Sentence:  A nation of hardy archers and spearmen might, with small risk to its liberties, <WSD>connive</WSD> at some illegal acts on the part of a prince whose general administration was good, and whose throne was not defended by a single company of regular soldiers. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  "Often followed by" '''(at)''': to pretend to be ignorant of something in order to escape blame; to ignore or overlook a fault deliberately.