What is to appropriate to one's own use the property of the public; to steal public moneys intrusted to one's care; to embezzle. An oppressive, . . . rapacious, and peculating despotism. Burke called?

peculate — To appropriate to one's own use the property of the public; to steal public moneys intrusted to one's care; to embezzle. An oppressive, . . . rapacious, and peculating despotism. Burke. (Webster's 1913.)

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