"The law of the Creator, which invests every human being with an inalienable title to freedom, cannot be repealed by any interior law which asserts that man is property"
- Salmon P. Chase
About this Quote
The quote by Salmon P. Chase speaks to basic concepts of natural rights and human dignity. Chase, who was a prominent political figure and a staunch abolitionist, articulates here a powerful argument against the organization of slavery by interesting a higher ethical and legal authority-- the law of the Developer.
In this statement, he presumes that every person is endowed with an "inalienable title to flexibility," a phrase that echoes similar language used in fundamental American documents like the Declaration of Independence. By conjuring up the concept of "inalienable" rights, Chase underscores that the right to freedom is fundamental and can not be rightfully taken away or transferred, as it is approved by a magnificent Creator. This reinforces the concept that such rights are intrinsic to human existence and not contingent upon earthly laws or federal governments.
Chase contrasts this divine law with "any interior law" that attempts to classify a human being as "residential or commercial property." Here, "interior law" refers to man-made laws-- particularly, those that legalized slavery. By using the word "interior," he may be indicating that such laws are internally focused, interested in human interests and economies, rather than universal principles. Chase argues that these human laws can not supersede the moral and ethical dictates of the Creator. The implication is that laws allowing slavery are naturally unfair and void due to the fact that they contradict the fundamental reality of human liberty as bestowed by a greater authority.
The quote is a moral indictment of slavery, suggesting that any law that deals with humans as home is space in the moral realm. Chase's argument is fundamental in the discourse of civil rights, stressing that true justice lines up with divine law, which champs equality and liberty for all individuals no matter the societal structures that try to negate these realities. Through this analysis, Salmon P. Chase's statement acts as an ageless tip of the enduring battle for human rights and the essential to line up human laws with universal principles of justice and equality.
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"The end of law is not to abolish or restrain, but to preserve and enlarge freedom. For in all the states of created beings capable of law, where there is no law, there is no freedom"
"Without culture, and the relative freedom it implies, society, even when perfect, is but a jungle. This is why any authentic creation is a gift to the future"
