Law or Expediency?

There is always the tendency to invest with the sanction of law certain courses of action which considerations of expediency may dictate. Consequently, courses of action against which there is no law are liable to be branded as wrong because they contravene the prescriptions of expediency. This is a tendency which must be resisted. Expediency knows no law, and when expediency is erected into law the sphere of liberty is invaded and confusion of conscience results.

—John Murray, 'Principles of Conduct'