OCR Text |
Show 74 ON THE SLAVERY AND CoMM ERCE grave: an incidmtal difiinction accompanies them through life, and this -- is all. We may add to this, that though the prince poffelles dominion and power, by the confent and approbation of his fubjects, he poffeffes it only for the moll: .falutary ends. He may tyrannize, if he can: he may alter the f orm of his government: he cannot, however, alter its nature and end. Thefc will be immutably the f.1me, though the whole fyftem of its adminifiration lhould be changed; and he will be fiill bound to difend the lives and properties of his fubjects, and to make them happy. Does he defend thofe therefore, whom he invades at difcretion with the [word? Does he protect the property of thofe, whofe houfes and effects he configns at difcretion to the flames ? Does he make thofe happy, whom he feizes, as they are trying to efcape the general devaftation, and compels with their wives and families to a wretched.fervitude? He acts furely, as if the ufe of empire confified in violence and opprcffion ; as if he, that was moll: exalted, ought, of neeeffity, to be moll: unjuft. Here then the voice of nature andju)lice is again!l; him. OF THE HuMA N SPECIES. 75 him. He breaks that law of nature, which ordains, " that no jufi man iJ,aJl be given " into llavery, againfi his own co1zjent :" he violates the firfi law of jz1/ice, as efiablill1ed among men, " that no perfon il1all do harm " to another without a previous and fu llici" ent provocation;" and he violates alfo the facrcd condition of empire, made with his ancefiors, and necell:1rily underfiood in every fpecies of government, " that, the power of " the multitude being given up to the wif" dom and jufiice of the prince, they may " experience, in return, the mofi effectual " protection from injury, the highefi ad" vantages of fociety, the greatefi poffible '' happinifs." But if kings then, to whom their own people have granted dominion and power, are unable to invade the liberties of their harmlefs fubjects, without the higheft inju.ftice; how can thofe private perfons be juftified, who treacheroully lie in wait for their fellow-creatures, apd fell them into llavery? What arguments can they poffibly bring in in their defence ? What treaty of empire can they produce, by wh\ch their innocent vic-tims |