Derek Moran
PUBLIC n. The whole body politic, or the aggregate of citizens of a state, county, or community. In one sense EVERYBODY, and accordingly the body of the PEOPLE at large; the community at large, without reference to the geographical limits of any corporation like a city, town, or country; the PEOPLE. In another sense the word does not mean all the PEOPLE , nor most of the PEOPLE, nor very many of the PEOPLE of a place, but so many of them as contradistinguishes them from a few. Accordingly, it has been defined or employed as meaning the inhabitants of a particular place; all the inhabitants of a particular place; the PEOPLE of the neighborhood. Also, a part of the inhabitants of a community. Black's Law 6th-edition.