The theory of free government is that it is formed by the voluntary contract of the people individually with each other. This is the theory, (although it is not, as it ought to be, the fact,) in all the governments in the United States, as also in the government of England. The theory assumes that each man, who is a party to the government, and contributes to its support, has individually and freely consented to it. Otherwise the government would have no right to tax him for its support, for taxation without consent is robbery. This theory, then, necessarily supposes that this government, which is formed by the free consent of all, has no powers except such as all the parties to it have individually agreed that it shall have: and especially that it has no power to pass any laws, except such as all the parties have agreed that it may pass. This theory supposes that there may be certain laws that will be beneficial to all, so beneficial that all consent to be taxed for their maintenance. For the maintenance of these specific laws, in which all are interested, all associate. And they associate for the maintenance of those laws only, in which allare interested. It would be absurd to suppose that all would associate, and consent to be taxed, for purposes which were beneficial only to a part; and especially for purposes that were injurious to any. A government of the whole, therefore, can have no powers except such as all the parties consent that it may have. It can do nothing except what all have consented that it may do. And if any portion of the people, no matter how large their number, if it be less than the whole, desire a government for any purposes other than those that are common to all, and desired by all, they must form a separate association for those purposes. They have no right, by perverting this government of the whole, to the accomplishment of purposes desired only by a part, to compel any one to contribute to purposes that are either useless or injurious to himself.