Page:John Adams - A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America Vol. I. (1787).djvu/162

124 nations undertand their own interet better than another; and therefore they may be truted to judge of the public good: and in all the caes above uppoed, they will be as free as they deire to be; and therefore may with great propriety be called free nations, and their contitutions free republics. There can be no way of compelling nations to be more free than they chooe to be.

But Mr. Turgot has mitaken the ene of republican writers, epecially of the Englih ones. What republican writers he had in view I know not. There is none that I remember, of any name, who has given o aburd a definition of liberty. His countryman Montequieu, who will carcely be denominated a republican writer, has aid omething the mot like it; but it is manifet that his meaning was confined to equal laws, made by common conent. Although there may be unjut and unequal laws, obedience to which would be incompatible with liberty; yet no man will contend, that a nation can be free, that is not governed by fixed laws. All other government than that of permanent known laws, is the government of mere will and pleaure, whether it be exercied by one, a few, or many. Republican writers in general, and thoe of England in particular, have maintained the lame principle with Dr. Price, and have aid, that legitimate governments, or well-ordered commonwealths, or well-contituted governments, were thoe where the laws prevailed; and have always explained their meanings to be, equal laws made by common conent, or the general will—that is to ay, made by the majority, and equally binding upon majority and minority. As it is of importance to recue the good old republican writers from uch an tation,