14 August 1804

Procedure

False Ends

ch.

'3 Specific Sinister End

It has already been explained in what sense they have one interest in the justice of their decisions: viz: that on this ground their real interest is a good deal divided and perplexed, and that accordingly the view they take of it and the line of conduct taken /pursued/ by them in consequence will naturally be so too, that except in so far as the reality of justice is necessary to produce the appearance of it, it is not their interest that justice should be done: that on the other hand neither is it their interest that justice should not be done: but in so far as they have an immediate interest in a state of things of which frequent injustice is the consequence, in so far as it is their interest that injustice should be done, and not /instead of/ justice.

From this interest they have in the augmentation /diminution/ of the proportion of apparent /real/ justice joined /coupled/ with the interest they have in the diminution /augmentation/ of the proportion of real /apparent/ justice, results the clear interest they have in all those practices /------ practice/ by which the proportion of apparent justice is augmented, especially if by the same means the proportion of real justice be de------.
Similar Items
  • Title: [14 August 1804 Procedure Evils]
    Description: 14 August 1804

    Procedure

    Evils Cause

    False Ends

    ch. Lawyers' interest

    '3 Specific Sinister End

    ' Specific sinister ends, naturally pursued upon the spur of sinister interest.

    The points in which the particular interest of lawyers is opposite to the general interest being given, the mischiefs which it will be their interest and ---- their study /endeavour/ to introduce and to perpetuate are also given.

    1. The have an /a professional/ interest in the augmentation of expence. It will /Therefore it will naturally/ be their study to encrease expence.

    2. They have a preponderant interest in the augmentation of delay. Therefore it will naturally be their study to encrease delay - at least it will not be their study to diminish it: especially in any way in which it can not be diminished without the diminution of their own interest.

    3. They have a clear - at least a preponderant interest in the non-notoriety, and thence in the intricacy /general non-intelligability/ of the body of the laws. Therefore when once it is intricate and non-intelligible enough for their purpose, it will naturally be their study to prevent its being rendered generally notorious and intelligible, and rather to encrease upon all occasion the unintelligibility and non-notoriety of it.
  • Title: [15 August 1804 Procedure Evils]
    Description: 15 August 1804

    Procedure

    Evils Cause

    False ends

    '2 points common

    2. Wrongful decision - Officers

    As to the abundant officers of justice, executive and recordative, not being responsible for the acts of their superior the judge not being the better in reputation for the reputed justice or the worse for the reputed injustice of his decisions - the responsibility of each being confined to the duties of his own particular office, the abstract justice or injustice of the /those/ decisions will in respect of their respective personal interests be nearly /thus far altogether/ a matter of indifference.

    If in their instance as well as in that of the judge the quantity of official instrument(?) rises and falls in any proportion worth regarding with the quantity of business, in such case in so far as the general reputation of the court may be afforded by the particular reputation of this or that subordinate office, the officer will have an interest in the reputation of his /such/ office, and interest similar to that which, as above /already/ observed, is possessed by the judge. But as official power diminishes, so of course, will the value of official reputation in this time /considered in this particular point of view/.
  • Title: [14 August 1804 Procedure Evils]
    Description: 14 August 1804

    Procedure

    Evils causes

    False Ends

    Lawyers' interest

    '2 Points common

    2. ------ of justice by wrongful decision

    2. Injustice by /in the shape of/ wrongful decision, in so far as it is apparent - as the wrongfulness of the decision is apparent: and thence the nullity of wrongful decision /of injustice/ in so far as the nullity gives /it is the effect of the nullity to give/ birth to the appearance.

    Confirming his view to the decision itself, together with its consequences to the parties and the public /the public included/ the justice or injustice of it will to the separate interest of the man of law be a matter of utter indifference. To discover how it affects that interest /that interest is affected/, we must look at the same time to its collateral consequences to himself and its causes.

    A distinction must here be made /on this occasion/ /for this purpose/ between the official lawyer and the professional: send away official lawyers between the judge and his subordinate officials, executive and recordative.

    The object in which a judge as such has /a personal/ an interest is - not justice, but the reputation of justice. The distinction not as it may appear, is not in itself, and most important in its consequences. Be the injustice of his decisions ever so flagrant - ever so constant, let them not be looked upon as unjust let the injustice of them not be imputed to him, as having blame on his part for its cause, to him, in respect of his personal interest, it will be a matter of indifference. Be his decisions ever so exactly conformable to the dictates of justice let them be looked upon as generally or even frequently unjust, and the injustice as having blame on his part for its cause, his reputation will in proportion suffer, and according to the regard paid by the sovereign in the state in question to the course of justice, his security as against punishment for malversation in his office. As to his reputation, the degree of actual injustice by which his conduct is marked being given, his reputation will be more or less apt to be a---ed by it, according to the degree of publicity given to the proceedings of his court and the ------- that is the intelligence and public ------ of the public before which he acts.