creation.

That all men are equal in their essential rights is the dictate of
common-sense and of sound philosophy. This truth may not flatter kings
and princes; but it is the charter of human rights, founded deeper and
broader in nature and on the Creator's will than any other claim of
mankind. As order requires the subordination of lower natures to higher,
so it requires equality of essential rights among beings of the same
nature. Now all men are of the same nature, hence they have all the same
essential rights.

If any people on earth must stand by these principles, certainly the
American people must do so; for we have put them as the
foundation-stones of our civil liberty. There is more wisdom than many,
even of its admirers, imagine in the preamble to our Declaration of
Independence; upon it we are to base the most important rights and
duties which belong to Jurisprudence. The words of the preamble read as
follows: "We hold these truths as self-evident, that all men are created
equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable
rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of
happiness." I feel convinced, gentlemen, and I will take it for granted
henceforth, unless you bring objections to the contrary, that you all
agree with me on this important point that _every man has a natural
right to his life, a right which all other men are solemnly bound to
respect_. It is his chief earthly right. It is called an _inalienable_
right; by which term the fathers of our liberty meant a right which
under no circumstances can be lawfully disregarded. A man who takes it
upon himself to deprive another of life commits two grievous wrongs: one
towards his victim, whose most important right he violates, and one
towards God, who has a right to the life and service of His creatures.