^4 NATURAL AND GIVIli 



And is founded in the natiirej Capacities, and 

 pdwers, whith) God hath assigned to; the race c^f 



, ALt thQ, parw)?r that -stic^. governments can 

 h^vej is derived from the p^tbUc opinion. The 

 body of the people, while they remain industri- 

 ous and economical, will be steadily attached to 

 the public interest, which will entirely coincide 

 with their own* They will more readily dis- 

 cern what their interest is, and be more steadily 

 attached to it, than is to be expected from men 

 who are placed in offices of honor and profit. 

 The public opinion will be much nearer th^ 

 truth, than the reasonings aod refinements of 

 Speculative or interested men : The former 

 will be founded wholly in a desire, and aim, to 

 promote the public safety ; the latter will be 

 unavoidably more or less governed, by private 

 views, interests, and aims : And when the gov- 

 ernment has the general opinion of the people 

 to support it, it can act Vvith the greatest force 

 and power j that is, with the collected force and 

 power of the whole nation : And this is the 

 greatest force that ever can be exerted by any 

 government, in any situation whatever. Des- 

 potism never . acquires a force equail to this. 

 When a whole nation unite, and the public spirit 

 moves and operates in the, same direction, noth- 

 ing can withstand its force, and the powers of 

 despotism, with all their star.dilig troops and re- 

 gular armies, fall before it. it is only when the 

 public sentiment and spirit is thus united, and 

 bfrought into action, that government has ac- 

 quired, or is able to exert the whole force of the 

 national poNver. With this strength, the gov- 



