Page:Montesquieu - The spirit of laws.djvu/346

294 and though the contrary practice derives its origin from despotic power, which has always looked upon subjects as slaves, and those who quit the country as fugitives, yet the Persian practice is useful even to a despotic government, because the apprehension of the flight, or of the withdrawing of debtors, puts a stop to, or moderates the oppressions of bashaws and extortioners. Rh