ground of sovereignty? This question is fundamental and without
a true answer to it politics cannot be a science, and there can
be no scientific statesmanship. Whence, then, comes the
sovereign right to govern?





26
CHAPTER III.

ORIGIN OF GOVERNMENT


Government is both a fact and a right. Its origin as a fact, is
simply a question of history; its origin as a right or authority
to govern, is a question of ethics. Whether a certain territory
and its population are a sovereign state or nation, or
not--whether the actual ruler of a country is its rightful ruler,
or not--is to be determined by the historical facts in the case;
but whence the government derives its right to govern, is a
question that can be solved only by philosophy, or, philosophy
failing, only by revelation.

Political writers, not carefully distinguishing between the fact
and the right, have invented various theories as to the origin of
government, among which may be named--
I. Government originates in the right of the father to govern his
child.