantpracticeofeverydutyinlifearenotasufficientsecurityagainstthesuspicionofhisbeingguiltyofthelikecrimes。
  UnderManuelComnenus,theProtestator[10]wasaccusedofhavingconspiredagainsttheemperor,andofhavingemployedforthatpurposesomesecretsthatrendermeninvisible。Itismentionedinthelifeofthisemperor[11]thatAaronwasdetected,ashewasporingoverabookofSolomon’s,thereadingofwhichwassufficienttoconjureupwholelegionsofdevils。Nowbysupposingapowerinwitchcrafttorousetheinfernalspiritstoarms,peoplelookuponamanwhomtheycallasorcererasthepersonintheworldmostlikelytodisturbandsubvertsociety;andofcoursetheyaredisposedtopunishhimwiththeutmostseverity。
  Buttheirindignationincreaseswhenwitchcraftissupposedtohavethepowerofsubvertingreligion。ThehistoryofConstantinople[12]informsusthatinconsequenceofarevelationmadetoabishopofamiraclehavingceasedbecauseofthemagicpracticesofacertainperson,boththatpersonandhissonwereputtodeath。Onhowmanysurprisingthingsdidnotthissinglecrimedepend?Thatrevelationsshouldnotbeuncommon,thatthebishopshouldbefavouredwithone,thatitwasreal,thattherehadbeenamiracleinthecase,thatthismiraclehadceased,thattherewasamagicart,thatmagiccouldsubvertreligion,thatthisparticularpersonwasamagician,and,infine,thathehadcommittedthatmagicact。
  TheEmperorTheodorusLascarisattributedhisillnesstowitchcraft。
  Thosewhowereaccusedofthiscrimehadnootherresourceleftthantohandleared—hotironwithoutbeinghurt。ThusamongtheGreeksapersonoughttohavebeenasorcerertobeabletoclearhimselfoftheimputationofwitchcraft。Suchwastheexcessoftheirstupiditythattothemostdubiouscrimeintheworldtheyjoinedthemostdubiousproofsofinnocence。
  UnderthereignofPhiliptheLong,theJewswereexpelledfromFrance,beingaccusedofhavingpoisonedthespringswiththeirlepers。Soabsurdanaccusationoughttomakeusdoubtallthosethatarefoundedonpublichatred。
  Ihavenothereassertedthatheresyoughtnottobepunished;Isaidonlythatweoughttobeextremelycircumspectinpunishingit。
  6。OftheCrimeagainstNature。GodforbidthatIshouldhavetheleastinclinationtodiminishthepublichorroragainstacrimewhichreligion,morality,andcivilgovernmentequallycondemn。Itoughttobeproscribed,wereitonlyforitscommunicatingtoonesextheweaknessesoftheother,andforleadingpeoplebyascandalousprostitutionoftheiryouthtoanignominiousoldage。WhatIshallsayconcerningitwillinnowaydiminishitsinfamy,beinglevelledonlyagainstthetyrannythatmayabusetheveryhorrorweoughttohaveagainstthevice。
  Asanaturalcircumstanceofthiscrimeissecrecy,therearefrequentinstancesofitshavingbeenpunishedbylegislatorsuponthedepositionofachild。Thiswasopeningaverywidedoortocalumny。"Justinian,"
  saysProcopius,[13]"publishedalawagainstthiscrime;heorderedaninquirytobemadenotonlyagainstthosewhowereguiltyofit,aftertheenactingofthatlaw,butevenbefore。Thedepositionofasinglewitness,sometimesofachild,sometimesofaslave,wassufficient,especiallyagainstsuchaswererich,andagainstthoseofthegreenfaction。"
  Itisveryoddthatthesethreecrimes,witchcraft,heresy,andthatagainstnature,ofwhichthefirstmighteasilybeprovednottoexist;
  thesecondtobesusceptibleofaninfinitenumberofdistinctions,interpretations,andlimitations;thethirdtobeoftenobscureanduncertain——itisveryodd,Isay,thatthesethreecrimesshouldamongstusbepunishedwithfire。
  Imayventuretoaffirmthatthecrimeagainstnaturewillnevermakeanygreatprogressinsociety,unlesspeoplearepromptedtoitbysomeparticularcustom,asamongtheGreeks,wheretheyouthsofthatcountryperformedalltheirexercisesnaked;asamongstus,wheredomesticeducationisdisused;asamongsttheAsiatics,whereparticularpersonshaveagreatnumberofwomenwhomtheydespise,whileotherscanhavenoneatall。Lettherebenocustomspreparatorytothiscrime;letit,likeeveryotherviolationofmorals,beseverelyproscribedbythecivilmagistrate;andnaturewillsoondefendorresumeherrights。
  Nature,thatfond,thatindulgentparent,hasstrewnherpleasureswithabounteoushand,andwhileshefillsuswithdelights,shepreparesus,bymeansofourissue,inwhomweseeourselves,asitwere,reproduced——shepreparesus,Isay,forfuturesatisfactionsofamoreexquisitekindthanthoseverydelights。
  7。OftheCrimeofHighTreason。ItisdeterminedbythelawsofChinathatwhosoevershowsanydisrespecttotheemperoristobepunishedwithdeath。Astheydonotmentioninwhatthisdisrespectconsists,everythingmayfurnishapretexttotakeawayaman’slife,andtoexterminateanyfamilywhatsoever。
