23 Oct r 1807

L d Eldon's Bill

'. 1.

Division vice Court

Among the intentions ascribed to the Union Act was that of keeping every thing in Scotland from all change, and consequently from all improvement /beneficial change/: and in particular that as to the judicature in the highest stage, nothing should ever be done by the legislature to make it go on better, while the Judges were to keep making it go on as much worse as they found convenient and agreeable to themselves.

In the case /instance/ of Queen Anne's motto, it was in jest that worse and worse was given as the translation of Semper eadem: but in every case /instance/ where shutting its eyes against the light of experience presumption or hypocrisy has undertaken to give eternity to human institutions, by tying up the hands of the legislature /supreme power/, it is the true version, and the only true one.

To the breaking /bursting/ in an honest and manly way these pernicious and essentially illegal bonds /bands/, there was a class /set/ of lawyers that had an insuperable objection: but the objection was of a moveable /ductile]/ nature, ready to give way, on condition that lawyers instruments, viz. fraud and abuse of words were employed to steal cases out of it /these bonds/ one after another, as they were wanted. Why? - Because fraud and abuse of words, instruments of lawyercraft, kept under lock and key /a sort of pick lock instruments[?]/ by lawyers, were /could/ not to be employed without their leave: whereupon if it were for the benefit of the people, that the breach were to be made and in a manner that suited not the purposes of these lawyers, no it could not be done: but so long as this purpose /convenience/ were not crossed by it, oh yes, do it and welcome.