Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1843-09-27


pared to nut it away, and with it the tau
tology. | discover no other errors bu
the errors of ignorance. lam to be con
WINGED that there is such thing in ex
istence, as right or wrong, independent o
circumstances. To say good, bad anc
worse, would be to me better use of Ian.
guage-and also, on the other hand, tc
say good, better, and better still. l know
not how to affirm Of acts, but CON rative
ly. j see nothing but cause and effect ia
the universe.
To some, this view may be Startling
Let none be alarmed. IF be truth it will
do US good, and not hurt, to know and
comprehend it. The faster and sooner
our errors are exchanged for it the better.
II 1t be error, investigation will put il
away = shutting our eyes upon it can not.
lobe frightened and run away from it,
can never change it from truth Into error,
or from error into truth. Some will see
in it a shocking fatality, as they will call
It, and apprehend il to be calculated 10 de-
stroy all proper motives TO proper action.
To my own mind, it affords the highest
possible stimulus TO noble, god.like action.
Ii gives power to men which former the
cries have kept from them, or have kept
them form. 1t leads TO putting the most
favorable construction upon human actions
= that is, to making US charitable, as Ian
guage has been used. 1t constrains TO pity,
and forbids to punish. Il beckons on
ward in the road to perfection. continually
and forever, allowing o: no stopping place
by the way. 1t induces instant and con-
stant inquiry after the true relations exist
ing between Us and all around US. with
readiness and desire to heed them.
Let now, in few words, make
practical application Of these views 10 The
case under consideration--'he use of mon
ey in our present circumstances, which
would be wrong, under Other circumstanc-
IS. Ou former occasion, labored to
show, and thought did show, that as we
are nov situated we are forced 20 use il in
various ways. or do worse. We can not
live without participating in some way, in
the use of it, | believe the correctness of
this view will be conceded bv all who
have considered the subject Allow me
an illustration or two here, then, to show
how l dispose of the argument, -of Ire.h
ers Brooke and Dyer. and all others like
unto them. awake in the night and fiGd
myself and family exposed to fines that
have kindled under US and all around US.
The instant inquiry is to know whether we
will ju mp from the wipdo vs., rush through
the flames to doors, or lie down and be con-
Sumed. No individual Of sane mind would
give Up 10 the flames without exertion, if
there were any thiog that conld possibly be
done. Il would certainly be right TO do
under these circumstances what il would
be wrong TO do under other circumstances
namely, to rush through fire or leap
| from window. lfthere were no occa-
sion for doing either Of these, it would be
wrong TO do them. Again. a dozen per.
sons are travelling in darkness and fall
INTO pit together. Now, under ordinary
circumstances it would not be right for
one human being TO step upon another
and stand upon him with his feet.
But under these circumstances it might
be right. TO prevent perishing, that The
strongest consent 10 have another stand
upon his shoulders. and that the two con.
sebt to have third stand upon the should
ers of the second, if necessary and if pos.
sb!e, that they might thus all finally bt
extricated and saved from death. Ii j;
easy for fruitful mind TO conceive OF a
thousand circumstances in which j
would be justI6Able to do things and to
\ pot forth exerions, that woul,. be entirely
unJusilfiablc under other circumstances.
Whoever cannot see otherwise, must, j
they must, call this advocacy Of the doctrin,
Of expediehey--lhe doctrine that the en-,
justifes the means-or that evil may Be don,
that good may come Not so. II is onl,
saying that what might properly be Gale,
doing evil under some circumstances, nigh
be doing good, under others. Ii is dom.
good, then, that good may come, and not evil