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Title:  Some fugitive thoughts on a letter signed Freeman, addressed to the deputies, assembled at the High Court of Congress in Philadelphia. By a back settler.
Author: Back settler.
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in Time to come, by the said Act, it is among other Things enacted, That it shall be lawful for any Person or Persons, authorized by Writ of Assistance under the Seal of the Court of Ex|chequer, to take a Constable, Headborough, or other publick Officer, being near the Place, and in the Day time to go and enter into any House, Shop, Cellar, Warehouse, Room or other Place; and in case of Resistance, to break open Doors, Chests, Trunks, or other Package, there to seize, &c. any Kinds of Goods or Merchandise prohi|bited and uncustomed."By this Act the Remedy became as complete as possible; the Formality of making Oath before the Lord Treasurer, a Baron of the Exchequer, or a chief Magistrate, on every Information of uncus|tomed or prohibited Goods, is dispensed with, and no Time lost, and as little Opportunity as possible given to secrete the Goods. Under this Act of Par|liament, the Officers of the Customs in England are constantly armed with a Writ of Assistance, which is issued by the Clerk of the Exchequer as a Thing of Course, without any particular Application to the Court. Thus the Power of the Custom-House Of|ficer is given him by Act of Parliament, and the Writ facilitates the Execution thereof: It is a No|tification to the Constable of the Character and Sta|tion of the Officer; and is at the same Time a Se|curity to the Subject, against others who might pre|tend to that Character, without a Right to assume it. By the former Act, the Officer acted under the Authority of any inferior Magistrate; his Power now emanates from a higher and more solemn Au|thority; 0