Sec. 104. But to conclude, reason being plain on our side,
that men are naturally free, and the examples of history shewing,
that the governments of the world, that were begun in peace, had
their beginning laid on that foundation, and were made by the
consent of the people; there can be little room for doubt, either
where the right is, or what has been the opinion, or practice of
mankind, about the first erecting of governments.
Sec. 105. I will not deny, that if we look back as far as
history will direct us, towards the original of commonwealths, we
shall generally find them under the government and administration
of one man. And I am also apt to believe, that where a family
was numerous enough to subsist by itself, and continued entire
together, without mixing with others, as it often happens, where
there is much land, and few people, the government commonly began
in the father: for the father having, by the law of nature, the
same power with every man else to punish, as he thought fit, any
offences against that law, might thereby punish his transgressing
children, even when they were men, and out of their pupilage; and
they were very likely to submit to his punishment, and all join
with him against the offender, in their turns, giving him thereby
power to execute his sentence against any transgression, and so
in effect make him the law-maker, and governor over all that
remained in conjunction with his family.
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