The constant and perpetual disposition to render every man his due. Toullier defines it to be the conformity of our actions and our will to the law. In the most extensive sense of the word, it differs little from virtue, for it includes within itself the whole circle of virtues. Yet the common distinction between them is that that which considered positively and in itself is called virtue, when considered relatively and with respect to others has the name of justice. But justice, being in itself a part of virtue, is confined to things simply good or evil and consists in a man's taking such a proportion of them as he ought.
Justice is either distributive or commutative.
Distributive justice is that virtue whose object is to distribute rewards and punishments to each one according to his merits, observing a just proportion by comparing one person or fact with another so that neither equal persons have unequal things, nor unequal persons things equal. Commutative justice is that virtue whose object it is to render to every one what belongs to him, as nearly as may be, or that which governs contracts. To render commutative justice, the judge must make an equality between the parties, that no one may be a gainer by another's loss. According to the Frederician code, justice consists simply in letting every one enjoy the rights which he has acquired in virtue of the laws. And as this definition includes all the other rules of right, there is properly but one single general rule of right, namely, Give every one his own.