Western Sun, Volume 5, Number 49, Vincennes, Knox County, 4 June 1814 — Page 4

From the V trginia Argus, THE RIGHT OF VISIT. A SOLDIER'S TALE. A well d re (Ted fellow, who had a number of acquaintances in a country town in England, paid them orcahonal vifits, and became qui e familiar with levera! houfe keepers Con ficiering how he might turn his intimacy to advantage, he gave out that he had iott a great many articles, fuch as watches, ring, handkerchiefs, arid things of that kind. Having made a deal of noife about bis lofles, he went leifurely round among the tamiliesof the town, and whereever he Jaw a watch, or a ring, or a handkerchief, he would claim it, feize it, put it in Ii is pocket and bear it oif. it was in vain that the (offerers complained of his conduct as hilboneft ; the fellow would fertile in the very ad of feizing the articles, hoped it would not interrupt the harmony fubfifling between himfelf and thofe families, proteftcd th.at he would reflore them it they fiio'ld ue proved not to belong to him, but infilled pcrempt orily that he had a right to take what was his own. As he was a pleafant fort of a rogue a: bottom, the families did not tike to qtnrrei with him. The old ladies in particular, wink ed at his knavery, beeaufe they loved bis fcandal, for he was a perfeel chronicle in that way ; and he could rarely be re Med in the moment he feized the things, as he generally paid his iiits for that purpoiewhen rhe men were out onbufinefs, m J were noneat home but women and children. The f el , low, however, carried his tricks fo far, that the public officers having heard of them, laid their hands upon him, he was car

ried before a jutHce of the peace, committed to prifon for fteahng,and finally indicted for that offence at the allizes. Being brought into court for trial, he admitted the Caking the watches rings and handkerchiefs, in the manner alledged, and reded his defence on a point of law. He was fluent of fpcech, and he humbly foheited to be allowed to make his own argument, which was granted he accordingly began : " May t pleafe your lienors, I am here arraigned for fciz ing certain things of value. hsther the articles are my own or not, is not fo much a quedion ; but it will be contended, that if they really belong to me, I had no right to fecure them in t he mode I did. 1 his 1 hold to be a doctrine altogether contrary to the ancient laws of the kingdom, and tiie well

known privil

o

f the fubjecls thereof. What, for exam

pie, can be better, or has been longer ettablifhed, than the maxim, that every man is en ittd to his own ? If, then, 1 am legally entitled to what is mine, I ajay lawfully take it wherever 1 find it. Should I, perad venture, lake fomething that is the property of another, it is a millake, and no crime ; and being ready to rcilore it, 1 cannot be convicted on chat account h is true, had I been a Hranger in the families who appear againtt me ; had 1 broken into their houies and for ciblv cat ried oft the goods, mv conduct would have been illegal, and I Ihould now be liable to punilhment. But, may it pleafe your honors, I was a vintor in their houfe.s by the courtefy ot acquaintance, and being there, if 1 perceived any thing belonging to me, 1 prefurne 1 had a perfect right to carry it oft. ior is this entirely a novelty that I broach. The point of law on which I infill, is laid down by the fu pre me executive of this kingdom ; by no I fs a perfonage than hisru)jl highnefs the prince regent; in an order in council eoncerning the impreflment ot fcamen. His royal highnefs does not in ihe firlt in It a nee, diftinclly a (Ten a right to l arch neutral (hips for hismajelhss fubjecls ; but alledges as there i- a right ot entry to fearch for contr aband of war . if an Enghlhman be found on board, he may be lawfully fei zed as the property ot his (bvereign .Subsequently to this order to council his royal highnefs has claimed, in a public declara

tion, more nakediv , the right of feizure ; which, may if pleaiepaces a naval torce adequate

your honors, is f 1 1 1 1 more in my lavor ; for, ii the king, be

yoTtd his own jnrildi&iofl, and in vetTels not his own or thole of his fubjecls, niav leize Knglilinaen, why tray not I, in the lUeet, or in the houfes of others, feize what belongs, or what 1 think bf longs to me I I flatter tnyfeht that your honors will recognize the application of the principle for which I contend and forthwith order me to be difcharged trom cullody." The judpes ftared at one another ; the lawyers fniled ; and every body admired the fellow' ingenuity. At length

