1Destutt de Tracy’s Commentary on Book 2 of Montesquieu’s Esprit des Lois, [ca. 12 June 1809] (Jefferson Papers)
Livre Second: Des Loix qui derivent directement de la Nature du Gouvernement. Esprit des lois Copies liv. 2 e Il ny a que deux especes de Gouvernemens, Ceux qui Sont fondés Sur les droits généraux des hommes, et ceux qui Se pretendent fondés Sur Des droits particuliers. La division ordinaire des gouvernemens en republicains, monarchiques, et despotiques, me parait essentiellement mauvaises...
2Contemporary Translation of Destutt de Tracy’s Commentary on Book 2 of Montesquieu’s Esprit des Lois, [after 16 … (Jefferson Papers)
BOOK II. of laws originating directly from the nature of the government. There are only two kinds of government: those founded on the general rights of man, and those founded on particular rights. spirit of laws. book ii. T he ordinary division of governments into republican, monarchical, and despotic, appears to me essentially erroneous. The word republican is itself a very vague term,...
3Thomas Jefferson’s Translation of Destutt de Tracy’s Commentary on Book 2 of Montesquieu’s Esprit des Lois, [ca. 12 … (Jefferson Papers)
Book II. ‘of laws flowing directly from the nature of the government.’ that there are but two kinds of government, those founded on the general rights of man, & those pretending to be founded on particular rights. The common division of governments into republican, monarchical & despotic, appears to me essentially bad. The word republican is a very vague term, under which is comprehended a...
4Contemporary Translation of Extracts from Destutt de Tracy’s Reflections on Montesquieu’s First Twelve Books, [after 16 … (Jefferson Papers)
In the second book, we shall perceive, that all governments may be classed under two heads, namely . . . . those which are founded on the general rights of man . . . . and those which are supposed to be founded on particular rights. Montesquieu has not adopted this distribution; he classes governments according to the accidental circumstances of the number of men invested with authority; and...