6[?] Dec r 1806

Scotch Reform To L d Grenville

Resolut. 14

Costs

These /Such/, my Lord, are the terms of the contract entered into by fee-fed Judges with debtors and [...?] whom they have succeeded in seducing into the ready-opened path[?] of dishonesty and chicane: such in plain English are the terms of that original contract, when stripped of /cleared of //[...?]/ the varnish composed of grimace, [...?], and stain[?] [...?] an original contract, somewhat more real than the instrument of by [...?], under the /when under a/ course of vareties[?] such as the /those in what/ [...?] Westminsterariensis has been in the habit of vending through so big a course of [...?] /has been driving[?] so [...?] and prosperous a trade/

To an abuse thus composed and constituted /Such being the nature and constitution of the abuse/, I can not help flattering myself your Lordship will concurr with me in thinking, that it is not in the nature of costs of any thing that can with propriety be made to bear that name, to apply any essential /effectual/ remedy. The one thing needful, is a loss which recurring /increasing //[...?]/ a constant proportion always with the profit by delay, and being always more than equal to it, shall in no case have any real profit to be got by it. To /But/ bear any such proposition is not consistent with the nature /is not the property of //consistent with the nature/ of any thing that can with propriety be turned to costs.

Not that, the quantity /sum/ of money being given the name by which it is called, is of itself of any moment /worth contending about/: but the mischief is, that when there is the term /word/ employed the sum /quantity of the/ will of course be regulated by it.