BOOK III PART II
SECTIONIX. OF THEMEASURES OF
ALLEGIANCE
Those political writers, who have had re-
course to a promise, or original contract, as
the source of our allegiance to government, in-
tended to establish a principle, which is per-
fectly just and reasonable; though the reason-
ing, upon which they endeavoured to estab-
lish it, was fallacious and sophistical. They
would prove, that our submission to govern-
ment admits of exceptions, and that an egre-
gious tyranny in the rulers is sufficient to free
the subjects from all ties of allegiance. Since
men enter into society, say they, and submit
themselves to government, by their free and
voluntary consent, they must have in view cer-
tain advantages, which they propose to reap
from it, and for which they are contented to