24 June 1805

Evidence

Introd

Ch. Non-Notoriety &c

''.1. Connection

Again. I wish to make a disposition of my property to take effect after my death. Ignorant as I am, and blamelessly ignorant (for what has ever been done by government to remove /inform/ my ignorance?) Ignorant as I am of the state of the laws in general I know this much from every days observation, that men are allowed to make such dispositions, though on what terms I know not. I borrow a right of the statute at large, and by turning /looking/ over index /over the index/ I am conducted to a Statute of which it has happened to me to hear mention /spoken of/ under the name of the Statute of frauds. Of fraud there is indeed no want in it: of intelligibility no small want. I see that there are certain species of property can not be disposed of in this way unless three or four persons in the character of witnesses for this uncertain is the expression be present to attest such any will: but what these species of property are and whether the property I have belongs to any of them is matter of supreme uncertainty to me. From any thing that goes by the name of human reason I find it impossible to derive some, the least assistance: if in the [...?] of protection against forgery such formalities are necessary to property to the amount of ,100 in one shape, why should it be less necessary to property to the same amount in another shape. Conscious of my own inability to understand what the law has required me to do in order to avail myself of the power which it professes to have given me, I betake myself to a lawyer who at least professes /takes upon him/ to understand it