We limit ourselves to asserting that it governs _in fact_ the relations which are established among the agglomerations of the human family." But still, this assertion is erroneous.

The family, the village, the town, the county, the state, are so many agglomerations, which all, without any exception, _practically_ reject your principle, and have never even thought of it.

All of them procure, by means of exchange, that which would cost them more to procure by means of production.
Nations would act in the same natural manner, if you did not prevent it _by force_.
It is _we_, then, who are the men of practice and of experience; for, in order to combat the interdict which you have placed exceptionally on certain international exchanges, we appeal to the practice and experience of all individuals, and all agglomerations of individuals whose acts are voluntary, and consequently may be called on for testimony.

But you commence by _constraining_, by _preventing_, and then you avail yourself of acts caused by prohibition to exclaim, "See! practice justifies us!" You oppose our _theory_, indeed all _theory_.

But when you put a principle in antagonism with ours, do you, by chance, fancy that you have formed no _theory_?
No, no; erase that from your plea.