[Urgent Intro] . ! . ! . ! . ! . . ! . [Verse 1] A man runs from the federal law A warrant on his head He crosses into Nauvoo And the warrant's good as dead [Verse 2] The Mayor's court convenes at once Habeas corpus cried The federal marshal turned away The fugitive walks free inside [Pre-Chorus] What good are the laws of the Union If one city sets them aside? What good is the Constitution When Nauvoo decides who's tried? [Chorus] Habeas corpus The body shall be produced Habeas corpus But here the law's reduced To a tool for the protection Of every fugitive Who brings enough spoils to Nauvoo For the privilege to live [Break] . ! . ! . . [Verse 3] The city council passed a law That any man arrested here Falls under Nauvoo's jurisdiction No matter why he's near [Verse 4] A sink of refuge they have built For every offender who can pay The paramount laws of the Union Set at defiance every day [Chorus] Habeas corpus The body shall be produced Habeas corpus But here the law's reduced To a tool for the protection Of every fugitive Who brings enough spoils to Nauvoo For the privilege to live [Bridge - warning to government] Will the federal government be quiescent? Will they let their laws be defied? Will they watch while a city on the river Builds a kingdom where criminals hide? If the law means nothing in Nauvoo Then the law means nothing at all And every charter that protects a tyrant Is a crack in the Republic's wall [Final Chorus - accusatory] Habeas corpus Twisted from its purpose Habeas corpus A shield for every vice They've turned a right of freedom Into a criminal's device And Nauvoo sits like a sovereign nation Where the federal law won't reach A city-state upon the Mississippi Beyond the Constitution's breach [Outro - ominous] Beyond the law... Beyond the law... [End]
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