A law that we can learn, as we learn any other science; a law that is paramount to, and excludes, every thing that conflicts with it; a law that tells us what is just and what is unjust, what is honest and what is dishonest.

If there be in nature such a principle as justice, such a principle as honesty, such principles as we describe by the words mine and thine, such principles as men's natural rights of person and property, then we have an immutable and universal law.

They are confessions that the governments exist for the punishment and prevention of acts that are, in their nature, simple impossibilities.

Such professions are therefore confessions that, so far as crimes are concerned, governments have no occasion to exlst; that there is nothing for them to do, and that there is nothing that they can do.

On the other hand, if there be no such natural principle as justice, there can be no such thing as injustice. If there be no such natural principle as honesty, there can be no such thing as dishonesty.

In short, if there be no such principle as justice, there can be no such acts as crimes; and all the professions of governments, so called, that they exist, either in whole or in part, for the punishment or prevention of crimes, are professions that they exist for the punishment or prevention of what never existed, nor ever can exist.

And no possible act of either force or fraud, committed by one man against the person or property of another, can be said to be unjust or dishonest; or be complained of, or prohibited, or punished as such.

And the consequence would be that mankind could never have any rights; and for them to talk of any such things as their rights, would be to talk of things that never had, never will have, and never can have existence.

And all the attempts of the human race, or of any portion of it, to add to, or take from, the supreme authority of justice, in any case whatever, is of no more obligation upon any single human being than is the idle wind.

And, of consequently, all human legislation is simply and always an assumption of authority and dominion, where no right of authority or dominion exists. It is, therefore, simply and always an intrusion, an absurdity, an usurpation, and a crime.

If there necessarily be such a natural principle as justice, it is the highest, and consequently the only and universal law for all those matters to which it is naturally applicable.

For if no one brings any rights with him into the world, clearly no one can ever have any rights of his own, or give any to another.

On the other hand, if there be no such principle as justice, or natural law, then every human being came into the world utterly destitute of rights; and coming into the world destitute of rights, he must necessarily forever remain so.

And however capable of being trampled upon, are incapable of being blotted out, extihguished, annihilated, or separated or eliminated from his nature as a human being, or deprived of their inherent authority or obligation.

If there be such a principle as justice, or natural law, it is the principle, or law, that tells us what rights were given to every human being at his birth; what rights are, therefore, inherent in him as a human being, necessarily remain with him during life.

If there be in nature such a principle as justice, nothing can be added to, or taken from, its supreme authority by all the legislation of which the entire human race united are capable.

And to talk of either adding to, or taking from, it, by legislation, is just as false, absurd, and ridiculous as it would be to talk of adding to, or taking from, mathematics, chemistry, or any other science, by legislation.

If there be any such principle as justice, it is, of necessity, a natural principle; and, as such, it is a matter of science, to be learned and applied like any other science.

All attempts or assumptions, on the part of any man or body of men -- whether calling themselves governments, or by any other name -- to set up their own commands, wills, pleasure, or discretion, in the place of justice as a rule of conduct for any human being, are as much an absurdity, an usurpation, and a tyranny.

But if justice be a natural principle, then it is necessarily an immutable one; and can no more be changed -- by any power inferior to that which established it -- than can the law of gravitation, the laws of light, the principles of mathematics.