14 June 1804

Procedure

Ch. Basis

[...?] 5. Rejective Causes

At the time of laying the foundations of the system, had there been in existence any such character as the legislator, having justice for his object, understanding the route /track of inquiry/ by which it was to be pursued /when it was to be attained/ - a character /person/ [...parted?] /unlimited/ by any sinister interest, or of a [...?] of mind superior to rise to the temptation, the results might have been widely different. Unfortunately, at the [...?] in question to such character has any where been in existence. This system has in no instance been the work of statute law: it has in every instance been the work of jurisprudential law: that is of professional lawyers: of judges who having their profit to draw /extract/ from the juries of the suitors and having /being[?]/ the fortunes of the suitors lying at their mercy, [...?] /[...?]/ from their situation turn advantages which in the [...?] situation every other class of men would naturally have derived from it.

In a word, the sheep having been every where without a shepherd, their fate /lot/ has been every where abandoned to /determined upon by/ the wolves.