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WILLIAM WEMMS AND SEVEN OTHERS. 439

must stop. If we pursue this inquiry, at this time, and in
this place, we shall be in danger of doing great injustice. We
shall get beyond our limits. The right of quartering troops
in this province must be discussed at 4 different tribunal.
The constitutional legality, the propriety, the expediency of
their appointment, are questions of state, not to be determ-
ined, or even agitated by us, in this court. It is enough for
us, if the law takes’ notice of them when thus stationed, if it
warrants their continuance, if it protects them in their quar-
ters, They were sent here by that authority, which our lawa
Inow; they were quartered here, as I take it, agreeably to an
act of the British parliament; they were ordered here by your
sovereign and mine.

Let me here take a method very common with another
order of men. Let me remind you of what is not your duty.

Gentlemen, great pains have been taken by different men,
with different views, to involve the character, the conduet
and reputation of the town of Boston, in the present issue.
Boston and its inhabitants heave no more to do with this
eause, than you, or any other members of the community.
You are, therefore, by no means to blend together two things,
80 essentially different, as the guilt or innocence of this town
and the prisoners. The inhabitants of Boston, by no rules of
law, justice. or commen sense, can he supposed answerable,
for the unjustifiable eonduet” of a few individuals, hastily
assembled in the streets. Every populous city in like cir-
cumstances, would be liable to similar commotions, if not
worse. No rational or honest man will form any worse
opinion of this metropolis, for the transactions of that mel-
ancholy night. Who can, who will, unnecessarily interest
themselves to justify the rude behavior of a mixed and un-
governable multitude? May ¥ not appeal to you, and all who
have heard this trial thus far, that things already wear a
different aspect from what we have been heretofore taught to
expect? Had any one told you, some weeks ago; that the
evidence on the crown side would have appeared in the pres-
ent light, would you have believed it? Can anyone think it

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