Page:Sketches of the life and character of Patrick Henry.djvu/360

actual situation, and the means we had of defending ourselves. The actual situation of America is described here, where this author says, 'that right goes hand in hand with necessity.' The necessity being great and dreadful, you are warranted to lay hold of every atom of money within your reach, especially if it be the money of your enemies. It is prudent and necessary to strengthen yourselves and weaken your enemies. Vattel, book 3d, ch. 8, sect. 138, says, 'the business of a just war being to suppress violence and injustice, it gives a right to compel by force, him who is deaf to the voice of justice. It gives a right of doing against the enemy, whatever is necessary for weakening him—for disabling him from making any farther resistance in support of his injustice—and the most effectual, the most proper methods may be chosen, provided they have nothing odious, be not unlawful in themselves, or exploded by the law of nature.' Here let me pause for a moment, and ask, whether it be odious in itself, or exploded by the law of nature, to seize those debts? No—because the money was taken from the very offenders. We fought for the great, unalienable, hereditary rights of human nature. An unwarrantable attack was made upon us. An attack, not only not congenial with motherly or parental tenderness, but incompatible with the principles of humanity or civilization. Our defence then was a necessary one. What says Vattel, book 3d, ch. 8, sect. 136.? 'The end of a just war is to revenge or prevent injury; that is, to procure by force the justice which cannot otherwise be obtained; to compel an unjust person to repair an injury already done, or to give securities against any wrong threatened by him. On a declaration of war, therefore, this nation has a right of doing against the enemy what-