The Law of Nations (1854)

The Law of Nations outlined a plan for international law and diplomacy as we now know it. It set forth a system of international law that included principles of relationships between nations, international treaties, declarations of law and peace, rights and obligations of citizens and states, military service and commerce among nations. The Law of Nations had a profound influence on the Founding Fathers, most notably George Washington and Benjamin Franklin. Originally published in 1758, it was translated into English in 1760. Joseph Chitty, the distinguished English legal scholar, produced this edition to bring it to the attention of a wider audience. This is a reprint of the 1854 American edition of Chitty’s edition with notes and references by Edward D. Ingraham.