9 April 1805

Evidence

Introd.

Ch. Procedure Technical

''. Oppression Secured[?]

In the prosecution of this plan of iniquity the sinister interest of the man of law has had for its natural ally, and ready coadjective[?] the interest of the mala fide suitor, in both his state as that of plff and that of defendant, and in all his shapes: the opulent oppressor; the needy profligate, who having a certain portion at command out of the couch of his forbears, chooses rather to employ it in purchasing the means of eluding /a licence for injustice/ /escaping from/ his obligations than in complying with /fulfilling/ the demands of justice.

Indeed in the nature of this confederacy /[...?]/, the part taken by the man of law like that of the shopkeeper in relation to the customer must necessarily[?] be but secondary and passive. By the man of law a [...?] is filled up for the sale of two sorts of licences: to improbity coupled with if overbearing wealth a licence for the practice oppression an oppression licence: to improbity coupled with indigence, a licence for defrauding creditors of their due: - in a work a cheating licence.

The nature of this natural partnership the connection between the two Co-partners - resembles (it may be seen) in a considerable degree that between the Receiver and the Thief and the Receiver of stolen goods. The Thief in his line[?] and the dishonest suitor in his are the active partners by whom the business is to be set a going. The Receiver in his line[?] and the man of law in his line these though not /by no means/ sleeping, are comparatively quiescent partners: what the Receiver furnishes /sells/ to the thief is the means of profiting by iniquity: what the Lawyer furnishes /sells/ to the suitor is the means of practicing it.