To punish a man because he has committed a crime, or because he is believed, though unjustly, to have committed a crime, is not persecution. To punish a man, because we infer from the nature of some doctrine which he holds, or from the conduct of other persons who hold the same doctrines with him, that he will commit a crime, is persecution, and is, in every case, foolish and wicked.

Summary

This quote emphasizes the distinction between punishing someone for their actions or proven crime, and punishing them based on assumptions or beliefs. It asserts that it is not persecution to hold individuals accountable for their crimes or suspected crimes. However, it denounces persecution when individuals are punished based on inferred implications of their beliefs or associations. It argues that such actions are foolish and morally wrong, emphasizing the importance of fairness and justice in the punitive process.

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