Public

By the term the pubdic,.1s meant the whole body politic, or all the citizens of the state; sometimes it signifies the inhabitants of a particular place, as the New York public. When the public interest and its rights, conflict with those of an individual, the latter must yield. If, for example, a road is required for public convenience, and in its course it passes en the ground oecupied by a house, the latter must be torn down, however valuable it may be to the owner. In such case the law and justice require that the owner shall be fully indemnified. This term is sometimes joined to other terms, to designate those things which have a relation to the public; as, a public officer, a public road, a public passage, a public house.