  Twopersonsofthatcountrywhowereemployedtowritethecourtgazette,havinginsertedsomecircumstancesrelatingtoacertainfactthatwasnottrue,itwaspretendedthattotellalieinthecourtgazettewasadisrespectshowntothecourt,inconsequenceofwhichtheywereputtodeath。[14]Aprinceofthebloodhavinginadvertentlymadesomemarkonamemorialsignedwiththeredpencilbytheemperor,itwasdeterminedthathehadbehaveddisrespectfullytothesovereign;
  whichoccasionedoneofthemostterriblepersecutionsagainstthatfamilythateverwasrecordedinhistory。[15]
  Ifthecrimeofhightreasonbeindeterminate,thisaloneissufficienttomakethegovernmentdegenerateintoarbitrarypower。IshalldescantmorelargelyonthissubjectwhenIcometotreat[16]ofthecompositionoflaws。
  8。OftheMisapplicationoftheTermsSacrilegeandHighTreason。Itislikewiseashockingabusetogivetheappellationofhightreasontoanactionthatdoesnotdeserveit。Byanimperiallaw[17]itwasdecreedthatthosewhocalledinquestiontheprince’sjudgment,ordoubtedthemeritofsuchashehadchosenforapublicoffice,shouldbeprosecutedasguiltyofsacrilege。[18]Surelyitwasthecabinetcouncilandtheprince’sfavouriteswhoinventedthatcrime。Byanotherlaw,itwasdeterminedthatwhosoevermadeanyattempttoinjuretheministersandofficersbelongingtothesovereignshouldbedeemedguiltyofhightreason,asifhehadattemptedtoinjurethesovereignhimself。[19]
  Thislawisowingtotwoprinces[20]remarkablefortheirweakness——
  princeswhowereledbytheirministersasflocksbyshepherds;princeswhowereslavesinthepalace,childreninthecouncil,strangerstothearmy;princes,infine,whopreservedtheirauthorityonlybygivingitawayeveryday。Someofthosefavouritesconspiredagainsttheirsovereigns。Nay,theydidmore,theyconspiredagainsttheempire——
  theycalledinbarbarousnations;andwhentheemperorswantedtostoptheirprogressthestatewassoenfeebledastobeunderanecessityofinfringingthelaw,andofexposingitselftothecrimeofhightreasoninordertopunishthosefavourites。
  AndyetthisistheverylawwhichthejudgeofMonsieurdeCinq—Marsbuiltupon[21]whenendeavouringtoprovethatthelatterwasguiltyofthecrimeofhightreasonforattemptingtoremoveCardinalRichelieufromtheministry。Hesays:"Crimesthataimatthepersonsofministersaredeemedbytheimperialconstitutionsofequalconsequencewiththosewhicharelevelledagainsttheemperor’sownperson。Aministerdischargeshisdutytohisprinceandtohiscountry:toattempt,therefore,toremovehim,isendeavouringtodeprivetheformeroneofhisarms,[22]andthelatterofpartofitspower。"Itisimpossibleforthemeanesttoolsofpowertoexpressthemselvesinmoreservilelanguage。
  ByanotherlawofValentinian,Theodosius,andArcadius,[23]falsecoinersaredeclaredguiltyofhightreason。Butisnotthisconfoundingtheideasofthings?Isnottheveryhorrorofhightreasondiminishedbygivingthatnametoanothercrime?
  9。ThesameSubjectcontinued。PaulinushavingwrittentotheEmperorAlexanderthat"hewaspreparingtoprosecuteforhightreasonajudgewhohaddecidedcontrarytohisedict,"theemperoranswered,"thatunderhisreigntherewasnosuchthingasindirecthightreason。"[24]
  Faustinianwrotetothesameemperorthatashehadswornbytheprince’slifenevertopardonhisslave,hefoundhimselftherebyobligedtoperpetuatehiswrath,lestheshouldincurtheguiltofl?samajestas。Uponwhichtheemperormadeanswer,"Yourfearsaregroundless,[25]andyouareastrangertomyprinciples。"
  Itwasdeterminedbyasenatus—consultum[26]thatwhosoevermelteddownanyoftheemperor’sstatueswhichhappenedtoberejectedshouldnotbedeemedguiltyofhightreason。TheEmperorsSeverusandAntoninuswrotetoPontius[27]thatthosewhosoldunconsecratedstatuesoftheemperorshouldnotbechargedwithhightreason。ThesameprinceswrotetoJuliusCassianusthatifapersoninflingingastoneshouldbychancestrikeoneoftheemperor’sstatuesheshouldnotbeliabletoaprosecutionforhightreason。[28]TheJulianlawrequiresthissortoflimitations;forinvirtueofthislawthecrimeofhightreasonwaschargednotonlyuponthosewhomelteddowntheemperor’sstatues,butlikewiseonthosewhocommittedanysuchlikeaction,[29]whichmadeitanarbitrarycrime。Whenanumberofcrimesofl?samajestashadbeenestablished,theywereobligedtodistinguishtheseveralsorts。HenceUlpian,thecivilian,aftersayingthattheaccusationofl?samajestasdidnotdiewiththecriminal,addsthatthisdoesnotrelatetoallthetreasonableactsestablishedbytheJulianlaw,[30]butonlytothatwhichimpliesanattemptagainsttheempire,oragainsttheemperor’slife。
  10。ThesameSubjectcontinued。TherewasalawpassedinEnglandunderHenryVIII,bywhichwhoeverpredictedtheking’sdeathwasdeclaredguiltyofhightreason。Thislawwasextremelyvague;theterrorofdespoticpowerissogreatthatitrecoilsuponthosewhoexerciseit。