Elements of civil government by Peterman (1891)

chapter 16 page 167.

POLTICAL RIGHTS AND DUTIES.

By the social compact, men also agree to abandon a part of their natural rights in order to participate in the government. They agree in part to be governed by others, in order that in part they may govern others.

The rights of participating in the government, such as voting and holding office, are called political rights, because they affect the public policy of society.

Political rights do not belong to men by nature, but are conferred by government. Within reasonable bounds, they may be enlarged or restricted without injustice.

Since they are conferred by the government, the power to vote and to hold office is a privilege to be enjoyed rather then a right to be asserted.


Chapter 16 page 164

Without government natural rights are unlimited; each person may lay claim to all land and to all it produces, provided he is strong enough to maintain his claim by force.

When men join the social compact, they agree to abandon some of their natural rights, in order to be protected by the government in those they retain.

Page 166

The comfort and convenience of the public are even more important then the comfort and convenience of any person. Therefore, individual rights must yield to public rights when the two conflict.

This right of society, existing above the right of any of it members, is called the right of eminent domain. By it individual rights must yield to the rights of society, of the government, or of a corporation


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