The same observations hold true with regard to the general intercourse of nations with each other. Justice, in the long run, will always be found to be their best policy; though the violation of this principle may often promise many great and decided temporary advantages. It is not long since we heard it proclaimed, in the face of the whole world, that it was expedient for the safety of the French empire that Spain should be annexed to its already overgrown possessions. The same argu ment has always been employed, wherever a powerful nation wished to invade the rights of its feebler neigh bours; and in all cases the general result has been the same ; either an enthusiastic spirit of resistance has been produced, which defeated the design of the aggressors; or passive acquiescence begets in them a supineness and effeminacy, which soon render them fit and easy objects of vengeance.
When this merited retribution occurs, it is very ge nerally reckoned an interposition of Providence to punish the guilty. We conceive this opinion to be erroneous. No interposition is necessary in such cases ; they fall under the general laws of an overruling Providence ; and by the operation of natural principles and feelings, they bring their own corrective along with them. We see, no doubt, the hand of Providence, whenever the foolish reap the fruits of their folly ; or when the presumptu ous fall by their own pride, or the profligate by their own excesses. But there is nothing unusual here, to deserve the name of an interposition ; all these instan ces are embraced by the ordinary principles which regulate the dispensations of Providence, and which have fixed, with unerring certainty, the consequences of human conduct. Were it possible to preserve mo deration, when in possession of absolute power ; or pru dence, when crowned with continued success; or en ergy, when wallowing in luxury ; or abstinence, when unrestrained by principle ; in such circumstances, it might be necessary for the Supreme Ruler to depart from the usual principles of his government, and to in terpose in an extraordinary manner to punish the guilty, or to break the rod of the oppressor. But the case is amply provided for by the ordinary arrangements of Providence ; and the circumstances which we have stated never fail to produce such consequences as tend to bring mankind back to the sound principles established by the law of God, and illustrated in his moral government of the world.
We trust, then, that it will appear, from what has been said, that whatever is right, and just, and proper, is also most expedient, both for individuals and for nations ; for the ways of Providence, which evidently sanction these principles, never can be supposed to direct mankind to a course of conduct which will be ultimately unprofitable. This proposition, indeed, will be assented to by the most scrupulous moralists ; and yet is it not perfectly con vertible, and may we not say, with equal propriety, that whatever is ultimately and essentially expedient for men, must be right, and agreeable to the will of Heaven ? Would it not involve a monstrous absurdity to say, " this is in every respect, most expedient for you, but it is wrong, you must avoid it ?" For what can influence the conduct of any human being, but a regard to his best in terests ? It is true, indeed, that what is expedient for one particular purpose, may be wrong; but this is only because it is inexpedient upon the whole. This was the
case with the plan of Themistocles for burning the com bined fleets of Greece, that the Athenians might be un disputed masters of the sea. He had stated publicly that he had devised a measure of the utmost conse quence for increasing the power of Athens, but that it could not be divulged without defeating the execution of it. Aristides was ordered to communicate with him; on hearing the scheme, he instantly repaired to the as sembly of the people ; and without informing them what the measure was, declared, that nothing could more ef fectually promote the superiority of the Athenians, but that nothing could be more unjust. The feelings of the people, on this occasion, acted with instinctive prompti tude ; and, relying on t: opinion of one whose name was identified with that of justice, they ordered the mea sure to be rejected without farther examination. Had they acted differently, this illustrious Athenian could easily have shown them, that mutual good faith was es sential to the peace and the intercourse of nations; and that, without this, they must be perpetually engaged in wars of extermination against each other.
After all, however, we are more anxious to rescue the doctrine of expediency from the undeserved obloq :y to which it has been exposed, than to found on it our system of morals. We consider it, particularly as it is explained in the writings of Paley, as a beautiful illus tration of the wisdom and benevolence of the divine go vernment, in having made the duty of man, in every respect, consistent with his best interests. But we con ceive the principles of morals to rest on a still simpler basis, and to be pointed out by circumstances and facts in the constitution of our nature, long before we have any idea of their general expediency or unfitness. It is only after the mind is enlightened by varied know ledge, and the principles improved by patient culture, that we discover our real interests, and discern the wis dom and goodness of the divine government. Till we reach this point, we are pretty much in the situation of children whose humours are crossed by a parent's au thority, and whose views of expediency are very differ ent from his. They find, however, at last, that he un derstood their interests much better than they did them selves, and that obedience was both their interest and their duty. There cannot be a doubt, that we will ulti mately make the same discovery with regard to the law of God : in the meantime, it is our duty to listen to the plain intimations by which his law is enforced ; in the confidence, that in the end we will find the result to be both profitable and expedient.