限制搜查和扣押的要求
A Demand to Limit Search and Seizure

一個人的住宅就是他的城堡，只要他安分守己，他在城堡裏就應當受到像王子一樣的保護。

詹姆斯‧奧蒂斯(1725－1783)於1750年在波士頓開始他的律師生涯。十年後，他成為國王在附屬海事法庭上的總辯護律師，那時英國政府授權海關官員可以在任何人的屋裏搜查走私物品。奧蒂斯不想監督執行這些命令，他辭掉職務，並於1761年2月在法庭辯論反對這些「搜查令狀」。由於那時沒有反對這些法令的法律依據，奧蒂斯雄辯地堅持說這些法令粗暴地踐踏了人民的自由。當時年僅二十五歲的約翰‧亞當斯參加了這個訴訟程 序，他後來寫道，奧蒂斯是「一團火焰！……美國獨立就是在那個地方，那個時候誕生的；愛國者和英雄的種子就是在那個地方，那個時候播下的。反對大不列顛蠻橫無理的要求的第一個行動就是在那個地方，那個時候發生的」。雖然奧蒂斯敗訴了，但英國政府撤回了「搜查令狀」。

這些事件之後，奧蒂斯成了一個主要的政治活動家。奧蒂斯於1761年5月被選入馬薩諸塞州議會，並於1776年被選作議長。然而該州皇家總督卻阻撓選擇他為議長。在許多年裏，他的演講和文章在殖民地廣為流傳。他的話經常被引用。在英國議會，他也經常遭到譴責。「徵稅而不准選舉代表是暴政。」這句話通常認為是他講的。1769年，一個英國軍官在奧蒂斯頭部猛擊一拳，使他患了精神病，奧蒂斯的職業生涯就這樣突然中止了。

閣下，本法庭一位法官要求我審閱這些卷宗，並考慮現在擺在他們面前的關於「搜查令狀」的問題。我已根據他的要求考慮了這個問題，現在出庭不僅是服從你們的命令，而且也代表本城居民，他們考慮到了這個問題所允許的權限，又提出一份申訴。我想借此機會宣佈，不論是收費還是不收費，(因為在這樣一樁訴訟案中，我是不屑收費的。)我至死也要以上帝賦予我的一切力量和才能，一方面反對一切這樣的製造奴役的文件，另一方面反對像這個「搜查令狀」這樣的卑劣行為。

在我看來，這是在一本英國法律檔案裏所能找到的表明專制權力的最壞的文件。這是對英國自由和法律根本原則的最嚴重的破壞。因此，我得請求閣下不僅要耐心注意聽完全部的辯論，也許這個辯論會在許多事情上出現與眾不同的看法，同時也要注意那些更細微更不同尋常的學術觀點。這樣，我的意圖的整個傾向就可以更容易被理解，結論就能更好地得出，而且其力量也會被更好地感覺到。在這樁訴訟案中我並不在
乎我個人所受的痛苦，因為我是為原則而參與這樁案子的。我是被懇請作為總辯護律師來為本案辯護的，由於我不想這麼做，我已被指控犯了擅離職守罪。對於這項指控，我可以作一個非常充分的答覆。我斷然拒絕那個職務。出於同樣的原則，我來為此案辯護。我是以極大的樂趣來為此案辯護的，因為這是在支援英國的自由。我曾聽到世上最偉大的君主宣佈說，他為不列顛人感到光榮，對他來說他的臣民的基本民權比他自己最寶貴的君主持權更珍貴。而且還因為這是在反對一種權力，在過去的歷史裏，行使這種權力曾使一個國王丟了腦袋，另一個丟了王位……

