Self - government
Noah Websters 1828 English Dictionary defines the word govern as " to control; to restrain; to keep in due subjection; as to govern the passions or temper." Government is defined as "Direction; regulation and or Control; restraint" The concept of self-government was well understood by the Pilgrims and the founders and early settlers of this nation. Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Adams, Benjamin Rush, Noah Webster and their associates all studied the great scholars of the age like Blackstone and Locke. They were familiar with the words of Hugo Grotius written in 1654 concerning self government, " He knows not how to rule a kingdom, that cannot manage a Province; nor can he wield a Province , that cannot order a City; nor can he order a City, that knows not how to regulate a Village; nor he a Village, that cannot guide a Family; nor can that man govern well a Family that knows not how to govern himself: neither can any govern himself unless his reason be Lord, Will...