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

340 Of different Iiornl.)~
Of the two ideas that have been stated of civil liberty,
whichever we assume, Cind whatever rea80ning
- we found upon them, concerning its extent, nature:
value and preser.vation, tl1is is the conclusion-that
that people, government, and constitution, is the
freest, which makes the best provision for the enact.
ing of expedient and salutary laws.
CHAPTER VI.
OF DIFFERENT FORl\IS OF GOVERNME~~'I~.
As . a series of appeals must be finite, there
fiecessariiy exists in every government a power fronl
which the constitution has pruvided no ~lppeal; and
which po\ver, for that reason, may be ternled absolute,
omnipotent, uncontrollable, arbitrary, despotic ;
and is alike so in all countries.
The person, or as&embiy, in whom this power re ..
sides, is called the sovereign, or the supreme power of
the state. . .
Since to the same power universally appertains the
office of establishing public laws, it is called also the
lei,islature of the state.
A government receives its denomination from the
form of the legislature; which form is likewise what
we commonly mean by the constitution of a country.
Poljtical writers enumerate three principal forms
of government, which, however, are to be regarded.
rather as the simple forms, by some combination and
intermi.xture of which all actual governments are com·
posed, t! lan as allY whert' existiflg in a pure and elem(>ntary
state. These forms are:
I. Despotism, or absolute MON ARCHY, where the
legislature is in a single person.
II. An ARISTOCRACY, where the legislature is in
a select assembly, the members of which either fill up
by election the vacancies in their own body, or suc~
ceed to their places in it by inhentance, property, tenure
of certain lands, or in respect of SOlUe personal
ri,ght or qualification.