閣下將在關於治安法官職責的古老卷宗裏找到搜查涉嫌房屋的一般許可證的先例。但在更現代的卷宗裏，你只能找到搜查某間房子的特別許可狀。這許可狀是特別指名的，而且由原告事先宣誓懷疑他的東西被藏在這間屋裏。閣下將發現法律判定只有特別許可狀才是合法的。同樣地，我完全相信在這份申訴狀中所強烈請求取消的 令狀，由於是一般的令狀，也是不合法的。這是一份將每個人的自由都交給一個小官吏的授權證書。我承認搜查特指的地方時，「搜查令狀」可以經宣誓授予某些人。但是，我決不認為現在請求取消的這個令狀可以授予某些人。在我轉而辯論議會其他法案之前，我請求允許我就這令狀本身談幾點看法。首先，這個令狀是適用於任何情況的，因為這是發給「每一個法官、司法官、巡警和所有其他警官和百姓」的，因此，簡單地說，這是發給王土之中每一個臣民的。有了這個令狀，每一個人都可能成為暴君。如果這個授權狀成為合法，那麼一個暴君也可以用合法的方式，在他管轄的區域內控制、監禁或殺害任何人。其次，這個令狀是永久的，不必送還法院。一個人不必為他做的事對任何人負責。每個人都可能獨霸一方，成為小小暴君，在他周圍製造恐怖和荒涼，直至天使長的喇叭在他的靈魂裏激起不同的感情為止。第三，有了這個令狀，一個人便可在光天化日之下隨意進入任何商店、房屋等，並命令所有的人來協助他。第四，根據這個令狀，不僅副警長等人，甚至他們的奴才都可以爬到我們頭上作威作福。除了讓我們確定無疑地遭到伽南的詛咒，成為僕人的僕人，成為上帝造物中最卑下的東西之外，這又算什麼呢?英國自由的最重要的一部分便是一個人的房屋的自由。一個人的房屋就是他的城堡，只要他安分守己，他在自己的城堡裏就應當受到像王子一樣的保護。這個令狀如被宣佈為合法，將完全破壞這種特權，海關官員只要他們高興，就可進入我們的房子。我們被命令要允許他們進入。他們的奴才也可以進入，也可以打掉鎖、柵欄，打掉一切妨礙他們的東西。不管他們是蓄意破壞或是報復，沒有人，也沒有任何法庭可對此進行調查。沒有宣誓僅有懷疑就夠了。這種不負責任地行使這個權力的行為不是我頭腦發熱憑空捏造出來的。我將舉一些實例，皮尤先生有這樣一個令狀，韋爾先生接他職務時，他就將這令狀批轉給韋爾先生。因此，這個令狀是可轉讓的，可以從一個官員手裏轉到另一個官員手裏。這樣，閣下就沒有機會斷定哪些是被授予這麼大權力的人。還有一個例子是：沃利法官曾令一巡警把這同一個韋爾先生帶到他面前來回答關於違反《安息日法案》的問題，或者 污言咒罵的問題。結束時，韋爾先生就問他是否完了。他回答：「是的。」韋爾先生說：「好了，那麼我來向你顯示我的一點權力。我令你讓我搜查你的房子，尋找未報關的物品。」而且接著就從閣樓搜到地下室。然後以同樣的方式對那個巡警進行搜查！但是，為了指出這個令狀的另一荒唐之處，我堅持認為，如果這個令狀被確立，根據查理二世第十四條令，每個人都應當與海關官員有同樣的權力。令狀上的文字應當是這樣：「這對於授權的任何人或人們都是合法的。」等等。這將造成一個什麼景況！每個人只要出於報 復，心情不佳，或蠻橫任性想去鄰居屋裏查看，都可以得到「搜查令狀」。其他人出於自衛，也會要求得到「搜查令狀」，一個人一意孤行將刺激另一個人也一意孤行，直至社會陷入騷亂和流血之中……

A Demand to Limit Search and Seizure

May it please your honors, I was desired by one of the court to look into the books, and consider the question now before them concerning writs of assistance. I have, accordingly, considered it, and now appear not only in obedience to your order, but likewise in behalf of the inhabitants of this town, who have presented another petition, and out of regard to the liberties of the subject. And I take this opportunity to declare that, whether under a fee or not (for in such a cause as this I despise a fee), I will to my dying day oppose with all the powers and faculties God has given me all such instruments of slavery, on the one hand, and villainy, on the other, as this writ of assistance is.

