Rights of Nations Or, the New Law of European States Applied to the Affairs of Italy, Tr. and Ed., with the Author's Additions and Corrections, by R. Acton (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1860. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XVI. FAITH OF TREATIES, AND THEIR PERFECTION. Without doubt, the bulk of positive European law is at this day consigned to the text of treaties. I believe there are but few ancient customs universally accepted between the nations with regard either to general or particular matters, which do not appear inscribed and ratified in some public convention of our own times. Generally speaking, therefore, the faith we maintain towards treaties ought to be perfect and unalterable, because it is understood that we maintain it towards justice and equity; and it has well been called a sacred faith, to show by that adjective that the bond with which a solemn compact obliges the nations is one of the strongest, and of a religious nature. It is plain, too, that the weak and unfortunate should cherish most dearly this religion of treaties, for sometimes they find no other refuge, no better defence against the immoderate and unruly might of others, than a written parchment and the faith which is kept towards it. Nothing, then, do we more earnestly desire than to establish, and to perpetuate, the worship and scrupulous observance of public conventions; seeing that the more their authority reigns, the more can the dominion of law be said to be augmented, which is the main principle and base of all civilization, and of all prosperity and happiness for mankind. But it is not, on the other hand, to be expected that this age should fall into such a superstition as that the letter of treaties should permanently tie and constrain it whenever their spirit is different from justice, as we remarked in the beginning of this book. With a view therefore to arrive at the complete veneration and preservation of them, and in order that the peoples may be as jealous for them as the...