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fubfift between a principal object and its attendant or acceffary; and this connection had fo strong an effect upon the imagination, as to impress upon the mind a sense of right of possesfion. Hence, too, any attempt made to deprive the poffeffor of a subject, in which a visible connection with his perfon gave him a peculiar interest, would be the occafion of displeasure and refentment. Hence a sense of wrong or injustice.

ORIGIN

ORIGIN

O F

GOVERNMENT.

THE first and most important object of primeval Man's attention was felf-prefervation. He entertained no notion of an interest in himself, separate and distinct from that of the fociety of which he formed a constituent member. With his fellows he was united in all measures for mutual fafety. The means of subsistence were common to all. Exclusive property was altogether unknown. Even wives and children were the wives and children of the community. The exclufive ufe of any fubject was natural. only fo far as it was directly connected with possession, and unavoidably necessary in primitive fociety.

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THE clearest proofs remain of the community of goods among the antient Celts, who formed the rudiments of the Galic language. They had no word expreffive of exclusive property;: and the terms ufed at this day to denote property are found, when analysed, to be a proof of the propofition, That exclufive property made no part of the system of primeval fociety.

As the productions of the earth were common to all, so the stock of provisions acquired by a tribe or fociety dwelling together, would be: confidered as a common fubject destined to the ufe of all the members of that tribe or fociety.. The act of diftribution of food would frequently be neceffary; it would therefore be expedient to have fome perfon appointed for performing that office. The perfon most expert in making provifion for the community, and most respectable for age and useful qualities, would naturally

*Coed or Coeid, common food; Coir, common land..

affume

assume that employment. It is curious to obferve, that the word by which King is expreffed in the Galic language, literally imports a Divider or Diftributor. Rei is a compound of Re, divifion, and Ti, a being or person. The confonant t is in the compound quiefcent.

This

WHERE it required any degree of art, industry, or labour, to procure the means of fubfiftence, the acquifitions of the individual members would form a common stock, and would at stated times be distributed among the conmunity, according to the judgment or will of the perfon entrusted with the office of diftributor. perfon would, in process of time, acquire a confiderable degree of authority among the members of the community; and upon occafions of differences, disputes, or contentions with regard to food or raiment, or the inftruments employed for defence or procuring the means of fubfiftence, would naturally be applied to as umpire or arbiter between the parties: fo that the office

of diftributor of food would gradually rise into higher power and dignity; and the acquiefcence of the community would, in the progress of fociety, stamp upon his decifions the efficacy of magisterial authority.

Ir is not to be fuppofed, that the focieties or communities which were accustomed to affemble together and eat in common at ftated mealtimes, consisted of a great number of individuals. All the members of the great tribe or community of the fame ftock, who had united themselves in one common intereft, from confiderations of convenience, affection, or policy, would hold themselves equally intitled to the freedom of the territory traverfed by the tribe in procuring the means of subfistence, while as yet no exclufive property. was underftood. Yet in the act of providing food, the tribe would be feparated into fmall troops or bands, keeping together, like one family, eating in common at stated' times in the day, and

lodging

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