The negative inference necessarily follows from impossibility to nonexistence. What cannot be is not.
Definitions from Black's Law Dictionary: 2nd Edition and Ballentine's Law Dictionary as are available for each term in each dictionary.
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Ballentine's Law Dictionary -
Black's Law Dictionary: 2nd EditionFrom the impossibility of a thing to its non-existence, the inference' follows necessarily in the negative. That which cannot be done is not done. Hob. 336b. Otherwise, in the affirmative. Id.