10 Feb y 1807

Letter IV

Resolut .6.7.8.9

Juries

1. Delay

Here there are 5 undisputed causes for every one disputed one even supposing all /that/ all that are set down for trial are /come to be/ disputed. But of these set down for trial a very considerable proportion have really in them no matter of dispute: the real object of the defence that is of the demonstration made of defence being neither more nor less than the purchase of that delay ( say about 6 months) which Judge and C o have to sell.

This proportion I should expect to find at least half. as 1 to 1.

Supposing it correct, this calculation or conjecture would give for every disputed cause eleven undisputed ones: but for even numbers say the undisputed causes are to the disputed but as 10 to 1.