Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1804-05-08

and proceeded to work upon it. The pro-
prietors ofthe ground gave notice that they
would not part with their property without
! receiving reasonable compensation, and
! demanded two thousand dollars Tor It. Re
CARELESS of this notice, the agents OF GO
vernnent proceededto erect beacon with
out further communication. The propTle-
tors commenced suit, offering at the same
time TO submit their demand to arbitration.
The offer was declined, the suit proceeded,
and the proprietors got a Judgment against
the state intruders for one hundred dollars
damages. The agents of government in
stead Of showing any shame for having
brought the country into the degraded
state of litigious defendant under the
censure OF court Of law, or feeling anyre-
morse for the in jury attempted to the pro-
prietors, persisted in keeping possession.
Another suit was commenced, attended
with another offer OF arbitration. But the
secretary Of the treasury, enraged at the
contumacy of the proprietors in not giving
up their property, applied to the legislature
of Jersey to compel them to give II up with
cut any reference to the value it derived
from local situation A bill for the pur-
pose passed one branch, but did not pass
the other. Again of-rs Of arbitration
were made by the proprietors; but to no
effect. Another beacon was erected. And
in January last Jury gave the proprietors
seven hundred and fifty dollars damages
against government for the unlawful conti-
nnation of the beacon. The proprietor:
once more renewed their offer, to avoid
farther litigation, but receiving no answer
renewed their suit in February for DANA
ges for the further continuation OF the tres
pass, as well as fer erecting the second bea-
con.
The Secretary of the treasury finding
himself foiled, and being as tenacious of
his purpose, as his purpose was wrong, re-
solved in his own mind rather to let the
commerce Of the country suffer ship-wreck
than yield TO the reasonable demand Of the
prcprietors, or dlsioint the system of cabi-
net economies by the payment of two thou
sand dollars, and in his royal indignation
ordered the lights to be extinguished.
Let us scan the matter diligently and
closely, and we shall find it composed of a
complication of circumstances, equally ia.
just, arrogant, and reprobata.
The first question is, Were or were
not those beacons necessary or useful in
that spot?" If they were not, it was scan
dalous and highly censurable waste of pub.
lie money to erect them; and still more
wicked was it to attempt for purpose an
necessary and useless, to trespass upon
fellow-citizen's private property, to refuse
to make him a ust compensation for it, to
drive him to law for the recovery of his
property, to put the country to the expense
of suits at law, and to disgrace it by bring
ing it into court in the odious character of
a violator of private right. and a trespasser
upon individual property. But if on the
other hand the Beacons were necessary
or useful, it was an act of high crimina-
lily to extinguish the lights and deprive
the country of the benefit of them, sum
in itself inconsiderable Blu. which when
compared with the importance of the object
on which it was to be bestowed, may be
said to be nothing. Takingit in either of
those views, the conduct of the agents of
government deserves heavy chastisement.
But that is not all. We see in this t,ans acti
or the germ of gross injustice, and as downright
tyranny as the demon OF deSpotism himself
could wish to see exercised. We see government
which is supposed to exist bat for the ptotec-
tion of private right, with bouadless arrogance
and rspacity, using every means which cunning
could suggest, the willy trckery Of the law cou.
trivc, undue iniiucace over Legislative councils,
hopc to effect; or the rufisn hand Of lawless
plumber dare 10 execute, in order to strip man
OF his property. We see the lawful means taken
10 asssI1 pfYatc rghis tteated az an insult to the