PRIVATE

17 July 1807

Scotch Reform

(1) 18

Letter V

Ch.3. Bonâ fide Appeals

§. Review Chamber not better than Session

§.│ │ Review Chamber promises not to be better than the Court of Session

How well soever this expedient (viz. diminution by lot) might serve the purposes of justice - and in a word all public purposes - I am sufficiently aware of its being but ill adapted to the personal purposes of Your Lordships learned Reformer. Some objection or other he would accordingly let off against it, and I see no one nearer at hand than this, viz. that the proprietors of the unfortunate tickets would stand deprived of that revision of that more deliberate consideration and the superior chance (no he would not any chance but that superior assurance of security for) rectitude of decision, which this Chamber of Review, with the treasure of learning, ordinary and extraordinary, of which it is the repository, has in store.

If this be to be assumed as a postulate, viz. that the Chamber of Review under the constitution proposed for it presents a better chance for right decision than the Court of Session, under its natural constitution - or say by way of amendment under the constitution proposed to be given to it, on this head I have no more: but if the topic be open to enquiry, I should be curious to learn on what ground stands that assurance? either of Reason or prejudice.