Suppose likewise, that it should be a virtuous man’s fate to fall into the society of ruffians, remote from the protection of laws and government; what conduct must he embrace in that melancholy situation?  He sees such a desperate rapaciousness prevail; such a disregard to equity, such contempt of order, such stupid blindness to future consequences, as must immediately have the most tragical conclusion, and must terminate in destruction to the greater number, and in a total dissolution of society to the rest.  He, meanwhile, can have no other expedient than to arm himself, to whomever the sword he seizes, or the buckler, may belong:  To make provision of all means of defence and security:  And his particular regard to justice being no longer of use to his own safety or that of others, he must consult the dictates of self-preservation alone, without concern for those who no longer merit his care and attention.

When any man, even in political society, renders himself by his crimes, obnoxious to the public, he is punished by the laws in his goods and person; that is, the ordinary rules of justice are, with regard to him, suspended for a moment, and it becomes equitable to inflict on him, for the benefit of society, what otherwise he could not suffer without wrong or injury.

The rage and violence of public war; what is it but a suspension of justice among the warring parties, who perceive, that this virtue is now no longer of any use or advantage to them?  The laws of war, which then succeed to those of equity and justice, are rules calculated for the advantage and UTILTIY of that particular state, in which men are now placed.  And were a civilized nation engaged with barbarians, who observed no rules even of war, the former must also suspend their observance of them, where they no longer serve to any purpose; and must render every action or recounter as bloody and pernicious as possible to the first aggressors.

Thus, the rules of equity or justice depend entirely on the particular state and condition in which men are placed, and owe their origin and existence to that utility, which results to the public from their strict and regular observance.  Reverse, in any considerable circumstance, the condition of men:  Produce extreme abundance or extreme necessity:  Implant in the human breast perfect moderation and humanity, or perfect rapaciousness and malice:  By rendering justice totally useless, you thereby totally destroy its essence, and suspend its obligation upon mankind.  The common situation of society is a medium amidst all these extremes.  We are naturally partial to ourselves, and to our friends; but are capable of learning the advantage resulting from a more equitable conduct.  Few enjoyments are given us from the open and liberal hand of nature; but by art, labour, and industry, we can extract them in great abundance.  Hence the ideas of property become necessary in all civil society:  Hence justice derives its usefulness to the public:  And hence alone arises its merit and moral obligation.