CHiP. VII.]

DUTIES OF PATRIOTISM.

133

by its duty, to interfere in the internal concerns of another na-tion. Every nation is entitled to manage its internal concernsin its own way, without the interference or dictation of another.Any interference of this kind tends to disturb friendly intercourse,and is just cause of offence.

These duties, indeed, are too well understood to be oftenviolated ; but there is another, the violation of which is muchmore common ; — I refer to the case of one nation counte-nancing the infringement of the laws of another, and even lend-ing the aid of its tribunals to carry such infringement into effect.*Assuredly, Mr. Justice Story well concludes, with Pothier,that such a practice is inconsistent with good morals, and soundviews of international duties and obligations. “ The naturaland primary law is that of God and our conscience, the lawwhich enjoins us to do good to our neighbour, whether in literalstrictness he may have a perfect right to demand such treatmentfrom us or not. This is a law that ought to be as strong inobligation as the most distinct and positive rule, though it maynot always be capable of the same precise definition, nor conse-quently may allow the same remedies to enforce its observance.As an individual is bound by the law of nature to deal honorablyand truly with other individuals, whether the precise acts re-quired of him be or be not such as their own municipal law willenforce ; just so a state, in its relations with other states, isbound to conduct itself in the spirit of justice, benevolence,and good faith, even though there be no positive rules of inter-national law, by the letter of which it may be actually tied down.The same rules of morality which hold together men in families,and which form families into a commonwealth, also link togetherseveral commonwealths as members of the great society of man-kind. Commonwealths, as well as private men, are liable toinjury, and capable of benefit, from each other ; it is, therefore,their duty to reverence, to practise, and to enforce those rulesof justice, which control and restrain injury, which regulate andaugment benefit, which preserve civilized states in a tolerablecondition of security from wrong, and which, if they could be

" See Story’s “ Commentaries on the Conflict of Laws,” pp. 204, 205,212.