Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1818-04-25

vii authority for writs OF assistance, 10 e.
nab!c the custnm-house officers, tide walt,
ers, land walters. and all, to command
all sheriffs aud constsbles to attend ana
aid them in breaking open houses, Stores
shops, cellars, ships. bales, trunks CASKS
packages Of all sorts, to search tor goods
wares and merchsndizes, which had oeen
imported as against the prohibitions OF
without paying the taxes imposed os GER
tain Acts Of Parliament, called THE
acrs OF TRADE" 1. q. by certain Psrl'-
amentary Statutes, which had hen pro-
Gu ed to be passed from time to time, tor
century before, BY combination Of sell
fish intrigues between Westlndia Plan
! tiers and North American Royal Cover
nors. These acts never had been exc
cuted, and there never had been time
when they would have been, or could
have been obeyed =,
NJ Paxton, no doubt consulting With
Governor Bernard, Lieut.. Gov. Hutchin-
son; and all the principal crown officers,
and all he rest of the junto, thought it
not prudent to commence his operations
in Boston. For obvious reasons, he in-
strscted his deputy collector in Salem
Mr.. Cockle, to apply by petition to the
superior court, in Nov. 1850, then sit
ting in that town, for writs Of assistance.
Stephen Sewell was then chief justice OF
that court, an able man, an uncoTruptrd
American. sound wing, sincere friend
OF liberty. civil and religious. He ex-
pressed great doubts Of the legality OF
such a writ, and of the authority Of the
court to grant it.-Not one of his brother
judges uttered a word in favor of it; but
as it was an application on the part ofthe
crown it must be heard and determined
After consultation, the court ordered the
question to be argued at the next Febru.
airy te' m, in Boston, j. e. ia I76f.
In the. mean time chief Justice Sewell
died, and Lieut.. Gov. Hutchinson was
appointed chic! Justice Of that court in
his stead. Every observing and thinking
man knew that this sppointmen' was
made for the direct purpose Of deciding
this question, in favor of the crown, and
all others in which it should be interest.
ed.
An alarm was spread far ard wide
Merchants Of Salem aud Boston applied
to Mr. Pratt. who refused, and to Mr..
Otis and Mr.. Thatcher, who accepted, to
defend them against this terrible neua
cling monster, the writ Of assistance
Great fees were offered, but Otis, and l
believe Thatch'r, would accep, OF none.
a" In such cause" said Otis, des-
pise all fees"
l have given you sketch of the stage
and the scenery, and briet Of the cause
or, if you like the phrase better, OF the
Tragedy, Comedy or Farce
Now for the actors and perf"rmers.-
Mr.. Gridley argued with hi, Characters
tic learning, ingenuity and dignity, aid
said every thing that could be sad in ia
vor Of Cookies petition, all depending.
however, on the If the parliament Of
Great Britain is the -overeigu legislator
Of all the British Empire"
Mr.. Thatcher followed him on the o.
tier side, and argued with the softness OF
mauaers. the ingenuity, the cool reasnn-
ing which were peculiar to his smiable
character.
But Otis wss 4 flame of FIRE! With
promptitude Of classical illusions; a
depth Of research, a rapid summary Of
historical events and dates, a profusiOn
Of legal authorities. prophetic glsre OF
his ewes into futurity. and rapid torrent
of impetuous eloquence he hurried away
all before him American Independence
was then and there born. The seeds Of
Patriots and Heroes to defend the Non
Sine Dis Animosus Infans; to defend
the vigorous youth were then and there
sown. Every man IF an immense crowd
ed audience appeared TO ne to 60 away
as I did, ready to take arms against
writs Of Assistance Then and there
was the first scene of the first act ct op-
position to the arbitrary claims of Great
Britain. Then and there the child Indie.
pendence was born In fifteen wears,
i. e. in l776, he grew up to Manhood and
declare himself free.
The court adjourned for consideration,
and after some DAYS at the close of the
term, Hutchinson, chief justice, arose
and said, The court has considered the
| subject Of Writs Of Assistance, and can
see no foundation for such writ !;
but as the practice in England is not
known, it has been thought best. tn con
tinue the question tn next term, that in
the mean time opportunity NAV be given
T.. write to England for information con-
corning The subject" In six months the
next term arrived bot no judgment was
pronounced /; nothing was said about