29 April 1807

2

Lawyers judged

Letter 1[?]

In Scotland, as elsewhere, lawyers are distinguishable into two classes: 1. the official including Judges, and the other ministers of justice /functionaries nominated in general by government/ their subordinates; and the professional Advocates, [...?] to the [...?], and so forth tending their assistance to the parties, remunerated of course as well as nominated by there respective clients.

To the interests of both those classes, the measures which I found myself under the necessity of insisting upon /advocating/ are decidedly adverse.

One goes to the taking away the uncertainty of the law: and it is in the interest of all lawyers - of the professional class in every posible state of thing - of the official class in the actual state of things, that the law shall be /continue/ and for ever remain in the state of the highest uncertainty possible.

The other goes to the reducing to its lowest limits the delay, vexation, and expence of litigation: those evils more or less distinct in idea, but in fact /practice/ inseparably connected, rising and falling together: and it is the interest of lawyers of all descriptions that these evils should all of them rise to and continue at the highest pitch possible, for the sake of the profit extracted or extractable out of the expence.

Upon the bare mention of it /statement of the case/, the existence of this sinister interest will surely appear probable enough: and in the course of this address, as well as in the papers /observations/ I have already made public, particulars tending to place it in a stronger and strongerb light, will present themselves in abundance.