PREFACE. TWENTY years ago, or more, a distinguished clergyman remarked, that "moral suasion," meaning good advice, was sufficiently efficacious, in regard to all matters connected with the first table of the Decalogue, to banish irreligion and immorality from the world, without the aid of human legislation. Such a remark, coming from such a source, arrested our attention at the time, and gave direction to much subsequent study of the principles of law and government, the results, mainly, of which, were embodied in this work years ago. In the mean time, the public mind has been occuopied, more and more, with discussions on topics here embraced; much has been said which seemed calculated to weaken the obligations consequent on human government and the respect for law; until it has been thought that good might be done by an effort to direct Nattention to the subject of LAW AND GOVERNMENT, in respect to their origin, nature, extent, and necessity, and to the nature and extent of RELIGIOUS LIBERTY. |