The royal navy of England hath ever been its greatest defence and ornament; it is its ancient and natural strength, - the floating bulwark of our island. William Blackstone More Quotes by William Blackstone More Quotes From William Blackstone It is better that ten guilty persons escape than one innocent suffer. William Blackstone innocencesufferingjustice Those rights, then, which God and nature have established, and are therefore called natural rights, such as life and liberty, need not the aid of human laws to be more effectually invested in every man than they are; neither do they receive any additional strength when declared by the municipal laws to be inviolate. On the contrary, no human legislature has power to abridge or destroy them, unless the owner shall himself commit some act that amounts to a forfeiture. William Blackstone rightslawmen No enactment of man can be considered law unless it conforms to the law of God William Blackstone conformlawmen THIS law of nature, being co-eval with mankind and dictated by God himself, is of course superior in obligation to any other. It is binding over all the globe, in all countries, and at all times: no human laws are of any validity, if contrary to this; and such of them as are valid derive all their force, and all their authority, mediately or immediately, from this original. William Blackstone godlawcountry Man must necessarily be subject to the laws of his Creator. This will of his Maker is called the Law of Nature. This Law of Nature is superior to any other. No human laws are of any validity if contrary to this. William Blackstone makerslawmen [Self-defense is] justly called the primary law of nature, so it is not, neither can it be in fact, taken away by the laws of society. William Blackstone takenselflaw The liberty of the press is indeed essential to the nature of a free state: but this consists in laying no previous restraints upon publications, and not in freedom from censure for criminal matter when published. Every freeman has an undoubted right to lay what sentiments he pleases before the public: to forbid this, is to destroy the freedom of the press: but if he publishes what is improper, mischievous, or illegal, he must take the consequence of his own temerity. William Blackstone criminalslibertymatter Law is the embodiment of the moral sentiment of the people. William Blackstone embodimentlawpeople So great moreover is the regard of the law for private property, that it will not authorize the least violation of it; no, not even for the general good of the whole community. William Blackstone violationcommunitylaw Punishments of unreasonable severity, especially where indiscriminately afflicted, have less effect in preventing crimes, and amending the manners of a people, than such as are more merciful in general, yet properly intermixed with due distinctions of severity. William Blackstone punishmenthellpeople Free men have arms; slaves do not. William Blackstone slavearmsmen If [the legislature] will positively enact a thing to be done, the judges are not at liberty to reject it, for that were to set the judicial power above that of the legislature, which would be subversive of all government. William Blackstone rejectiongovernmentjudging Trial by jury is a privilege of the highest and most beneficial nature [and] our most important guardian both of public and private liberty. The liberties of England cannot but subsist so long as this palladium remains sacred and inviolate, not only from all open attacks, ... but also from all secret machinations, which may sap and undermine it. William Blackstone importantsecretlong The husband and wife are one, and that one is the husband. William Blackstone husband-and-wifewifehusband The public good is in nothing more essentially interested, than in the protection of every individual's private rights. William Blackstone internetlibertyrights No outward doors of a man's house can in general be broken open to execute any civil process; though in criminal cases the public safety supersedes the private. William Blackstone homedoorsmen And, lastly, to vindicate these rights, when actually violated and attacked, the subjects of England are entitled, in the first place, to the regular administration and free course of justice in the courts of law; next to the right of petitioning the king and parliament for redress of grievances; and, lastly, to the right of having and using arms for self preservation and defense. William Blackstone kingsselfrights Upon these two foundations, the law of nature and the law of revelation, depend all human laws. William Blackstone godlawtwo That the king can do no wrong is a necessary and fundamental principle of the English constitution. William Blackstone politicalgovernmentkings The Bible has always been regarded as part of the Common Law of England. William Blackstone christianlawbible
