Volume 7

A philosophical and political history of the settlements and trade of the Europeans in the East and West Indies ... / Rev., augm., and pub., in ten volumes, by the Abbé Raynal. Newly translated. from the French, by J.O. Justamond. F.R.S., with a new set of maps adapted to the work, and a copious index.

  • Raynal, abbé (Guillaume-Thomas-François), 1713-1796.
Date:
1783
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A philosophical and political history of the settlements and trade of the Europeans in the East and West Indies ... / Rev., augm., and pub., in ten volumes, by the Abbé Raynal. Newly translated. from the French, by J.O. Justamond. F.R.S., with a new set of maps adapted to the work, and a copious index. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    miniftration is limited to two years, but the laws allowed it to be prolonged. The provinces were not obliged to give an ac- count of their adminiftration to the great council of the nation, although it was compofed of the deputies of all the colonies. The fuperiority of the general congrefs over each particular con- grefs was limited to what concerned policy and war. But fome people have judged that the inftitu- tion of this body was not fo well planned as the legiOation of the provinces. It fhould feem in- deed, that confederate States, who emerge from the condition of fubjeds to rife to independence, cannot without danger intruft their delegates with an unlimited power of making peace or war. * For if thefe were either faithlefs or not much en- lightened, they might again fubjed the v;hole State to the fame yoke from which it attempts to free itfelf. It feems that in the inftant of a revolu- tion, the public wifhes cannot be too much know’n nor too literally explained. It is undoubtedly neceffary, fay they, that all the meafures, all the operations which concur to the common attack or defence, fhould be decided by the common reprefentativcs of the body of the State j but the continuation of the war, and the conditions of peace ought to bç debated in each province j and the deliberations fhould be tranfmitted to the congrefs by the deputies, who fliould fubmit the opinion of their provinces to the majority of votes. Lallly, it is added, that if it be right in eftab- lifhed governments for the people to confide in the