from
Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856)
CIVIL STATE. The union of individual men in civil society under a system of
laws and a magistracy, or magistracies, charged with the administration of
the laws. It is a fundamental law of the civil state, that no member of it
shall undertake to redress or avenge any violation of his rights, by another
person, but appeal to the constituted authorities for that purpose, in all
cases in which is is possible for him to do so. Hence the citizens are
justly considered as being under the safeguard of the law. 1 Toull. n. 201.
Vide Self-defence.