Inallcasestheytookcaretorepresentgovernmentasathingmadeupofmysteries,whichonlythemselvesunderstood;andtheyhidfromtheunderstandingofthenationtheonlythingthatwasbeneficialtoknow,namely,Thatgovernmentisnothingmorethananationalassociationaddingontheprinciplesofsociety。
Havingthusendeavouredtoshowthatthesocialandcivilisedstateofmaniscapableofperformingwithinitselfalmosteverythingnecessarytoitsprotectionandgovernment,itwillbeproper,ontheotherhand,totakeareviewofthepresentoldgovernments,andexaminewhethertheirprinciplesandpracticearecorrespondentthereto。
CHAPTERII
OftheOriginofthePresentOldGovernmentsItisimpossiblethatsuchgovernmentsashavehithertoexistedintheworld,couldhavecommencedbyanyothermeansthanatotalviolationofeveryprinciplesacredandmoral。Theobscurityinwhichtheoriginofallthepresentoldgovernmentsisburied,impliestheiniquityanddisgracewithwhichtheybegan。TheoriginofthepresentgovernmentofAmericaandFrancewilleverberemembered,becauseitishonourabletorecordit;butwithrespecttotherest,evenFlatteryhasconsignedthemtothetomboftime,withoutaninscription。
Itcouldhavebeennodifficultthingintheearlyandsolitaryagesoftheworld,whilethechiefemploymentofmenwasthatofattendingflocksandherds,forabandittiofruffianstooverrunacountry,andlayitundercontributions。Theirpowerbeingthusestablished,thechiefofthebandcontrivedtolosethenameofRobberinthatofMonarch;andhencetheoriginofMonarchyandKings。