Neitherisittruethatafreemancansellhimself。Saleimpliesaprice；nowwhenapersonsellshimself，hiswholesubstanceimmediatelydevolvestohismaster；themaster，therefore，inthatcase，givesnothing，andtheslavereceivesnothing。Youwillsayhehasapeculium。
Butthispeculiumgoesalongwithhisperson。Ifitisnotlawfulforamantokillhimselfbecauseherobshiscountryofhisperson，forthesamereasonheisnotallowedtobarterhisfreedom。Thefreedomofeverycitizenconstitutesapartofthepublicliberty，andinademocraticstateisevenapartofthesovereignty。Tosellone’sfreedom[3]issorepugnanttoallreasonascanscarcelybesupposedinanyman。Iflibertymayberatedwithrespecttothebuyer，itisbeyondallpricetotheseller。Thecivillaw，whichauthorisesadivisionofgoodsamongmen，cannotbethoughttorankamongsuchgoodsapartofthemenwhoweretomakethisdivision。Thesamelawannulsalliniquitouscontracts；surelythenitaffordsredressinacontractwherethegrievanceismostenormous。
Thethirdwayisbirth，whichfallswiththetwoformer；forifamancouldnotsellhimself，muchlesscouldhesellanunborninfant。Ifaprisonerofwarisnottobereducedtoslavery，muchlessarehischildren。
Thelawfulnessofputtingamalefactortodeatharisesfromthiscircumstance：thelawbywhichheispunishedwasmadeforhissecurity。
Amurderer，forinstance，hasenjoyedthebenefitoftheverylawwhichcondemnshim；ithasbeenacontinualprotectiontohim；hecannot，therefore，objecttoit。Butitisnotsowiththeslave。Thelawofslaverycanneverbebeneficialtohim；itisinallcasesagainsthim，withouteverbeingforhisadvantage；andthereforethislawiscontrarytothefundamentalprincipleofallsocieties。