Preliminaries§ 1. What is meant by a nation or state.§ 2. It is a moral person.§ 3. Definition of the law of nations.Idea And General Principles§ 4. In what light nations or states are to be considered.§ 5. To what laws nations are subject.§ 6. In what the law of nations originally consists. § 7. Definition of the necessary law of nations. § 8. It is immutable§ 9. Nations can make no change in it, nor dispense with the obligations arising from it.§ 10. Society established by nature between all mankind§ 11. And between all nations.§ 12. The object of this society of nations§ 13. General obligation imposed by it.§ 14. Explanation of this observation.§ 15. The second general law is the liberty and independence of nations.§ 16. Effect of that liberty.§ 17. Distinctions between internal and external, perfect and imperfect obligations and rights.§ 18. Equality of nations.§ 19. Effect of that equality.§ 20. Each nation is mistress of her own actions, when they do not affect the perfect rights of others.§ 21. Foundation of the voluntary law of nations. § 22. Right of nations against the infractors of the law of nations. § 23. Measure of that right.§ 24. Conventional law of nations, or law of treaties.§ 25. Customary law of nations.§ 26. General rule respecting that law.§ 27. Positive law of nations.§ 28. General maxim respecting the use of the necessary and the voluntary law. 1. Xenophon points out the true reason of this first of all duties, and establishes its necessity. In the following words: — "If we see a man who is uniformly eager to pursue his own private advantage, without regard to the rules of honor or the duties of friendship, why should we in any emergency think of sparing him?" Note edit. A.D. 1797. See modern authorities in support of that position, ante, lv n. (1), lx, n. (5); Book ii chap. 11. § 21, p. 144 post,— C.
2.Etenim si haec pertubare omnia et permiscere volumus, totam vitam, periculosam, insidiosam, infestamque reddemus, Cicero in Ver. ii. 15.
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