20[?] March 1808

Letter V

Power to Session

Rotation

Dispatch of business? Oh yes: no doubt but what /that/ in this one of the ends of justice an object may be seen in which the times of sitting, and the /thence/ rotation in which it may happen to the Judges to succeed one[?] matter in these single-seated judicatories may be made to exercise a very material influence.

In the establishment of the London Police[?] Offices dispatch of business - avoidance of superfluous delay was in truth, and not merely in pretence, an object aimed at. For the purpose of judicature exercised in those judicatories a single Judge was sufficient in some cases, two Judges at a time necessary in others. Of all the days in the year not one happened to present itself to the [...?] of that [...?] /law/ as a day on which avoidance of failure of justice had less [...?] to place itself among the ends of justice /failure of justice could be more conducive to the fulfilment of the ordinances of the legislator/ than on another. Provision was accordingly made that, on every day of the year[?] (those excepted on which the sight of justice is supposed to be offensive to Religion /eyes of Religion are considered as being to [...?] to endure//bear/ the sight of justice/) the requisite /necessary/ [...?] of two Judges should on one part of the day ( the [...?] or rather the ante-[...?] part) be forthcoming and sitting for the purposes /service/ of justice at those seats of judicature. For securing an attendance the[?] [...?], three Judges were thought perhaps necessary and at any rate sufficient: supposing no greater number than this requisite [...?] ever to attend (and in practice it is scarce ever that the whole number of three does attend) here then would be for each such Judge eight months of duty, and /[...?] switching[?]/ four months of holy day /vacation/ time for relaxation: being exactly four months more than it is ever possible for any man /member/ of the really and truly and not merely jargonically learned profession, the medical profession, to command.