i} 
Retrofpee? of French Literature. — Mifcellanies. 
exercile the fowercignty, and the fole attri- 
bute which a pation can neither alienate 
nor lofe, without ceafing to exiftas a na- 
tion, is zfs political independence. 
After treating of liberty and equality, 
both civil and political, he next proceed’s 
to examine the queftion of ee and . 
lays it down as a principle, that a man 
poflefles an inconteltible right to fell, or 
engage his labour for life; or for a feries 
of years ; neither of thefe, however, is 
Slavery 5 for no maa has a right to dil- 
pofe of himfelf as a flave, the bargain 
being unequal, as the flave gives away 
every thing, and referves nothing to him- 
felf but the | hopes of food, even of which 
he is mot certain 
Nae this, he declines to 
difcufs the queftion relative to the flavery 
of negroes, as too delicate ! 
Fiance; where flavery of all kinds both 
feudal and colonial were annihilated by 
Jaw? It is pretty. obvious, however, 
that he inclines towards the Peete of 
the propofition, as may be deduced from 
the following reply of the Divan cf A\|- 
giers, when the Puritans of a former pe- 
riod applied for the releafe. of certain cap- 
tives, and a defiance from robbery : 
*¢ the doctrine that the pillage and flavery 
of the Chriftians are unjuft, appears to be 
at lea(t problematical; but the intereit of 
the ftate is clear, and therefore the pofition 
ought to be rejected.” 
t is but juftice, however, to obferve, 
that he “is decifively of ‘opinion, that a 
child cannot be- born a flave, and thar a 
whole people need not fubmit to fervitude, 
even if they are reduced toit, as they pol 
feis the right to. wit hii aw the See 
whenever an Opportunity may occur. 
Whe fucceeding chapters have for ob- 
ject: 
1. Power in general : 
The legiflative power : 
‘Phe executive power : 
- The judicial power ; 
. Laws in general. 
Laws publics or political : 
» Law private, or civil: 
. Criminal law : 
The police : 
The public force: 
The population : 
The contributions, oy taxes : 
13. Agriculture, indultry, commerce: and 
, 14. Property. 
In one portion of this! awe) k, M. de 
Rayneval attacks the notions of M. de 
Montefquieu, who has feparated virtue 
and bomeur, and clafled them as apperiain- 
Mon tary Mac, No. 124. 
What, in i 
601 
ing to two different {pecies of government. 
sc Récherches fur Erat Actuel des So- 
ciétés Politiques; par M. RAGGUNEAU, 
Commiffarie de  Autorité Pabligue pres 
les Oftreis de Strefbourg, Membre de la 
Société d’ Agriculture, des Sciences et 
Arts de ceite Ville.”’—Inquiric s concern= 
ing the Frefent State of Polttical Socie- 
we by M. Racounzau, Commitlary 
of the Public Authority, &c. 
M. Ragouneau, like mof of thofe who 
have preceded him, in’ the fame pai fit, 
profefies that it is his principal aim to in- 
quire, ** how far man can be. contidered 
free in a flate of fociety?”’ We traces the 
origin of the prefent ftate of political fo- 
cieties to that epoch when indufity was 
fubiituted for flavery, and when the citi- 
zens contented freely to labour for one 
another. 
Ce he: Hom t On Bey ; 
ee lusury, and the increafe of luxury, re- 
fult immediately and neceffarily from each 
other, Ir is under this relative point of 
view, that ae ought to be confidered : 
the growth ef luxury, asa confequence of 
luxury ; luxury, as a conefquence of in- 
equa pis ; inequality, as a confequence of 
the right of prope lee links, when 
united i together, conititute the focial chain, 
and to attempt mee again{t them, would 
not only be to attack ahe political, exit. 
ence ef a nation, but even the phy ala 
exiftence of all oe who compo! fete. 
It is not a little remarkable, that this ts 
perhaps the only author, wio has affeed 
to place moveab ics avove landed proper- 
ty; bis seafom is, <* that the firlt admin 
nifters to our prefe nt, the fecond only to 
ourduture, wants.” 
“« The powers of a nation,” fays he, 
in purines pare of it, . ¢* 18 in pepe en 
to its populaticn; its population will al- 
ways oe in pioportion to the means of 
fubfilénce, provided it is fufficient to be- 
come a citizen, to have,a right to the ter- 
rito orig] peo: s ; but as no onets fed un- 
eccupicd about fomethin 
fo ah population will be im pfopor- 
fon to the mumber of thofe employed ; ; 
us number of thofe employed,.1 in propo:- 
cn te the capitals engaged in paying for 
hee 5 while thefe capitals mult be the 
reftult of economy alone: this economy is 
the principle of national weal: th, of the 
liberty of citizens, of the happine {5 of in- 
dividualsy and of the increafe of popula- 
tions ; by its means agriculture multi- 
plies its: preduéts, indufixy its works, 
commerce accumulatés, and labour be- 
comes independent. 
I © Voyage 
29 
g ule- 
fays ii 
