is one that
violates no law, one that I may use without giving any one reasonable
ground of complaint. Suppose I have no other means to protect my life
than by shooting my aggressor; has he a right to complain of my conduct
if I try to do so? No, because he forces me to the act; he forces me to
choose between my life and his. Good order is not violated if I prefer
my own life: well-ordered charity begins at home. But is not God's right
violated? It is; for God has a right to my life and to that of my
assailant. The ruffian who compels me to shoot him is to blame for
bringing both our lives into danger; he is responsible for it to God.
But the Creator will not blame me for defending my life by the only
means in my power, and that when compelled by an unjust assailant, who
cannot reasonably find fault with my conduct.

But it may be objected that no evil act may be done to procure a good
result, that a good end does not justify a bad means. That is a correct
principle, and we will consider it carefully some other day. But my act
of necessary self-defence is not evil, and therefore needs no
justification; for the means I employ are, under the circumstances,
well-ordered and lawful means, which violate no one's rights, as has
just been shown. Of course the harm I do to the aggressor is just only
in as far as it is strictly necessary to defend the inalienable right I
have to life or limb or very valuable property. Hence I must keep within
the just limits of self-defence. To shoot an assailant, when I am in no
serious danger, or when I can free myself some other way, or when I act
through malice, would not be self-defence, but unjustifiable violence on
my part.

2. The principles that make it lawful for a man to defend his own life
with violence against an unjust assailant will also justify a parent in
thus defending his children, a guardian his wards; and in fact any one
may forcibly defend any other human being against unjust violence. A
parent or guardian not only can, but he is in duty bound to, defend
those under his charge by all lawful means. Similarly the physician
would be obliged to defend his patient by the exercise of his profession
in his behalf.

Now the only case in which the need of medical treatment against unjust
aggression could become a matter for discussion in Jurisprudence is the
case of a mother with child. Is the child under those circumstances
really an unjust aggressor? Let us study that importan