PRIVATE

Letter V

The view thus given of the profit made by the whole firm would be but partial if some idea, {howsoever incompleat,} were not given of the particular remuneration allowed to the managing partner or partners.

Profits (in [...?...?...?...?]) made by the Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench for a part of his share in the partnership profit upon the /delay/ 543 years of delay made [...?] as above [...?] manufactory in the course of the three years

One year's dividend received by the Chief Justice of the King's Bench for the year 1797, Lord Kenyon being the Chief Justice, upon a part of the partnership profit for that year £1,434:13:6. Multiplied by 3 this gives for three years dividends upon this part of the profit made by sale of the 543 years of factious delay in the 3 years to so many malâ fide suitors in the character of customers ............. £4,304:0:6.

This divided by 543 (the number of the customers) gives or received by the said Chief Justice to his own use from each such customer in part payment upon this one article ......... £7:18:6½.

The mode in which this profit was extracted presents, it should seem, some title to regard. The fees were in every instance payable - not to the Chief Justice, nor to any person for his use, but to a particular Officer under him, entitled Clerk of the Errors. The Clerk being put into his place by the Judge, the Judge takes advantage of this circumstance to squeeze out of him whatever thing that he receives over and above £150 a year, leaving that pittance to him for his own support: the Clerk by whom all the business is done that is done, is allowed to retain for it no more than the £150: the Judge by whom no part of it is done, takes for his share the £1,434:13':6 d. It is thus that in the King's Bench Gospel that labourer is decreed worthy of his hire.

And this is the Judge who among his powers and duties, numbers that of protecting men against oppression on the part of the subordinate authorities.