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Burke, Edmund, 1729-1797

"The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, Vol. 04 (of 12)"


[Sidenote: Attempt to excite subjects to revolt.]
"The practice of nations is conformable to our maxims. When the German
Protestants came to the assistance of the Reformed in France, the court
never undertook to treat them otherwise than as common enemies, and
according to the laws of war. France at the same time assisted the
Netherlands, which took up arms against Spain, and did not pretend that
her troops should be considered upon any other footing than as
auxiliaries in a regular war. _But no power avoids complaining of an
atrocious injury, if any one attempts by his emissaries to excite his
subjects to revolt_.
[Sidenote: Tyrants.]
"As to those monsters, who, under the title of sovereigns, render
themselves the scourges and horror of the human race,--these are savage
beasts, from which every brave man may justly purge the earth. All
antiquity has praised Hercules for delivering the world from an Antaeus,
a Busiris, and a Diomedes."--Ibid. ch. iv. Sec. 56.
After stating that nations have no right to interfere in domestic
concerns, he proceeds,--"But this rule does not preclude them from
espousing the quarrel of a dethroned king, and assisting him, if he
appears to have justice on his side.


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