Law never made men a whit more just; and, by means of their respect for
it, even the well-disposed are daily made the agents of injustice. A
common and natural result of an undue respect for law is that you may
see a file of soldiers, colonel, captain, corporal, privates,
powder-monkeys, and all, marching in admirable order over hill and dale
to the wars, against their wills, aye, against their common sense and
consciences, which makes it very steep marching indeed, and produces a
palpitation of the heart. They have no doubt that it is a damnable
business in which they are concerned; they are all peaceably inclined.
Now, what are they? Men at all? or small movable forts and magazines, at
the service of some unscrupulous man in power?
The mass of men serve the State thus, not as men mainly, but as
machines, with their bodies. They are the standing army, and the
militia, gaolers, constables, posse comitatus, etc. In most cases there
is no free exercise whatever of the judgment or of the moral sense; but
they put themselves on a level with wood and earth and stones; and
wooden men can perhaps be manufactured that will serve the purpose as
well. Such command no more respect than men of straw or a lump of dirt.
They have the same sort of worth only as horses and dogs. Yet such as
these even are commonly esteemed good citizens.
Others—as most legislators, politicians, lawyers, ministers, and
office-holders—serve the State chiefly with their heads; and as they
rarely make any moral distinctions, they are as likely to serve the
devil, without _intending_ it, as God.
How does it become a man to behave toward this American government
today? I answer, that he cannot without disgrace, be associated with it.
I cannot for an instant recognize that political organization as _my_
government which is the _slave’s_ government also.
All men recognize the right of revolution; that is, the right to refuse
allegiance to, and to resist, the government, when its tyranny or its
inefficiency are great and unendurable.