"Empire," which may imply absolute power and a denial that there
exists a universal law of nature and of nations protecting alike the
rights of persons communities states and nations?

But it will be said the conception I have outlined is impracticable.
Judging from the characteristics of human nature, a state which
declares itself the Justiciar of a Union of free states in permanent
political connection with it, for the purpose of discovering and
applying the principles of the law of nations in the just conduct of
the common affairs of the Union, is likely, if it acts as a true
Justiciar to accomplish much more by the persuasive effect of justice
exercised in accordance with an overruling law of nature and of
nations, than is an Emperor-State by the issuing of edicts based on a
claim of right to be the supreme legislative power over
non-represented regions.

Widely scattered free states which are in political connection or
union must necessarily have some charge of their own defence both
physically and commercially, and the right to protect and support
themselves by tariff taxation must necessarily include the right to
lay a tariff against the Central State as well as against the other
connected states and against foreign states. All these conflicting
rights must be harmonized by the Central State, and it must at the
same time provide from the common resources for the common defence and
welfare. The questions growing out of such relations are the most
complicated known to politics. It seems that a Justiciar State acting
upon the advice of properly constituted administrative tribunals,
which habitually act judicially and whose function is to decide all
questions according to law and justice is much more likely to solve
such problems by investigation hearing and adjudication than is a