the chief juftice, adjufling his wig, and his phyfiognomy to the occahon faid : " sirrah ! if we were to admit that to be law which you quote, it would fill the whole kingdom with thieves. 1 he court fentence you to be tranfported to Botany Bay tor rive years, ' If I am guilty, then, (ex claimed the fellow ) how mueh more fo is his royal highnefs ! I have taken a few things, ot no gjeat value; but he de prives men of their freedom. I he rule of action has been with both of us the lame if I am legally convicted, O A mericans ! your caufe o war

is jait, and the fovereign ot

this kingdom merits tranfpor tatioii to Botany ZJay more than I do." Here the court interfered, and the culprit was hurried off to prifon. We lay before our readers to day to proclamation of ad miral Cochrane, received at Aew London, whither it was transmitted by fome patten gers in a neutral vefTel, who were permitted to land, an

nounctng a general blockade of that part of our coafr not before blockaded. This in (Irument is dated the 25th ot April, at Bermuda-r and was probably illued (though the fact is not material) before official knowledge of the re peal of the embargo and non importation had reached that ifland. The effect of this pro clamation will be to render the blockade ot our coafi much more extem'ive, but perhaps iels oftenfive than before9 in afmuch as it takes away the character of difcrimination vi hicli had been infufed by the enemy into their meafujes as to the eafiern and fouthern ports ot the U. States. But, by fo much more cxtenhve as is their paper blockade, by fo much more inconfident is it with the laws of nations, and by !o much more obnoxious to thole neutral powers, whole good will, one would think, it is the interefl of the enemv to coceliate- It is obvioufi) impoffiblc tor the enemy ti

Itation ' otf the faid port- and

to maintain the faidblockadm the moll riirous and eftec live manner,' uulefs it he ad muted that an hundred (hip failing erf and on, can blockade a coalt of two thoufanci miles in extetit. It is a tad notorious to all, that not one of our vcfieU of war, on its

'return toport, has been inter

cepted by the enemy, fince the commencement of the war, notwithstanding the large force he has conttantly maintained, at great expenfe and iifkr along our coalt ; ck it is verily believed trcm this and other circumltances, that his thoufand (hips of war, all devoted to that lervice, would be inadequate to an effectual blockade of our ports, or at ieaft to a blockade, as the term is defined by the law of nations, and Underliood and recognised by the Fur ope an neutrals. 1 his meafure of the enemy, therefore, be its object what it is avowed to be or be it not, can only iojure his own interefl : lit. by preentingit it be effectual, or at any rate, by impeding the importation of his manufactures into this country in neutral bottoms : 2d.- hf irritating neutrals by a fyttefii of ficlious and illegitimate blc:kadej, by which tney will be imnie1i?.te!y agrirvd, and cannot but refent ;,t. Ae 10 :f:e mo

tive of this lvce;o?ng meaiure as relpeel burfelves, we da not confidet it at il indicative of the prefent feelmpr of the I5riti(h government, beeaufe adopted bv one of its aenrs it a diflance from the theatre of our negociations with the enemy, who could not have been apprized of their pro -grefs, and probably has had no reference to their exiltance the temper of i'dc enemy can only be correctly afcertained by the firft difpatches of our rniniite! 5 trom Gottenburgh. At leali luch is our impreffion. Nat. int. STUDY. Mofr vices and foiiies proceed trom man's incapacity to entertain bimlelf, and we are generally fools in company, beeaufe we dare nut be wife alone. The ftudy of philofopy torms t!ie virtuous youth, delights old agr, adorns profjerity, and lotten? and even removes adverfity : enter tains at home, and is no hindrance abroad ; dout leavo us at nighr, and keeps Its company on the road Stu ly is to the mind what xercile is to the body ; nciher can oe active & vigorous a ithouc exertion.

FROM THE PRESS OF E. STOUT. PRINTER Ct TIIE LAWS OF TilZ VUV TLD STATES.