🚀 go-pugleaf

pomp and reverence. The art of opposition and of revolution is to unsettle
established customs, sounding them even to their source, to point out their
want of authority and justice. We must, it is said, get back to the natural
and fundamental laws of the State, which an unjust custom has abolished. It
is a game certain to result in the loss of all; nothing will be just on the
balance. Yet people readily lend their ear to such arguments. They shake off
the yoke as soon as they recognise it; and the great profit by their ruin
and by that of these curious investigators of accepted customs. But from a
contrary mistake men sometimes think they can justly do everything which is
not without an example. That is why the wisest of legislators said that it
was necessary to deceive men for their own good; and another, a good
politician, Cum veritatem qua liberetur ignoret, expedit quod fallatur.43 We
must not see the fact of usurpation; law was once introduced without reason,
and has become reasonable. We must make it regarded as authoritative,
eternal, and conceal its origin, if we do not wish that it should soon come
to an end.

295. Mine, thine.--"This dog is mine," said those poor children; "that is my
place in the sun." Here is the beginning and the image of the usurpation of
all the earth.

296. When the question for consideration is whether we ought to make war and
kill so many men--condemn so many Spaniards to death--only one man is judge,
and he is an interested party. There should be a third, who is
disinterested.

297. Veri juris.[44] --We have it no more; if we had it, we should take
conformity to the customs of a country as the rule of justice. It is here
that, not finding justice, we have found force, etc.

298. Justice, might.--It is right that what is just should be obeyed;