Note 186 — Chapter X · LEGAL RIGHTS.
Reading edition
The distinction here drawn between duty and liability may seem to conflict with the common usage, by which certain kinds of duties are apparently spoken of as liabilities. Thus we say that a man is liable for his debts. This, however, may be construed as meaning that he is liable to be sued for them. We certainly cannot regard liability as a generic term including all kinds of duty. We do not say that a man is liable not to commit murder, or not to defraud other persons.