The Massachusetts spy, or, Thomas's Boston journal. [volume] (Boston [Mass.]) 1772-1775, 1773-11-18
For the MASSACHUSETTS Ply.

10 an NATIONS " A1e"'
en- The face of The ubek Earth, tlpfff0Iy
tbof Of Great Britain and Ireland, more
,f6feially .bs Lnbabifaatse Of Btitiih North
America, and particularly tbefs sffbs Mat
fachufeus. Bay in New England.
MEN, BRETHREN and FATHERS,
TT Indispensable to the well-beng OF
civil fociety that every member thereon
ihould have fure and righteous rule OF ac-
tion in every occurrence Of life and alto
that upon the obfefvance OF this rule ne
fhould be happy and fscure from the molei'
ta,ion and difiurbance of all men; NUM-
cipal law, which is no more than the law
of nature applied to man in iociety' having
for its principal Objects, the freedom OF the
per(on, confidence, and fscuriiy OF the fuo;
lea in his property. And men enter INTO
iocie,y for no other end than to place the
execution of theie laws in the hands OF iuch
as they efeem worthy to be enftrueted with
them and to defend themlelves, their laws
and properties againa foreign invaaiion''
They do this, in the fira place to prevent
tha, confufion and bloodfhed which would
inevitably take place were each individual
left to Judge in bis own caufc and take by
,he farone hand what fhould appear to him
fa,isfaetory. Civil fociety then TO uie the
words oe a celebrated author IS nothing
more than the union of multitude OF Peo-
pie who agree to live in iuojeetiOn to a To-
vereipn q. e. any power having legislative
authority in order to find through his pro-
te6tion and care the Happiness to which they
NATURALLY ASPIRE. This is equal
" true whatever fe governing community
il is applied to, whether to the imalieh pm
cioality in Germany, the weakei colony
in America or the Kingdoms of Great. BIl
tain. France or Mufcovy. Thus we lee
wha, forms fate and can ealiiY perceive
what are the duties both OF rulers and Peo'
ple VIZ. fuers mult afford them that pro-
isa,m svbtrsby they may )reiy attain that
felicity they naturally Glpirs To- ne peo
Die then ihoud take care not to tranigFe's
the laws of fociety, which being formed oy
the wiieft and beit Of their own oody' mum
undoubtedly be intended at leaf, for the pro-
motion and Gecurity of the public hapPlnei'.
Seoers,e ftates (aIl ielf-gogernlng com
muuitiesl ftand in the fame relation TO one
another as individuals do when out OF iocs'y;
or TO ufe the more common phrale, IN
Gate of nature. And it is neceiiary lays
the fame learned author that there mould
be Gm. lasU among nations to ferve as ~"
sf;mutuoE commerce. This law can be no
other than the law of nature, which Is oil
tinpuilhed by the name Of the law OF matt
ons. Mr.. Hobbies Jays natural law IS
divided into the natural law OF man, ana
natural law of ftases." The latter Is what
we call the law of nations. The laws ootn
Of nature and nations, as well as thoie OF
eyerv free fate, indeed of every lawful go
vernment under heaven areexuemely watch
ful in afcertaining and protecting the rignt
of private property. 90 g1ea'' "s
regard of the law for private property tna'
!, will not authorize the leaf violation OF II,
un!efs applied TO the detriment OF the
Society.-That men have natural
right to retain their juftly acquired property
or difpoie of it as they pleafe without inJur-
ing others, is a propoGtion that has never
been controver,ed to my knowledge That
they mould lofe this right BY entering focletY
is repugnan, to common fenfe and the uni
ted voice Of every writer of reputation upon
the fubjea. All agree that no man can BE-
iufiIy deprived of bis property without his
content in perfon or by bis representative,
unle(s he has forfeited it by the breach OF
the laws of his country to the enaaion of
which he confented.
All demands upon eur puTfe, on other
terms, are illegal ard put into execution,