On the recordJanuary 1, 1790
It has been the effect of their sense of perfect safety, in authorizing treasons, robberies, rapes, assassinations, slaughters, and burnings, throughout their harassed land.
Said by
Edmund Burke
Source
gutenberg.orgEditor's note · Context
Continuing his analysis of the French Revolution, Burke attributes the revolutionaries' authorization of widespread atrocities to their feeling of absolute impunity.
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Jan 1, 1790
As he is not to obey us, but we are to obey the law in him, our Constitution has made no sort of provision towards rendering him, as a servant, in any degree responsible.
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But the king of Great Britain obeys no other person; all other persons are individually, and collectively too, under him, and owe to him a legal obedience.
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If all the absurd theories of lawyers and divines were to vitiate the objects in which they are conversant, we should have no law and no religion left in the world.
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