14 MR. perry's address. 



and yet he is instrumental of doing as great an injury, as if when 

 his trees were filled with fruit or his fields white for harvest, he 

 should by stealth or force appropriate a part to his own use, or 

 knowingly permit his cattle to devour it. He who prevents my 

 trees from bearing, leaves me as destitute as he who sequesters 

 the ripened crop to himself There is a moral obligation on 

 this subject which I fear is not felt, responsibilities which are not 

 regarded, injuries permitted for w'hich no compensation is pro- 

 vided, discouragement induced by which the whole community 

 suffers. 



Somewhat of the same character is a wanton and shameless 

 liberty which many persons take in respect to others' enclosures. 

 1 feel happy in bearing testimony to the general good morals of 

 the people in this county, to their general correct views on the 

 subject of property, and to the ease and safety which all feel in 

 their persons and their possessions. Still, all things are not as 

 they should be. The subject to which I have reverted is one in 

 which the sentiments and habits of many of our citizens need 

 reform. Our fields, our orchards, and our gardens are not safe 

 from the intrusion of those who may think it a little nearer to 

 make their way through them than to follow the road which the 

 public have provided. Fields in every state of cultivation, 

 ploughed, planted, sowed, and levelled, green with the tenderness 

 of spring or crowned with the flowing harvest, are passed in 

 every direction by young and old, male and female, learned and 

 unwise. No one intends an injury, and the injury done by an 

 individual is small, yet the amount of the whole is considerable. 

 This licentiousness extends beyond mere travel. No one thinks 

 of stealing, yet the trees of early and choice fruit are spoiled by 

 little and litde by those who wish just to know how it tastes, 

 and the owner is often the only person in all the neighborhood 

 who has not had his part. Melons are taken from the vines, and 

 portions of almost all pleasant things are sequestered, by those 

 who have a taste to gratify, but not energy enough to produce for 

 themselves, nor spirit enough to pay for their own gratifications, 

 nor even civility enough to ask (which in the large proportion 

 of instances would be all that is required) for what they so in- 



