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WILLIAM WEMMS AND SEVEN OTHERS. 461

soldier!’ Not ‘here is the soldier who haa injured us—bere
igs the fellow who wounded the man in Cornhill.” No, the
reasoning or rather ferment seems to be, the soldiers have
committed an outrage, we have an equal right to inflict pun-
ishment, or rather revenge, which they had to make an
assanit. They said right, but never considered, that those
soldiers had no right at all. These are sentiments natural
enough to persons in this state of mind—we can easily sup-
pose even good men thinking and acting thus, Very similar
to this is the force of Dr. Hiron’s testimony, and some others,
But our inquiry is, what says the lawt We must calmly
inquire, whether this, or any thing like it, ia countenaneed
by the law. What is natural to the man, what are his feel-
‘ings, are one thing; what is the duty of the citizen, is quite
another. Reason must resume her seat, and then we shall
hear and obey the voice of the law.

‘The law indulges no man in being his own avenger. Early,
in the history of jurisprudence, we find the sword taken from
the party injured, and put inte the hands of the magistrate.
Were not this the ease, punishment would know no bounds
in extent or duration. Besides, it saps the very root of dis-
tributive justice, when any individual invades the preroga-
tive of law, and snatches from the civil magistrate the bal-
ance and the rod. How much more are the pillars of security
shaken, when a mixt body, assembled as those in King street,
assume the province of justice, and invade the rights of the
citizen? For it must not be forgotten that the soldier is
a citizen, equally entitled with us all to protection and
security. Hence all are alike obliged to pay obedience to the
law; for the price of this protection is the duty of obedience.

Let it not be apprehended, that I am advancing a doctrine,
that a soldier may attack an inhabitant, and he not be
allowed to defend himself. No, gentlemen! if a soldier rush
violently through the street, and present a weapon of death
in « striking posture, no doubt the person assailed may
defend himself, even to taking the life of the assailant. Re
venge and a sense of self-preservation instantly take possea-

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