The leader-enterprise. [volume] (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1912-1915, 1913-05-02

and jealous of the liberties, impa-
tient of restraint, and can scarcely
bear the thought of being controlled
by any superior power Many OF
them consider the colonies as indie
pendent states, not connected with
Great Britain otherwise than by hay-
ing the same common king and being
bound to her with natural affection"
Not only so, but they think tia hard
ship not to have an unlimited trade
to every part of the world"
All this, and more, Grenville might
have learned by the simple pains or
inquiry. One had but to open his
eyes and look to see how imperious
race had been bred in the almost
feudal south; and, for all they had
never heard revolutionary talk thence,
ministers ought to have dreaded the
leisure men had there to think, the
provocation to be proud, the neces-
sity to be masterful and individual
quite as much as they had ever
dreaded the stubborn temper and the
quick capacity for united action they
had, once and again seen excited in
New England.
Law a Dead Letter.
1t was not necessary to try new
laws to see what the colonies would
do if provoked. The difficulty already
encountered in enforcing the laws of
trade was object-lesson enough; and
the trouble in that matter had grown
acute but yesterday. For long, indeed,
no one in the colonies questioned the
right Of parliament to regulate their
trade; but it was notorious that the
laws actually enacted in that matter
had gone smoothly off in America only
because they were not seriously en-
forced.
"The trade hither is engrossed by
the Saints of New England" laughed
Colonel Byrd, "who carry off great
deal Of tobacco without troubling
themselves with paying that imperti-
.nent duty of a penny a pound"
The acts of trade practically for
bade direct commerce with foreign
countries for their dependencies.
especially in foreign bottoms; but
ships from France, Spain, and the
Canary isles came and went very
freely, Notwithstanding, in colonial
ports; for royal officials liked to
enjoy comfortable peace and the
esteem of their neighbors, and very
genially winked at such transgres-
sions.
| Cargoes without number were sent
to the Dutch and Spanish West Indies
every year, and as many brought
thence. which were undoubtedly for
felt under the navigation laws parlia-
ment had been at such pains to elabor-
ate and enforce; and privateering as
we'll as smuggling had for long az
forded the doughty seamen of Boston,
Salem, Charleston, and New York a
genteel career of profit.
Indulge in Illegal Trade.
Things had come to such a pass
that where business went briskly the
people of the colonial ports demanded
as of right "a full freedom Of illegal
trade" and broke sometimes into riot
when it was denied them. The Bos-
ton News Letter had been known very
icourteously to mourn the death of a
worthy collector of his majesty's Gus
toms because. with much humanity"
he had been used to take pleasure
in directing masters of vessels how
they ought to avoid the breach of
the acts of trade"
Sea captains grew accustomed to
very confidential relations with own
lers and consignees, and knew very
well, without official counsel, how to
take the advice mot to declare at the
customhouse; and things went very
easily and cordially with all parties to
the understanding.
In 1861 that understanding was OF
sudden rudely broken and the trou-
BILE began. which Granville had the
folly to add to. The board Of trade
determined to collect the duties on
sugar. molasses and rum, so long and
so Systematically evaded in the trade
between New England and the West
Indies, at whatever cost of suit and
scrutiny. and directed their agents in
Boston to demand 'writs of assist
ance" from the courts, giving them
leave to enter what premises they
would in search of struggled goods.
colonists Resist Search Warrants.
There were instant evaporation
and resistance. General search war
rants, opening every mans door to
the officers of the law, with or without
Just and explicit ground of suspicion
against him. no English subject any
where would submit to; and yet these
writs authorized nothing less.
Issued under questionable extern
sion to America of an exceptional
lpower of the court of exchequer,
they violated every precedent of the
common law. no less than every prin-
ciple Of prudent administration; and
the excitement which they provoked
was at once deep and ominous. Sharp
resistance was made in the courts,
and no officer ever ventured to serve
one of the obnoxious writs. Such
challenge of the recess was uttered
by colonial counsel upon trial of the
right. moreover, that ministers would
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