5 June 1804

Evidence Scotch Reform

Ch. Power[?]

'.5 [...?] [...?]

convertible. To give birth to that portion of expence which to him was so much profit, it became necessary to him, to give birth not enter to a great deal more expence which produced to him no profit /not any profit/, but abundance of other mischief - vexation to a variety of other individuals in a variety of other shpaes /other individuals in various classes/ - vexation, delay, and thence impunity to delinquents /direct injustice/ loss of right to the [...?] and the injured:- mischief which in chief was of no use to him, nor would have been produced but that without abundance of mischief really of use to him could not have been produced. An [...?] of dishonest defendant excepted delay of itself was of no use to any body: but out of the bosom of delay cam fresh incidents; from fresh incidents fresh pretences for scribbling, fresh scribbling, fresh operators of various kinds, and fresh faces[?] Taken[?] by itself, the mere refusal to hear the parties, was worth as many to the Judge or to any of his retainers: but from this use /useless/ circumstance flowed a multitue of useful mischiefs. From the vexation thus put upon the most instructive lights, comes a nultitude of profitable misconceptions and mistakes[?]. That the parties met in the first instance in the presence of the Judge, the /this/ first day of the cause might [...?] [...?] have been the last. Explanation being prevented, the cause like a neglected fever, ran in its course. The two best if not only witnesses being thus shut out others if haply[?] they wat to be had - others in greater numbers became /were/ necessary to supply their plan. The two persons in the world who could have spoken must to the [...?] not being suffered to speak, others who but for [...?] from them[?] knew nothing about the other /were strangers to the fact were to be set /employed/ to write: the most if not only pertinent descriptions that the subjects /which the business/ admitted of being forbidden /[...?]/, Others descriptions, some by word of mouth, some were in writing, description abounding in falsified and for the most part useless, were to be barred[?] in a quantity of places, by men who knew little about the matter and cared less.

/+For the [...?] packing[?] that could be got out of him many a suitor was thus and still is [...?] be [...?] rising as [...?] in truth Animals[?] are conveyed to slaughter for their hides.