It cannot be denied, that the doctrine of expediency may be grossly abused ; it is the abuse of it that gives rise to all the aberrations of human conduct ; for, when ever any man deviates from the straight path of recti tude, he proposes to himself some present or ultimate advantage ; but his views are limited to selfish and temporal gratifications ; and he forgets the duties which he owes to society, and to himself as the heir of immortal hopes. But the doctrine is not answerable for these abuses and perversions of it ; these must be charged to the account of the headlong passions of men, which, for the sake of a little present gratification, make them overlook their duty as rational, social, and immortal beings. Nor can it be denied that we are exposed to numberless temptations, which induce us to take very short-sighted views of expediency, and to consult our own comfort at the expense of the general good ; but reason and conscience are given us to combat these temptations, and to raise us above narrow and contracted feelings, to the rank and dignity of moral beings. So powerfully do these principles operate, and so distinctly do they proclaim that man is formed to take an interest in the common welfare of his species, that there is no thing of which he is so much ashamed as to be convicted of selfishness and want of feeling for the distresses of others.
It is observed by Dr. Smith, that the loss of a finger will cause infinitely more uneasiness to an individual, than to hear of the loss of the whole empire of China ; yet, he observes, that no man would hesitate to make such a sacrifice to save so many millions from destruc tion. The observation holds true with regard to culti vated man, whose mind has been trained to observe the various dependencies in human society, and to sec the principle of philanthropy, generated at first in the narrow family circle, gradually diffusing itself tnrough the whole family of mankind.
Friend, parent, neighbour, first it will embrace, His country next, and next all human race.
But an uninformed savage who has not learned to read the will of Heaven, in the ordinations of Providence, and to perceive that his own happiness will be promoted by expanded feelings, would not give one joint of one finger to save half the world from ruin; and this, surely, is as clear a proof as can be desired, that philanthrophy is not the result of any particular moral sense or natural feel ing, but the consequence of enlightened reason, of im proved principle, and of matured wisdom.
Thus, from limited views of expediency, very great errors may arise; for a man is extremely apt to consider every thing as inexpedient, which thwarts his views, or obstructs his favourite pursuits. To this contracted principle may be ascribed all the ravings of party spi rit, and the aggravated colouring in which every partisan represents his opponents. These are exhibitions of hu
man character, which sound wisdom will teach us rather to pity than condemn ; for we can easily perceive that no man can have any great liking for qualities which eclipse his own fame, or prevent his own advancement. When placed beyond the possibility of interfering with our in terests, we can praise and admire them ; when death removes the grounds of emulation, we can shed a tear over the ashes of a rival, whom, when living, we feared and detested. &ztinctus amabitur idem. Though this is not exactly what it should be, and though it presents not a very flattering view of human nature, yet it must almost necessarily take place in a complicated state of society, where so many are contending for the same prize, and eagerly desiring the same enjoyment. In such a state, one man's interest must often stand in the way of another's, and the prosperity of one must often be at the expense of another's comfort. Hence arise envy, jealousy, and detraction, qualities extremely odious, but naturally springing out of limited views of expedi ency and interest, and nut easily corrected, we fear, by considerations merely moral ; for, though reason may easily show their impropriety, it cannot so easily subvert their influence in the human heart. But let it be re membered that the evident design of the Supreme Law giver is, to promote the general good of the human spe cies ; and that when this object is accomplished, indivi vidnals are not to consider their partial inconveniences as any exception to the divine goodness. If they suffer in one respect, they may be improved in another ; the loss of worldly wealth may be the acquisition of substan tial wisdom ; and the trials to which they are exposed may be the means of calling forth their mental energies, and of exhibiting a display of virtues and endowments to meliorate and improve the world.
Let it then be kept in view, that man is accountable for his actions at a higher tribunal than that which is constituted either by conscience or public opinion, (and without this consideration there can be no moral respon sibility,) let this be kept in view, and there will be little danger of abusing the doctrine of expediency, or of mak ing it subservient to low and selfish gratifications. Every individual will then consider himself as bound to pro mote that general happiness which he sees so carefully consulted and provided for by the Parent of the Universe ; even though, in doing so, he should be compelled to forego some private advantage of his own. But it is not generally necessary to make such a sacrifice ; for public prosperity cannot possibly arise out of general individual misfortunes ; and those measures which are best for the whole, will generally be found best for every individual of which the aggregate of society is composed.