24 June 1807

(12) 17

Letter V

Letter V

II. Litigat.

§.6. 3. dissipatorious

3. If by the restlessness of the legislator or the people the performance of any operations tending to diminish the facility of embezzlement dissipation or destruction should happen to have been forced upon you, be it your care to render them as ineffective as possible to that and other purposes of justice, and at the same time as effective as possible, in respect of expence and delay with its lawyers' profit to the purposes of judicature. For example, instead of an effectual mode, as above, for ascertaining and securing against embezzlement and dissipation the effects of the defendant himself, whereby in case of solvency Bail would be rendered unnecessary, and in case of insolvency his friends would be saved from being cheated in the character of Bail, substitute the use of Bail altogether, taking care that the scruting into their sufficiency shall be performed in a mode ineffective to that purpose, effective to the purpose of the encouragement and increase of perjury: making it at the same time as effective as possible to persons of delicacy (in particular to the female sex) that the recourse to insolvent and perjured Bail may be the more necessary and the more frequent (a). See further on this head, Directions to the legislator:

Note

(a) In the clause introduced by Your Lordships learned Reformer for the introducing into Scotland the diversion of Bail-baiting in the English mode, he has succeeded extremely well in the above respects as I propose to shew.
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    Remember that in every recourse[?] ought to be your constant study - to blur [...?] eyes of the people and to corrupt their heads[?] as effectively as possible: a more favourable occasion can not present itself.

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    Take care that whatever property of other people's he may have in his hands, those who are most dear to him may upon his death enjoy the benefit of it. Remember that the more flagrant the iniquity, the more splendid and triumphant the display you make of your power. When a Guardian in this way makes himself rich, leaving his ward penniless (if a female and she goes upon the town so much the better) this is a proud day for you.

    Take care that in each instance whether or no and how far it shall be in a man's power to practice cheating with success shall not be too plain: on this occasion as on all others it will be your care to involve in the question as much to the highest degree of complication as possible. Take care that in each case the {practice of decision and consequent rule of law shall} be as repugnant to human reason and consequently as unconjecturable, as possible: a man's body for example being of no use but as means of coming[?] at his money, meaning other people's money in his possession take care that whoever takes a debtors body shall get neither that nor any thing else: but instead of receiving any thing from him, the man shall be at the expence of keeping him.
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