Article III. De la justice qui doit présider à tous les actes du gouvernement — § XIV
Justice in Taking from Subjects
The king must examine whether he has taken anything from his subjects by pure authority and whether he has compensated them as a private person would.
Have you taken nothing from any of your subjects by pure authority and against the rules? Have you compensated him, as a private person would have done, when you took his house, or enclosed his field within your park, or abolished his office, or extinguished his annuity?
Discerning True State Necessity
The king must examine the true needs of the State and seek honest counsel before imposing taxes.
Have you thoroughly examined the true needs of the State, so as to compare them with the harm of taxes before burdening your people? Have you consulted, on so important a question, the most clear-sighted men, the most zealous for the public good, and those most able to tell you the truth without flattery or soft compliance?
Distinguishing Ambition from Public Good
The king must not disguise personal ambition or dynastic claims as necessities of the State, and should finance personal wars from his own domain rather than burdening his people.
Have you not called a necessity of the State what only served to flatter your ambition—such as a war to make conquests and to win glory? Have you not called your own claims the needs of the State? If you had personal claims to some succession in neighboring states, you ought to have borne that war from your own domain? from your savings, from your personal loans; or at least take, in this regard, only the help that would have been given you out of pure affection by your people; and do not crush them with taxes to support claims that do not concern your subjects at all: for they will be no happier when you have one more province.
Historical Example of Just Financing
The example of Charles VIII shows that a king should finance personal dynastic claims at his own expense, receiving only voluntary gifts from a grateful people.
When Charles VIII went to Naples to claim the succession of the house of Anjou, he paid for the war out of his own pocket; the State didn't consider itself responsible for the costs of that enterprise. At most, on such occasions, you might receive gifts from the people, offered out of affection and because of the bond between the interests of a devoted nation and a king who governs it like a father. But from that perspective, you would be far from crushing the people under taxes for your own private interest.
Read the original French
N'avez-vous rien pris à aucun de vos sujets par pure autorité et contre les règles ? L'avez-vous dédommagé, comme un particulier l'auroit fait, quand vous avez pris sa maison, ou enfermé son champ dans votre parc, ou supprimé sa charge, ou éteint sa rente ? Avez- vous examiné à fond les vrais besoins de l'Etat, pour les comparer avec l'inconvénient des taxes avant que de charger vos peuples ? Avez-vous consulté sur une si importante question, les hommes les plus éclairés, les plus zélés pour le bien public, et les plus capables de vous dire la vérité sans flatterie ni mollesse ? N'avez- vous point appelé nécessité de l'Etat, ce qui ne servoit qu'à flatter votre ambition, comme une guerre pour faire des conquêtes, et pour acquérir de la gloire ? N'avez- vous point appelé besoins de VEtat vos propres prétentions ? Si vous aviez des prétentions personnelles pour quelque succession dans les Etats voisins, vous deviez soutenir cette guerre sur votre domaine ? sur vos épargnes, sur vos emprunts personnels ; ou du moins, ne prendre à cet égard que les secours qui vous auroient été donnés par la pure affection de vos peuples ; et non pas les accabler d'impôts, pour soutenir des prétentions qui n'intéressent point vos sujets : car ils n'en seront point plus heureux, quand vous aurez une province de plus.
Quand Charles VIII alla à Naples, pour recueillir la succession de la maison d'Anjou, il entreprit cette guerre à ses dépens personnels : l'Etat ne se crut point obligé aux frais de cette entreprise. Tout au plus, vous pourriez recevoir en de telles occasions, les dons des peuples, faits par affection, et par rapport à la liaison qui est entre les intérêts d'une Nation zélée et d'un Roi qui la gouverne en père. Mais selon cette vue, vous seriez bien éloigné d'accabler les peuples d'impôts pour votre intérêt particulier.
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