On Crimes and Punishments

the just and the unjust, as far as concerns the intrinsic malice or goodness of an act. Establishing the relationships of the political just and unjust belongs to the Publicist. One object can never prejudice the other, since everyone sees how much the purely political virtue must yield to the immutable virtue emanated from God.

Whoever, I repeat, wishes to honor me with their criticisms, should not therefore begin by supposing in me principles destructive of either virtue or Religion. Since I have demonstrated that my principles are not such, instead of making me out to be an unbeliever or a seditious person, let them try to find me a poor Logician or an imprudent Politician. But let them not tremble at every proposition that maintains the inte-