Tocqueville on counties as (not) communities.

THE division of the counties in America has considerable analogy with that of the arrondissements of France. The limits of both are arbitrarily laid down, and the various districts which they contain have no necessary connection, no common tradition or natural sympathy, no community of existence; their object is simply to facilitate the administration.

The extent of the township was too small to contain a system of judicial institutions; the county, therefore, is the first center of judicial action. Each county has a court of justice,10 a sheriff to execute its decrees, and a prison for criminals. There are certain wants which are felt alike by all the townships of a county; it is therefore natural that they should be satisfied by a central authority. In Massachusetts this authority is vested in the hands of several magistrates, who are appointed by the governor of the state, with the advice 11 Of his council.12 The county commissioners have only a limited and exceptional authority, which can be used only in certain predetermined cases. The state and the townships possess all the power requisite for ordinary and public business. The county commissioners can only prepare the budget; it is voted by the legislature; 13 there is no assembly that directly or indirectly represents the county. It has, therefore, properly speaking, no political existence.
posted by Lloyd at 8:46 AM