15 August 1804

Procedure

Evils Cause

False ends

'2 points common

2. Wrongful decision - Officers

As to the abundant officers of justice, executive and recordative, not being responsible for the acts of their superior the judge not being the better in reputation for the reputed justice or the worse for the reputed injustice of his decisions - the responsibility of each being confined to the duties of his own particular office, the abstract justice or injustice of the /those/ decisions will in respect of their respective personal interests be nearly /thus far altogether/ a matter of indifference.

If in their instance as well as in that of the judge the quantity of official instrument(?) rises and falls in any proportion worth regarding with the quantity of business, in such case in so far as the general reputation of the court may be afforded by the particular reputation of this or that subordinate office, the officer will have an interest in the reputation of his /such/ office, and interest similar to that which, as above /already/ observed, is possessed by the judge. But as official power diminishes, so of course, will the value of official reputation in this time /considered in this particular point of view/.