Mar 1807/7 Aug st 1808/

Letter V

§.6. Reasons

Ends of Justice

1. Misdecision

Elucidation respecting evils and thence the ends of justice of the first order, as above enumerated.

1. Misdecision, to the prejudice of the plaintiff's side. Avoidance of misdecision is the same thing as rectitude of decision. In this one instance the ends of justice are susceptible, in appearance at least, of a positive denomination. Rectitude of decision supposes a standard of rectitude. In the case where the rule of action is in the shape of statute law, it is of the text of the law that the standard of rectitude is composed. This standard is in that case a really existing one: being composed of a determinate assemblage of words, these words chosen by the sovereign himself or some person or persons entrusted by him with authority to that effect.