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FFENSIVE force is regulated by the law of nations, which is the political law of each country considered in its relation to every other.

HE life of governments is like that of man. The latter has a right to kill in case of natural defence; the former have a right to wage war for their own preservation.

In the case of natural defence I have a right to kill, because my life is in respect to me, what the life of my antagonist is to him: in the same manner a state wages war, because its preservation is like that of any other being.

Among citizens the right cf natural defence does not imply a necessity of attacking. Instead of attacking they need only have recourse to proper tribunals. They cannot therefore exercise this right of defence, but in sudden cases, when immediate death would be the consequence of waiting for the Rh