Doing Right because it is Right. 265 



been fully considered by them. Obligation is found 

 enforcing certain subordinate acts, as those of jus- 

 tice, mercy and truth, even when the good secured 

 by them is not taken into account ; and we even 

 find it enforcing certain acts, as those of justice or 

 honesty, when the act cannot be justified to Reason, 

 at the time, as producing or tending to produce, 

 the greatest good. And, undoubtedly, on this ac- 

 count, has arisen much controversy about "■ doijig 

 right because it is rights It means, we suppose, 

 that the sense of Obligation impels us to perform 

 certain acts, that may seem at the time opposed to 

 the greatest good, if we mean by that the greatest 

 happiness of all. That it does this, we suppose all 

 will admit. A single illustration will show the prin- 

 ciple. If I have property in my hands belonging 

 to a rich man, who can never need it — who already 

 has more than is needed by him, so that my judg- 

 ment and the judgment of others, himself included, 

 is that he would be happier if he had less, and I am 

 in want so that the property would add to my hap- 

 piness, there is yet a sense of justice, which prevents 

 my appropriating the property. I feel under obli- 

 gation to restore that property to him, though I 

 need it for my comfort, and he does not need it for 

 his. That sense of obligation to return him his own, 

 does not yield to any prospect of advantage to me 

 in retaining it, until a new principle comes in — the 

 saving of life. I feel under obligation to save that, 

 at the expense of all property that I can use, wheth- 

 er my own or another's. 



Now that sense of justice, and the accompany- 

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