Remarks on the Use and Abuse of Some Political Terms

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B. Fellowes, 1832 - Political science - 264 pages

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Page 9 - The pretended rights of these theorists are all extremes : and in proportion as they are metaphysically true, they are morally and politically false.
Page 49 - It hath sovereign and uncontrollable authority in the making, confirming, enlarging, restraining, abrogating, repealing, reviving, and expounding of laws, concerning matters of all possible denominations, ecclesiastical, or temporal, civil, military, maritime, or criminal ; this being the place where that absolute despotic power, which must in all governments reside somewhere, is intrusted by the constitution of these kingdoms.
Page 199 - Political, therefore, or civil liberty, which is that of a member of society, is no other than natural liberty so far restrained by human laws (and no farther) as is necessary and expedient for the general advantage of the public.
Page 229 - tis true: 'tis true, 'tis pity; And pity 'tis, 'tis true: a foolish figure ; But farewell it, for I will use no art. Mad let us grant him then : and now remains, That we find out the cause of this effect ; Or, rather say, the cause of this defect; For this effect, defective, comes by cause: Thus it remains, and the remainder thus.
Page 204 - By the absolute rights of individuals, we mean those which are so In their primary and strictest sense; such as would belong to their persons merely In a state of nature, and which every man is entitled to enjoy, whether out of society or In it.
Page 186 - Nor think in Nature's state they blindly trod ; The state of Nature was the reign of God. Self-love and social at her birth began, Union the bond of all things, and of man ; Pride then was not, nor arts that pride to aid ; Man walk'd with beast, joint tenant of the shade ; The same his table, and the same his bed ; No murder cloth'd him, and no murder fed.
Page 122 - It is very evident that this reasoning extends to every modification of the smaller number. Whenever the powers of government are placed in any hands other than those of the community, whether those of one man, of a few, or of several, those principles of human nature which imply that government is at all necessary, imply that those persons will make use of them to defeat the very end for which government exists.
Page 204 - This natural liberty consists properly in a power of acting as one thinks fit ; without any restraint or control, unless by the law of nature ; being a right inherent in us by birth, and one of the gifts of God to man at his creation, when he endued him with the faculty of free will.
Page 182 - I could a tale unfold whose lightest word Would harrow up thy soul, freeze thy young blood, Make thy two eyes, like stars, start from their...
Page 209 - ... were one to choose a period of time when the people's consent was the least regarded in public transactions, it would be precisely on the establishment of a new government. In a settled constitution their inclinations are often consulted ; but during the fury of revolutions, conquests, and public convulsions, military force or political craft usually decides the controversy.

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