18 March 1807

9

Lumped in this manner together, what the two words frivolous and vexatious, do more for, is to mask the disapprobation excited in the mind of the legislator by the aontemplation of the conduct in question, and thereby in a loose and general way to mark[?] it out for censure. What they do not both or either of them, is to mark out with sufficient distinctness the causes[?] of conduct imputed, nor consequently the ground of whatever censure may come to be applied in consequence. Here as in every other case of blameworthy conduct the delinquency admitts of the two[?] shades or degrees above described, shades the difference between which is material, clear and wide.

A circumstance that renders the enquiry the more worthy of attention /contradicts in no small degree towards goving importance to the enquiry/ and to the distinction which is the subject of it, is that the words frivolous and vexatious are the words that so often recurr in [...?] judgments pronounced /grounded/ on the the Grenville Act.