Wesley Corpus

It is in vain to attempt it: Sensus moresque repugnant, Atque ipsa utilitas, justi prope mater et aqui.* 15. Let us, however, give a fair hearing to these pleas, as they are urged by this masterly writer; and it may be worth while to trace the matter to the foundation, surveying it part by part: “Any will, distinct from that of the majority of a community, which claims a power of making laws for it, produces servitude. This lays the line between liberty and slavery.” (Page 5.) I must beg leave to stop you on the threshold. All this I totally deny; and require solid, rational proof of these assertions; for they are by no means self-evident. “From what has been said, it is obvious, that all civil government, as far as it is free, is the creature of the people. It originates with them; it is conducted by their direction. In every free state, every man is his own legislator; all taxes are free gifts; all laws are established by common consent. If laws are not made by common consent, a Government by them is slavery.” (Page 7.) * This quotation from Horace is thus translated by Boscawen : “Sense, morals, 'gainst such laws unite, And public good, true source of right.”-ED1T. Here is a group of strong assertions. But how are they supported? “O ! they are inferred from what has been said.” But what has been said, has as yet nothing to support it. If, then, these assertions stand at all, they stand by themselves. Let us try if they cau. “All civil govern ment, as far as it is free, is a creature of the people.” It is, if we allow your definition of freedom; that is, if we allow you to beg the question. 16. But before we can move a step further, I must beg you to define another of your terms. This is the more necessary, as it occurs again and again; and indeed the whole question turns upon it. What do you mean by the people? “All the members of a state?” So you express it, page 8. “All the individuals that compose it?” So you speak in the next page.