"And ought you not, my dear Emily, to pay obedience to the laws, under the protection of which you live? I might take higher ground, and refer you to the express words of Scripture.—You know the passage to which I allude.—The poorest man in the country is protected by the laws, but if he is not sufficiently aware of the benefits which he derives from them, some little allowance may be made for him on the plea of ignorance, want of education, and the many wants and privations which he actually encounters. No such excuse, however, can be made for you, possessed as you are not only of all the necessaries, but of many of the superfluities, of life. In the enjoyment of all these comforts and luxuries—in the rank and station which you hold in society—you are protected by the laws of your country, and surely those laws have a just claim to your obedience."
"There is, I acknowledge," replied Emily, "much force in what you say; but I am sure, that you must think the laws against smuggling are much too severe."
"The severity of laws is occasioned by the boldness of those who break them: when more lenient methods are found ineffectual, recourse is had to stronger and harsher measures. Smuggling, as you know, consists either in evading the payment of the legal duties, or in purchasing articles which are prohibited altogether.—The evading of the payment of duties is clearly the same as robbing the public of so much of its revenue[]. A poor man, who steals from distress, is punished, and justly punished, for no distress can justify doing wrong; but, I must say, that I think a well-educated person, who is guilty of wilfully plundering the public by smuggling, is a more guilty person than he is."
[] "Worthy. Pray, Mr. Bragwell, what should you think of a man, who would dip his hand into a bag, and take out a few guineas?
Bragwell. Think! why I think that he should be hanged, to be sure.
Worthy. But suppose that bag stood in the king's treasury?
Bragwell. In the king's treasury! worse and worse! what, rob the king's treasury! Well, I hope the robber will be taken up and executed, for I suppose we shall all be taxed to pay the damage.
Worthy. Very true. If one man takes money out of the treasury, others must be obliged to pay the more into it; but what think you if the fellow should be found to have stopped some money in its way to the treasury, instead of taking it out of the bag after it got there?
Bragwell. Guilty, Mr. Worthy; it is all the same, in my opinion. If I was a juryman, I should say, Guilty, death.
Worthy. Hark ye, Mr. Bragwell, he that deals in smuggled brandy is the man who takes to himself the king's money in its way to the treasury, and he as much robs the government, as if he dipped his hands into a bag of guineas in the treasury-chamber. It comes to the same thing exactly."