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Show (6) (7) confcqucnce to us as Librrry. It is the foundation of all honour, and the chief privilege and glory ot‘our natures. In fixing our ideas on the {object of Liberty it is of particular ule to take {itch an enlarged View of it as l have now given. But the immediate objeét of the prefent enquiry being Civil Liberty, 1 will confine to it all the fubletluent obfert'ations. Tho? all the members of a {late {hould not be capable of giving their fufl‘rages on public meafures indi-vz'a'zm/{V and per. family, they may do this by the appointment of Sri/r/r'itzrm or Reprrfmz‘az‘iws. They may entrull' the powers of legiflation, S E C T. fubjee't to fuch refirié'tions as they {hall think necei'l‘ary, with any number of Delegates; and whatever can be done by fuch delegates, within the limits oftheir trul't, may be confidered as done by the united voice and counlbl of the Community.--« In this method a free government may be cllablifl'ied in a large fiate; and it is conceivable that by regulations of this kind, H. any number of fiates might be {objected to a fcherne of go- Of Civil Liberty and (/26 Principle: of Government. R O M what has been laid, it is obvious, that all civil government, as far as it can be denominated frrt', is the creattre of t e people. It originates with them. It is con- duéied under their direction; and has in view nothing but their happincl‘s. All its dill‘l-rent forms are no more thiin l1: many dillierent modes in which they chute to direct their affairs, and to techie the quiet enioym 'nt of their rights. ------ In every tree {late e 'ery man is his own legill:ttor.--:-All taxes are free gifts for public lei-vicesnul‘tll law: are particular provifions or regulations efial‘lilhed by COMMON CONSENT for ‘ gaining protection end litfety. I And all [lirrgi/ill‘atts are ‘I iuilees or Deputies for carrying ‘thefe regulations into execution. ' Liberty, therefore, is too imperch‘tly defined when it is laid to be " a Government by LAWS, and not by MEN." If the laws axe made by one man, or a junto of men in a (late, and not by Ctmmox coNsntc'r, a government by them does not flit-let from Slavery. In this cafe it would be a contradiction produce uhiverfal peace and order. Let us think here of what may be practicable in this way with rel‘peft to Europe in particular.» While it continues divided, as it is at prefent, into a great number of independent kingdoms, whole interellts are continually clalhing, it is impolhble but that difputes will often arife which mull- end in War and carnage. It would be no remedy to this evil to make one of theire Hates fupreme over the rcl't; and to give it an abfolute plenitude of. power to l-UpCl‘li'iCC'HCl and controul them. This would be to liuinecnt all the ilates to the arbitrary dilcretion of one, and to ellabliih an ignominious llavtry not poflible to be long endured. It would, therefore, be a remedy worfe than the difeale; nor is it pofiible it {hould be appproved by any mind that has not loll every idea of Civil Liberty. On the contrary---Let every ilate, with refpeét to all its internal concerns, he continued independent of all the ref't; and let a ge- neral confederacy be formed by the appointment of :1 SENATE confining of Reprefentatives from all the different hates. Let this SENATE pollel‘s the power of managing all the common in terms to lay that the {late governs itlelf. From hence it is obvious that Civil Liberty, in its molt per» lee"; degree, can be enjoyed only in linall ltates, where everyr member is capable of giving: his lufl‘rage in perfon, and of being.r cholen into public offices. WVhen a Hate becomes to numerous, or when the dif'tisrent parts of it are removed to fuch diltanees from one another, as to render this impracticable, a diminution or Liberty necellarily miles. vernment, that would exclude the defolations of war, and There are however, in theft: circumltzmces, methods by which l‘uch near approaches may be made to pert‘etEt Liberty as {hall anlv/er all the purpol‘es (if government, and at the fame time feeure every right of human nature. ' ‘ The' concerns of the united Rates, and of judging and deciding between them, as a common flrbiter or Umpire, in all dilputes; having, at the fame time, under its direction, the common force of the {lattes to fupport its decilions. In thefe circumllances, each feparate {late would be fecure againl't the interference of foreign power in its private concerns, and, therefore would poll‘els Liberty; and at the lame time it would be fecure againlt all oppreiiion and inl‘ult from every neighbour- ing Prate. Thus might the feattered force and abilities of a whole continent be gathered into one point; all litigation: fettled as they role; univerl‘al peace preferved; and nation prevented from any more lifting up (lfward ageing/l mam". I 1 rave |