LE PRINCIPE DE L LTILITE CONTRE LA THEORIE DES DROITS

DE l'homme

L A discourse on llic love of our country, delivored on Xov. 'i, 1789, at the meeting-liouse in tlic 0kl Jewry, to llie Society for comniemoratinii the Kevolulion in Great Bi-itain. with an appenrlix, conlainni!;- the report of the commitlee of the Society, an accounl of llie iwpulation of France and tiie déclaration of rigiits by tiie National Asscmhly of l"raine, i)y Ricliard l'rice, D.D., LL.Il.. F. H. S., and fellow of tlic. Anieriean Pldlosopliical Sucieties at Pliiladelphia and Boston, London, 1789. — V'., sur ce discours, une lettre intéressante de Burke. (Corr. vol. III, pp. 395-6).

2. Burke avait déjà, une première fois, dénoncé la Révohition, dans un discours parlementaire, 9 février 1790: Speech on the Army EsUmatcs (Woiks, vol. V. p. Ssqif.'t. On trouvera des exposés delà philosophie politique de Burke dans le Burke de John Morley, dans le volume récent de M. Graham, Enfjlish Poliliiaf Philo^ophy (pp. 88-173. — IJapprocheinents avec Jjenlham, pj». 106. 145, 155), et surtout cliez Lecky, Ilisl. of Enrjîaud, etc., vol. V, pp. '(63 sqq.

3. Works, vol. V, p. 67 : Those e\ploded fanatics of slavcry, w ho Airincrly inaintained, wlial I helievc no créature now maintains, « tlial Ihecrown is lield jjy divine, liercditary, and indefeasihle right». — p. 71 : Kiiigs, in one sensé, are undoubtedly the servants of the peoplc, because llieir jiower Las no other ralional end than Ihat of Ihe gênerai advanlage. — 11 no

NOTES

(Pp. 6-9)

veut ccpeiulaiit pas duiiiK r lout à fait raison sur cr point à l'rice, qui avait déclaré que les rois étaient, par dédnitidii, les serviteurs du peuple, et nie qu'ils puissent être appelés de ce nom « in the ordinary sensé 0>y our constitution, at least) » : c'est le roi, non le peuple, qui est, constitutionnellement, le souverain.

4. Speech on American Tr/xa/iOM, 19 avril 1774(^Yorks, vol. H, pp. 37.5-376) ."). ^Vorks, vol. X, pp. 92-108: Sj^eech on tlie Reform of Parliament.

6. Works, vol. VI, p. 207 : An Appeal from the neiv to the old wliirjx.

7. Retlerlions (Works, vol. V, p. 122). Cf. vol. III, p. 186 : letter la the slieriffs of Bristol (1777) : 1 Avas persuaded tliat government was a practical lliiiitr, made for tlie liappiness of mankind, and not to furnisli out a spectacle of uniformity, to i;ratifv tlie schemes of visionary politics.

8. IbicL, pp. 119-120 : Far aiii 1 from denying in theory-, fuU as far is my lieart from Axilliiidldiiii; in pradice (if I were of power to give or to Avitldiold) the reat riglits of men... Wiiatever eacii inan can separately do. Avithout trespassing upon olliers, lie lias a right to do for himself : and lie lias a right tu a f.iir pnrtiuii of ail which society, witli ail its coniLil nation s of skill and force, can do in his favour... But... as tJ tlie sliare of power, autliority, and direction, which eacii individual ought to liave in the management of tiie state, that I must deny lo hc amongst the direct original rights of iiiaii in civil society : ïnv I liave in my conlemplation the civil social man, and no other.

9. Ibid., pp. 122-123 : The moment you abate anytliing from tlie fuU rights of men, each to govern himself, and suffer any arliQcial positive limitaliim upon those rights, from that momt>nl the wlioh' organizalioii of government becomes a considération of couvenience.