   It appears to me the worst instrument of arbitrary power, the most destructive of English liberty and the fundamental principles of law, that ever was found in an English lawbook. I must, therefore, beg your honors' patience and attention to the whole range of an argument, that may, perhaps, appear uncommon in many things, as well as to points of learning that are more remote and unusual: that the whole tendency of my design may the more easily be perceived, the conclusions better descend, and the force of them be better felt. I shall not think much of my pains in this cause, as I engaged in it from principle. I was solicited to argue this cause as Advocate General; and because I would not, I have been charged with desertion from my office. To this charge I can give a very sufficient answer. I renounced that office, and I argue this cause from the same principle; and I argue it with the greater pleasure, as it is in favor of British liberty, at a time when we hear the greatest monarch upon earth declaring from his throne that he glories in the name of Briton, and that the privileges of his people are dearer to him than the most valuable prerogatives of his crown; and as it is in opposition to a kind of power the exercise of which, in former periods of history, cost one king of England his head and another his throne. . . .

    Your honors will find in the old books concerning the office of a justice of the peace precedents of general warrants to search suspected houses. But in more modern books you will find only special warrants to search such and such houses, specially named, in which the complainant has before sworn that he suspects his goods are concealed; and will find it adjudged that special warrants only are legal. In the same manner I rely on it that the writ prayed for in this petition, being general, is illegal. It is a power that places the liberty of every man in the hands of every petty officer. I say I admit -- that special writs of assistance, to search special places, may be granted to certain persons on oath; but I deny that the writ now prayed for can be granted, for I beg leave to make some observations on the writ itself, before I proceed to other acts of Parliament. In the first place, the writ is universal, being directed "to all and singular justices, sheriffs, constables, and all other officers and subjects"; so that, in short, it is directed to every subject in the king's dominions. Everyone with this writ may be a tyrant; if this commission be legal, a tyrant in a legal manner, also, may control, imprison, or murder anyone within the realm. In the next place, it is perpetual; there is no return. A man is accountable to no person for his doings. Every man may reign secure in his petty tyranny, and spread terror and desolation around him, until the trump of the archangel shall excite different emotions in his soul. In the third place, a person with this writ, in the daytime, may enter all houses, shops, etc., at will, and command all to assist him. Fourthly, by this writ, not only deputies, etc., but even their menial servants, are allowed to lord it over us. What is this but to have the curse of Canaan with a witness on us; to be the servant of servants, the most despicable of God's creation? Mow, one of the most essential branches of English liberty is the freedom of one's house. A man's house is his castle; and whilst he is quiet, he is as well guarded as a prince in his castle. This writ, if it should be declared legal, would totally annihilate this privilege. Customhouse officers may enter our houses when they please; we are commanded to permit their entry. Their menial servants may enter, may break locks, bars, and everything in their way; and whether they break through malice or revenge, no man, no court, can inquire. Bare suspicion without oath is sufficient. This wanton exercise of this power is not a chimerical suggestion of a heated brain. I will mention some facts. Mr. Pew had one of these writs, and when Mr. Ware succeeded him, he indorsed this writ over to Mr. Ware; so that these writs are negotiable from one officer to another; and so your honors have no opportunity of judging the persons to whom this vast power is delegated. Another instance is this: Mr. Justice Walley had called this same Mr Ware before him, by a constable, to answer for a breach of the Sabbath Day Acts, or that of profane swearing. As soon as he had finished, Mr. Ware asked him if he had done. He replied: "Yes." "Well, then," said Mr. Ware, "I will show you a little of my power. I command you to permit me to search your house for uncustomed goods"; and went on to search the house from the garret to the cellar, and then served the constable in the same manner! But to show another absurdity in this writ, if it should be established, I insist upon it that every person, by the 14th of Charles II, has this power as well as the customhouse officers. The words are: "It shall be lawful for any person or persons authorized," etc. What a scene does this open! Every man prompted by revenge, ill humor, or wantonness to inspect the inside of his neighbor's house may get a writ of assistance. Others will ask it from self-defense; one arbitrary exertion will provoke another, until society be involved in tumult and in blood....