12 Jan y 1807

on L d Eldons Bill

II. Appeals

A salutary [...?] by which [...?] who suffered?

Such being the nature and a part of the amount of the profit made by learned and reverend persons, noble or not noble, by their connection with their best customer and most respected friend the malâ fide suitor, alias the wrongdoer.

In respect of the rate of it, the interest which by the allowance thus purchased of learned and reverend Judges a wrongdoer makes at the expence of the right owner, is very commonly, your Lordship sees, usurious interest. Where extra interest is given and taken by consent of both parties to the mutual benefit of both parties - to the enrichment of the borrower or the saving him from impending ruin - then the deep political wisdom, or the severe morality, of the fee-fed Judge - the severe morality of a Lord Kenyon - or the profound wisdom of those learned and noble politico-economists, who were so anxious to enrich Ireland by forcing into trade people who are unwilling or unable to enter into trade, and preventing them from lending their money to those who are both able and willing to employ it in trade - is shocked and scandalized at it.

When by the assistance of Judge and C o extra interest to twice or three times the amount is extorted from a man, without and against his consent, by the tyranny and self conscious knavery of his oppressor, the lawyers who secure to him this profit, pocketing their share of it, then every thing is as it should be.

A Bill from Lord Kenyon would have cut up this forced usury from the very root: and a word from L d Kenyon would have carried such a Bill through both Houses. But by sharing in the profit of the excrutiating usury, the pious and learned Economist got £1,437 a year in a lump, besides et cætera: and, by punishing the beneficial usury, the same indefatigable Custos Morum[?] got his fees upon the suits, besides the remoter profit from the corruption of morals, the corruption propagated by the treachery thus rewarded by him and encouraged.