philosophers in regard to justice. Justice, they say, is a
DAUGHTER OF HEAVEN; A LIGHT WHICH ILLUMINES EVERY MAN THAT COMES
INTO THE WORLD; THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PREROGATIVE OF OUR NATURE;
THAT WHICH DISTINGUISHES US FROM THE BEASTS AND LIKENS US TO
GOD--and a thousand other similar things. What, I ask, does
this pious litany amount to? To the prayer of the savages: O!

All the most reasonable teachings of human wisdom concerning
justice are summed up in that famous adage: DO UNTO OTHERS THAT
WHICH YOU WOULD THAT OTHERS SHOULD DO UNTO YOU; DO NOT UNTO
OTHERS THAT WHICH YOU WOULD NOT THAT OTHERS SHOULD DO UNTO YOU.
But this rule of moral practice is unscientific: what have I a
right to wish that others should do or not do to me? It is of no
use to tell me that my duty is equal to my right, unless I am
told at the same time what my right is.

Let us try to arrive at something more precise and positive.

Justice is the central star which governs societies, the pole
around which the political world revolves, the principle and the
regulator of all transactions. Nothing takes place between men
save in the name of RIGHT; nothing without the invocation of
justice. Justice is not the work of the law: on the
contrary, the law is only a declaration and application of
JUSTICE in all circumstances where men are liable to come in
contact. If, then, the idea that we form of justice and right
were ill-defined, if it were imperfect or even false, it is clear
that all our legislative applications would be wrong, our
institutions vicious, our politics erroneous: consequently there
would be disorder and social chaos.