The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1850-04-06
Forthe Free Trader
Slavery i'm the District u Columbia.

The Constitution Of the United States sustans q
republican form Of government only. Inns appears
from the preamble and declaration OF rights, winch
are connected with the instrument, and upon wh!c.
it is profsssedly founded
Itguarantees this form of government TO allthe
states in the Union of course it must prolnbi, eve
ry thing contrary TO it. The powers therefore,
which the constitution gives to all the legislative
bodies belonging TO the government, must be in ac-
cordance with the principles Of the government
They can never travel out Of the constitution or
90 beyond it to make laws for another people which
are ,ubyersvc of the principles OF this instrument.
They derive all their powers from the constitution
Itself, and these powers are designed for the sup
port OF the government sustained by this instru-
ment, and for nothing else. No legislator, then,
can go beyond this great object without usurping a
power which the constitution does not give.
What, then, ale iht principles OF law sustained by
the constitution, and by which all legislative bodies
under it are bound Public opinion is very loose
and indefinite on this subject both upon law and the
principles upon which it is founded. That law, +"
says Spooncr, (which judicial tribunals are bound to
sustain under all circumstances, is founded on the
principle OF right, which grows out Of relations "
Then certainly, legislators can have no power to
60 beyond this rule md the constitution under
which they net can give them none, The mere ar
btrury will Of any body Of men cannot, upon any
elus, principles whatever, be law The true meaning
Of all law is the natural, permanent unaltepble
principle which governs any particular thing, OIL
class of things This is true OF the laws OF natures
works See the laws which govern the solar sys.
tenn, the laws oimo.on, OF gravitaton, Of light and
which govern the vegetable kingdom. What, then
mus, tina, natural law be which defines, governs
and secures the rights Of mcn-those rights Of per.
son. OF property, and the like, which one human be.
Ing has against other human beings Must i, no,
be the simple rule or demand oinamral Iusticcl Il
certainly must and this rule has It's origin in the ma
tural rights Of individuals 1t necessarily results
from them, keeps them IN view as is end and pur.
pose, and it secures their enjoyment, aud orbds their
destruction |, also secures those acquisitions Of
property, ofpnvilcge, and ofclAim which men have
n natural rghtto make, either by labor or contract
Such must be the true meaning Of law as applied to
the civil rights of men. Human governments may
be rghttully formed upon these principles aud upon
no others Theymust better the condition ofmen, OF
they are worse than nothing. All human govern.
mcn,s profess to be formed upon contract, and Ger.
,ainy thus is true OF our government, and for this
contract to be valid 1t must at lcas, profess autho.
rze nothing but what is consistent with natural JUS.
tee IN view Of the natural rights OF men. For these
rights are nnlienoble and canno, be surrendered
either to government, CT individuals Neither can
they be taken away by government, or by indiyidu.
ais, eScep, tor crime. wthou, manifest injustice
which Is itself crime. Human governments are
designed TO secure those individual natural rights
which, in private capacity. ARE insecure And
they mus, do this or they will be of no advantage
Physical force is mo, law. nor is that law which de.
s,roys human rights. Blackstone says, the primary
and principal objects OF law are rights and wrongs
The prccep's oiaw are, to live honestly, to hurt no
ono, and to give TO every one his due. Justlnian
the samc. jacobs Law Dictionary says. Law
lie the rule or bond Of mans actions, or IL is rule
for the well governing Of civil society to give oeve.
ny man tina, which belongs to him Alllaws derive
their force from the law Of nn,ure, and those which
do not are no law"
THE law Of nature, Gays Blackstone, beng coo.