its moral limits are defined by this sentence-do not unto another what thou wouldst not wish done to thyself.

"Safety consists in the protection granted by society to each of its members, for the preservation of his person, his rights, and his property.

"The law ought to protect the liberty of the public, and of each individual, against the oppression of those who govern.

"The right of property is that right which belongs to every citizen of enjoying according to his pleasure his goods, his revenues, the fruits of his labor and industry, and of disposing according to his pleasure, of the same.

"No contribution can be enacted, but for general utility. All citizens have a right to have a share in fixing the contributions, to watch over the use made of them, and to require an account of their expenditure.

"Instruction is the want of all. Society ought to favor with all its power, the progress of public reason, and to place the means of instruction within the reach of every citizen.

"Public functions are essentially temporary. They can. not be considered as distinctions, nor as rewards, but as duties.

"Oppression is exercised against the social body, when even only one of its members is oppressed-and against each member, when the social body is oppressed.

"When government violates the rights of the people, insurrection is to the people, and to every portion of the people, the most sacred of rights, and the most indispensible of duties."

Law, in its most comprehensive sense signifies, a rule of

action.

Municipal Law, or the laws of a state or nation, has been thus defined: "a rule of civil conduct prescribed by the supreme power in a state, commanding what is right, and prohibiting what is wrong."

Although this definition has been by some thought objectionable, yet a substitute is not attempted; but in popular governments the law of the land might be defined—A rule of civil action, adopted by general consent, and obligatory upon each individual of the state.

"The law is the free and solemn expression of the general will, and is the same for all, both in protecting and in punishing; it cannot command but that which is just and useful to society; it cannot forbid, but that which is hurtful to the same. And it "ought not to decree any punishments, but such as are strictly and evidently necessary: the punishments ought to be proportioned to the crimes and useful to society."

Demosthenes thus speaks of law: "The design and object of laws are, to ascertain what is just, honorable and expedient, and when that is discovered, it is proclaimed as a general ordinance equal and impartial to all. This is the origin of law, which for various reasons, all are under obligations to obey; it is the resolution of wise men, the correction of every offence, and the general compact of the state, to live in conformity with which, is the duty of every individual in society."

QUESTIONS ON THE PRECEDING.

What has been said of Man in a state of nature?

What is government?

What is a Sovereign State?

Can you define a Democracy?
Can you define an Aristocracy?

Can you define a Monarchy ?

How may these forms of government be combined?

What form of government is most worthy of being cherished?

What kind of government is our own?

What was the question put to, and the answer of, Solon?

What truths are said to be self-evident by our declaration of In

dependance ?

What is the design of society?

What motive of preference have free people in their elections?

What is said of Liberty?

What does safety consist in?
What is the Right of Property?

What is said of public functions?
What is said of oppression?

When does Insurrection become a right and duty?
What is law-define it?

OF MEN'S DIFFERENT NATURAL ENDOWMENTS

AND POLITICAL EQUALITY.

Men are endowed by nature with different capacities, both mental and moral. It is true that the sentiments and faculties proper to man, are distributed to each member of the human family, but in different degrees of power and activity. This is the great cause of the diversity in human character. The natural disparity which thus exists among men, may be increased or diminished to a certain extent by the circumstances of country and climate, the training and associations of youth, and the pursuits of life, but still the natural differences instituted among men by the Creator, will always exercise a controlling influence in forming the character of each individual. This influence is not how. ever irresistable- -no sane man is inevitably compelled by the constitution of his nature either to the right or wrong— the bent of his inclination will be to one or the other-but this inclination is not beyond his own control.

A candid and intelligent observer of mankind, will readily perceive the great natural diversity existing among men-a difference as great and as various in their mental and moral natures, as in their physical structures. In men's intel lectual character, how vast the difference. One is a poet from his infancy-another a painter-another an arithmetician-and yet turn either of these gifted children from the channel of their favorite studies, and they sink into mediocrity. Men's moral natures differ no less. In one is

found a spontaneous, and natural philanthropy-while another is addicted from his earliest youth to acts of cruelty and revenge. In one man a sense of justice and rectitude seems to control all his actions-while another adopts expediency as his rule of right, and laughs at those acts of injustice and wrong which do not affect his own interests.

The sentiments of religious reverence, of faith and hope, are naturally powerful and all-controlling in the minds of some men, while others devoid of any strong feelings of the kind, seldom if ever manifest them. The miser's love of acquisition is the result of his mental organization—and he is as much under the influence of instinct in this respect, as if the powers of reason were denied him. It is unnecessary to multiply instances, since, this subject properly belongs to a different branch of knowledge than it is proposed to embrace in this work.

This difference of natural endowment among men, being the order of nature, requires attention, when the rights and duties of man in society are considered. And it may well be assumed that the natural superiority of one man over another, being the gift of nature, is a right, which is not to be surrendered in society. The law of nature is here paramount. If the superior endowment be of physical strength, the law cannot restrain its healthful exercise, nor deny to the possessor the advantage it ensures.

If the endowment be of courage-the law will not deny to bravery, the honors which it wins. If the superiority of a man arises from his high moral attributes, truth, benevo'lence, religion and justice, the high position which these confer, must be allowed to the individual, as well in society, as in a state of nature.

The poet must be allowed his tribute of praise the mathematician the honors of discovery-the good man, the esteem and admiration of his fellow citizens so that whatever may be the legitimate fruits of one's natural endow ments, to these by the very law of man's nature he is en

titled-unless the good of society cannot be secured modifying or curtailing his enjoyment of them.

Now it will be readily seen, that men come into s in an unequal condition-and that the superiors cam deprived of their position-or if they could, it woul violation of their right to attempt it.

A man coming into society with great physical, me intellectual power, takes his position accordingly. It tend to the acquisition of wealth-he is entitled to secure fame and honor, these are his right-if they him truly great, he is entitled to the tribute of respe admiration from those beneath him. Society cann prive the strong man of the benefit of his strength, m wise man of his wisdom. The good man is not to graded to the standard of the vile-nor the mean ma alted, without reference to his character. The para good of society requires no such levelling operation. law of nature, the will of the Deity forbid it. The will naturally respect the strong, the ignorant the enlig ed-the bad even will pay a tribute to virtue-the and great will be loved and reverenced-and no arb rules of society, no form of government, can ever over the constitution of man.

It results from these premises, that social equality c exist. The distinctions of nature enter into society. good and the bad will have their separate associat The enlightened and the ignorant will have their's. man of sentiment cannot deeply sympathise with on void of it. The poet feels little relish for the society o mathematician-the man of sense shuns the fool-the I man the vain-the just the unjust, and the benevolen mean. There is no natural sympathy between theman intimate association does violence to the nature both. Men's pursuits, tastes and sympathies, vary, and t create their associations, in society. If a man's sense of tice make him revolt at intimate association with a kr