By  the  declaration  that  a  nation  is  composed  of  the  largest  association  of
individuals,  is  not  meant  that  all  nations  are  composed  of  equal  numbers
of  individuals,  or  that  there  may  not  be  sovereign  and  independent  nations
composed  of  fewer  persons  than  a  moiety  of  another  nation.  The  authority
of  a  nation  does  not  depend  upon  the  number  of  persons  constituting  it
Nations,  as  individuals,  may  differ  in  wisdom,  wealth  and  power;  bnt/ilke
individuals,  they  are  also  equal  in  their  rights  as  sovereign  States  which
do  not  depend  upon  considerations  of  that  character.  (See  Vattel,  Prelim
§15.)  By  the  declaration  that  nations  are  composed  of  the  largest  number  of
individuals  civilly  associated  together  is  meant,  that  a  nation,  as  a  society  can
be  included  in  no  other  civil  association;  that  the  highest  civil  Jurisdiction
over  any  territory  or  people  is  that  of  the  nation.
