He has enjoyed many advantages favorable to the accomplishment of his design, he has been an attentive observer of passing events, and not unfrequently an actor in the political scenes that have occurred in a period of more than half a century commencing with the controversy between the states (then colonies) and the mother country,-which eventuated in their independence, and, finally, in the establishment of the present government on the true principles of freedom-a period agitated and occupied with revolu tions and revolutionary movements, which have extended with various effects to all the civilized nations of Europe and the whole of the American continent, and which have produced a more thorough investigation, and discussion of the social and individual rights of man and the nature and principles of free governments than is to be found in any other age, indeed, than all preceding ages within the reach of history. With what success the work has been executed must be left to the decision of the public. Such a work adapted to the civil and political institutions of the country has been hitherto, a desideratum, which it was the Author's ambition to supply. If, however, he has failed in this, it will be a sufficient consolation, should what he has attempted, excite some writer of more leisure and of a higher order of talents to accomplish the task, although, now at the advanced age of fourscore he can hardly expect personally to enjoy that consolation.

The Author has throughout the whole endeavored at the investigation of natural principles, and to follow truth wherever it led ;-he has several times been induced to differ from the opinions of some writers of the first talents and reputation. Although he has examined these opinions with the freedom of philosophical discussion, it has been his constant aim to treat the writers with that decent respect which they merit from every lover of science.

As to the manner and style of the work, if it should be thought that they savor of former times, the apology is, that the author himself, more properly belongs to an age that is now past.

Tinmouth, Vermont, July 10, 1833.

Of the sense in which the term, "Principles of Government" is used in the

following work,

3

BOOK I!.

Of man, as formed for the social state.

CHAPTER I.

Of the first rude state.-Whether this is a state of virtue and happiness in

preference to a state of improvement,

CHAPTER II.

9

Of the appetite or propensity for society; the appetite which leads to the pro-

pagation of the species-ambition-sympathy,

CHAPTER III.

Of hatred and revenge-Envy and some other dissocial passions,

BOOK III.

Of man as fitted for civil government and laws.

CHAPTER I.

Of the moral faculty or moral constitution of man,

CHAPTER II.

Idea of a community-Of Patriotism,

CHAPTER III.

16

21

27

39

Of a disposition in man to abuse the powers of government with which he

is intrusted,

CHAPTER IV.

Of the necessity of civil laws and government,

44

51

Of the right of inheritance and of making a testamentary disposition,

CHAPTER IV.

Of the extension of the right of property and its abuse,

Of the right of opinion,

CHAPTER V.

BOOK V.

Of the formation of government-the distribution and limitation of the civil

and political power.

Of the political power-its depository and limitations in different govern-

ments,

CHAPTER IV.

Of the division and limitation of the civil powers,

CHAPTER V.

145a

154a

Of the check arising from a balance of powers, rotation in office, and from

accountability,

169a

Moral obligation of civil laws, 191-Principles of the government as they

affect the moral obligation of the laws,

206

Political situation of the colonies,-afterwards independent states-previous

to the establishment of the present constitution of the United States, 229

Of the construction of the constitution, with observations and some of the

principal powers, general and incidental,

CHAPTER V.

253

Nature of the Union established by the confederation, and of the Union es-

tablished by the constitution of the United States-the different parties

to their several establishments and their different powers,

CHAPTER VI.

263

Of the relation established by the constitution of the United States, between

the general government and the several states composing the Union, 271

CHAPTER VII.

Of the relations established between the three departments of the general

government,
288

CHAPTER VIII.

Observations on the tendency in government to dissolution, from a corrup-

tion of its principles.-Plan of reformation incorporated in the constitution.-

Its probable effect in perpetuating its duration,

298

The Publisher regrets that the errors of the press have been so numerous

as they appear to be by the following list. He trusts, however, that it will

be a sufficient excuse to the candid reader, that the greater part of the work

was printed from manuscript at such a distance from the author, as to pre-

vent an inspection of the proof-sheets by him. To the same cause, as well

as to imperfections in the manuscript, some slight errors are owing, all of

which may not be noted below. The work having been sent to the publish-

er at different times, and in separate portions, one parcel was accidentally

mislaid, and was not observed to be wanting, until it had been passed by in

the order of printing. It was afterwards inserted in its place, after the 144th

page, the letter (a) being annexed to the number of the pages. No incon-

venience can result from this slight irregularity; but it has the effect of

making the contents of the work appear less than they are in fact, by 44

pages.