Sketches of the principles of government; by Nathaniel Chipman, judge of the Court of the United States for the District of Vermont.

Title

Sketches of the principles of government; by Nathaniel Chipman, judge of the Court of the United States for the District of Vermont.

Author

Chipman, Nathaniel, 1752-1843.

Publication

Rutland [Vt.]: :: From the press of J. Lyon: printed for the author:,

June, M,DCC,XCIII. [1793]

Rights/Permissions

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Subject terms

Political science.

Link to this Item

https://name.umdl.umich.edu/N19425.0001.001 content_copy

Cite this Item

"Sketches of the principles of government; by Nathaniel Chipman, judge of the Court of the United States for the District of Vermont." In the digital collection Evans Early American Imprint Collection. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/N19425.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed December 12, 2024. content_copy

Contents

• half title
• title page
• note
• PREFACE.
• ERRATA.
• CONTENTS.
• SKETCH I. INTRODUCTORY.
  • SECTION I. The Subject proposed.
  • SECTION II. Of the sense in which, Principle, and Prin∣ciples of Government, are used in the fol∣lowing Sketches.
• SKETCH II. OF MAN, AS FORMED FOR THE SOCIAL STATE.
  • SECTION I. Of the first rude state—Whether this is to MAN the scene of virtue and happiness, in preference to a state of improvement.
  • SECTION II. Of the appetite for society—The hoarding appetite—The appetite which leads to the propagation of the species—Ambition— Sympathy.
  • SECTION III. Of Hatred and Revenge—Of Envy, Malice, and some other dissocial Passions.
• SKETCH III. OF MAN, AS FITTED FOR CIVIL GOVERN∣MENT, AND THE NATURE OF THAT NECESSITY BY WHICH HE IS LED TO ITS ADOPTION.
  • SECTION I. Of the Moral Sense—Active and Passive Powers—Sense of Accountability —The Social Sense—and Patriotism—as they relate to Civil Society.
  • SECTION II. OF A SENSE OF PROPERTY.
  • SECTION III. Of the Coincidence between Natural and Civil Liberty.
  • SECTION IV. Considerations on a Disposition in Man, to abuse the Powers of Government, with which he is entrusted.
  • SECTION V. Of the Necessity of Civil Laws and Government.
• SKETCH IV. OF THE CONSTITUTION AND ORGANIZA∣TION OF GOVERNMENT.
  • SECTION I. Different Degrees of Improvement introduce different Forms of Government.—A source of false Reasoning.— Brief View of the Rights of Man.—An Inaccuracy of Mr. PAINE, in treating of this Subject.
  • SECTION II. Few Governments formed by an actual Com∣pact.—Instability of ancient Governments— Social Compact in the Formation of a legi∣timate Government.—Civil Powers.— Division and Limitation.
  • SECTION III. Of a Balance constituted by an Opposition of Powers.—Locke's Constitution of Caro∣lina.—Of other Checks.
  • SECTION IV. Of the Election of the Members of the Le∣gislature.—Qualifications of Electors, and Candidates.—Accountability of the Legis∣lature — how secured.
  • SECTION V. Of the appointment and accountability of the Executive and Judiciary.
  • SECTION VI. Of Juries.
• SKETCH V. OF EQUALITY.
  • SECTION I. In what sense Men are born equal—And in what sense they are said to have equal Rights.
  • SECTION II. Of the Nature of Equality in Republics.
  • SECTION III. Of the Right and Equality of Descents.
• SKETCH VI. OF THE RIGHTS OF PUNISHMENT AND TAXATION.
  • SECTION I. Of the Right of Punishment.
  • SECTION II. Of the Right of Taxation.
• SKETCH VII. OF THE MORAL OBLIGATION OF CIVIL LAWS.
  • SECTION I. Judge Blackstone's opinion examined. — Civil Laws are binding on Conscience, when they accord with the principles of a Free Government, and the present state of Social Improvements.
  • SECTION II. Different Modes, in which Obligation is sometimes discovered—have concurred to introduce a Distinction between moral and civil Obligation.
  • SECTION III. That Punishments will have little Effect in the Prevention of Crimes, unless the Laws are so calculated, that Civil and Moral Obligation coincide.
  • SECTION IV. Of Principles of government as they affect the moral obligation of laws.—Their dif∣ference in this respect. —The British Gov∣ernment.—The Government of the United States.
• SKETCH VIII. OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
  • SECTION I. Political situation of the States, previous to the establishment of the present Federal Government.
  • SECTION II. Difficulties in forming an efficient Federal Government.—Summary view of the two principal Forms, which have hereto∣fore been adopted, that of ancient Greece, and the United Provinces of the Nether∣lands, with their Defects.—A concise view of the present Federal Government of the United States of America.
  • SECTION III. Organization and Powers of the Federal Government.—Limitation of its Powers. —Principles of Accountability.—Brief View of its effects in Practice.
  • SECTION IV Observations on the Tendency in Government to a Corruption of its Principles, Degene∣racy, and Dissolution. — Plan of Reforma∣tion incorporated in the Federal Govern∣ment. — Probable Effect in perpetuating the Government.