Page:Sketches of the life and character of Patrick Henry.djvu/366

 34-2 SKETCHES OP THE

of the word, when the war followed? What can add value to property? Force. Notwithstanding the equity and fairness of the debt when incun^ed, if the security of the property received w as afterwards destroyed^ the title has proved defective. Suppose millions were con- tracted for and received, those miUions give you no advantage, without force to protect them. This neces- sary protection is withdrawn by the very men who were bound to afford it, and who now dem.and pay- ment. Neither lands, slaves, nor other property, are worth a shiUing, without protecting force. This title was destroyed, when the act of parliament putting us out of their protection, passed against America. I say, sir, the title was destroyed by the very oflenders who come here now and demand payment. Justice and equity cancel the obligation, as to the price that was to be given for it, because the tenure is destroyed, and the effects purchased have no value. Such a claim is unsupported by the plainest notions of right and wrong. For this long catalogue of offences committed against the citizens of America, every individual of the British nation is accountable. How are you to be compensated for those depredations on persons and property? Are you to go to the kingdom of England, to find the very indi- vidual who did you the outrage, and demand satisfaction of him? To tell you of such a remedy as this, is adding insult to injury. Every individual is chargeable with na- tional offences.^^ To maintain this last position, he cites an authority expressly in point, from Vattel, and pro- ceeds thus: " These observations of Vattel amount to this: that a king or conductor of a nation is considered as a moral person, by means of whom the nation ac- quires or loses its rights, and subjects itself to penalties. The individuals, and the nation which they compose,