PHI LOS 0 P H Y . - Classic Works of Apologetics Online

Ci'IJil Liberty. 399
the exclusive right of the people to tax themselves by
their own representatives; a sixth in the freedom
and purity of elections of repre~entatives; a seventh
in the control which the democratic part of the con·
stitution possesses over the military establishment.
Concerning which, and :ome other similar accounts
of civil liberty, it may be observed, that they all labour
under one inaccuu-cy, viz. that they de~cribe
not so much liberty itself, as. the safe.guard~ and preservatives
of liberty: for example, a man's being governed
by no laws, but those to which he has g;ven
hjs consent, were it practicable, is no otherwise necessary
to the enjoyment of civil liberty, than as it
affords a probable security against the dictation of
laws, imposing superfluous restrictions upon his private
\\'ill. This remark is applicable to the restc
The diversity of these definitions will not surprise us,
when. we consider that there is no contrariety or op·
position amongst them whatever ; for, by how many
different provisions an4 precautions civil liberty is
feni:ed and protected, so- many di~rent flccounts of
liberty itself, all sufficiently consiste~t with truth and
with each other, ~Jy, accordirJg to this ~ode of explaining
the term, be framed and adopted.
Truth cannot be offended by a definition, but propriety
may. In which view those clefinitions of libretty
ought to be rejected, which, by making tIlat essential
to civil freedpm which is unattainable in experience!!
inflame expectations that can never be gratified,
and disturb the public content with complaints,
which no wisdom or benevolence of government can
remove. .
It will not be thought extraordinary, that an idea,
which occurs so much oftener as the subject of panegyric
and careless declamation, than of just reasoning
or correct knowledge, should be attended with
uncertainty and confusion'; or that it ShOtlld be found
impossible to contrive a definition, which may include
the numerous, un~~ttled,
and ever varying significations,
which the term is made- to stand for, and at the
same time accord with the condition and experience
of sQciallife.