Reading Time: 2 minutes [324 words]

WILLIAM WEMMS AND SEVEN OTHERS. 441

with contempt a body of men, stationed, most certainly, by
the consent of her supreme legislature, the parliament of
Britain? What more disrespectful to our common sovereign,
than to assume the sword of justice, and become the avengers
of either public or private wrongs? Though the soldiers, who
appeared in the earlier part of the evening in Cornhill, acted
like barbarians and savages, they had now retired, and were
confined in their barracks; what though an impertinent boy
had received unjustifiable correction from the sentinel; the
boy, and the persons in Cornhill, must have reeourse only to
the law for their redress. Courts of law are styled ‘‘vindices
injuriarum,” the avengers of injuries, and none others are
to assume this prerogative. The law orects itself as the su-
preme, dernier resort, in all complaints of wrong; and noth-
ing could more essentially sap our most important interests,
than any countenance to such dangerous encroachments on
the domains of municipal justice.

But, finally, to finish with the justly celebrated ‘‘Farmer.’’
‘Hot, rash, disorderly proceedings injure the reputation of a
people, as to wisdom, valor, and virtue, without procuring
the least benefit.’” Thus have you the sense of thi, with us,
great authority, And let me ask all those who have thought
the cause of this country connected with the agents of the
assembly in King street, whether the proceedings of that un-
happy night were hot, rash, or disorderly? If they were,
have they not, in the opinion of this great friend of liberty,
injured our reputation, as to wisdom, valor and virtue; and
that too, without proeuring the least benefit? Who then
would sacrifice his judgment, and hia integrity, to vindicate
such proceedings?

To what purposes the soldiers were sent; whether it was a
step warranted by sound policy, or not, we shall not inquire;
we are to consider the troops, not ag the instruments for
wresting our righta, but as fellow citizens, who, being to be
tried by a law extending to every individual, claim a part in
ita beneflta—ita privileges—its mercy. We must steel our-
selves against passions which contaminate the fountain of

Related Posts