date

April 1807 Lawyers judged Coming
April 1807

Lawyers judged

Coming from less learned source it might be ascribed to wickedness /imbecility of judgment/ coming from the source from which it does come, I can not ascribe it to any thing else - to any thing less than wickedness.

For my friends to what end /with what view //purpose/ thus resort to a piece of parchment instead of the ends of justice. My friends - when the mask of hypocrisy is taken off - to these two ends which in fact [...?] in one - to excite commotions in the country - to incite you to opposition sedition, and if necessary rebellion - to produce this mischief in the first instance, or by the dread of it to [...?] the legislature and force them to abandon that reform by the institution of which they wish and expect to afford relief to [...?] under an inveterate and most galling grievance.

All laws that proceed upon rational grounds proceed upon calculations of utility: upon a comparative view of good and evil: upon

Arguments of this nature their learned Lordships are sensible would not suit their purpose: and therefore it is that they fly to the parchment as to the Laws of the altar.

Therefore it is that they appeal to this and this and that law in the character of /by the name and description of [...?]/ fundamental law. Why call it a fundamental law? - Because when /no sooner is/ a fundamental law broken than the juncture for resistance is arrived. Coming from such authority - the very highest next to Parliament - the [...?] made of the Articles of Union - the very word fundamental so employed is a call to you to take up arms.
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  • Title: [April 1807 Lawyers judged J]
    Description: April 1807

    Lawyers judged

    J.B. [...?] for [...?] the lawyer [...?] note

    My friends I will venture to give /state/ it as a proposition true to its utmost extent - that any appeal to any known law whatsoever in the character of an invisible law - a law of the Medes[?] and Persians - a law incapable of being changed by the superior power in a /the/ state is of the most mischievous /pernicious/ tendency - incompatible with /subversive of/ good government: the result either of /if not of/ wickedness or wickedness in the extreme.

    I state it - not with a view to the question alone but to all questions that can ever arise in the subject of any such law or compact: not to the question of this day only but to whatever question of the like kind may ever present itself /come to present themselves/ to the ends of time. I state it with a view not to Scotland only, but to Ireland.
  • Title: [April 1807 Lawyers judged All]
    Description: April 1807

    Lawyers judged

    All this is so much declaration of the rights of man - All this is Give us our rights. Whosoever quitting the ground of utility talks of rights as against the sovereign authority of /in/ the state for the time being does as much as to say to the people - Ye who read this, if the measure thus opposed be persevered in - take up arms rather than submitt to it. This is the difference between the language of /in which/ every thing /point/ is argued on the ground of their argument the ground of right.

    The bonâ fide arguers in this [...?] are men in whom will is /whose/ strong and understanding weak: the malâ fide arguers are those who observing the deception into which those others are led by the strength of the will and the weakness of their understanding, take advantage of it for their own sinister ends.

    Thus employed - employed against the legislature the use of the word right is a pretence for being [...?], and violent and obstinate: a pretence /an apology or[?] justification/ for the endeavour to excite the [...?] or greater and more mischievous heat and virtue[?] and obstinacy in other men.

    Such sort of language /argument/ is well suited to the character and purposes of the wicked: it lends a sanction to violence - and exemption then from the shame of heaven, no rational argument to adduce, where no argument is to be found /the case is such as not to afford any //render it impossible/.

    It is equally well suited to the purposes of the weak. It saves them the avowal of their own importance: it exempts them from an obligation they are unable to fulfill.

    It is the nature of an argument on the ground of extending to call for an enunciation[?] /statement/ of the advantages and disadvantages no both sides. It is in the nature of an argument on the ground of right [...?...?] such statements such disquisitions - to protect against them as inadmissible.

    [...?] thing is then to be done by violence and clamour, by repetition /exposition/ of the same obstinacy and overbearingness /obstinate and overbearing [...?]/ in other words. Right, right, right! Give us our right, our rights are violated our fundamental laws are broken! to arms, to arms! Such is the language of the weak in understanding, because to use it requires not that strength of understanding which they have not: the strength of will which they have is sufficient. It puts /places/ all men upon a level [...?] with no other difference than that which strength of [...?], or arms or [...?] may create.
  • Title: [April 1807 Lawyers judged That]
    Description: April 1807

    Lawyers judged

    That is their own interests that they pursue /aim at/, and not yours - their own sinister ends - not the ends of justice, is rendered plain - but too plain - by the following considerations.

    That the ends of justice possess no share in their regard is evidenced /demonstrated/ not only from their situation, as above described, but from the tenor of their Memorial.

    1. Were the ends of Justice the leading objects of their regard, those ends would be throughout spoken of and appealed to. But of all the ends of justice as above [...?], not one is spoken of in any one of the 50 articles.

    What they have no /not any/ regard for then is - the ends of justice.

    My friends - I your sincere well-wisher and humble advisor have a regard for the ends of justice: and the proof of it is - the mention I thus make of them: the pains I am taken, and from first to last in the course of my labour upon the subject have [...?...?] to take, to point your attention /keep your attention fixt/ to nail[?], to nail[?] it to those sacred ends.

    [ Add so in regard to interests?]