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necessarily employ officers and agents under them; and if any one of them acts wickedly and corruptly, he alone is to be punished for his illegal conduct.

He who suborns a witness to commit perjury, or who attempts it, or who advises a witness not to appear in a court to give his evidence, is guilty of a high misdemeanour: or he who advises or solicits any one to do this, though the person so solicited resents it as every honest man ought to do,-yet the adviser may be punished to the same extent as if his advice had succeeded, or if he had been engaged in the foulest conspiracy.

The Counsel, who are retained for the plaintiff or defendant, prosecutor or prisoner, are frequently consulted what legal evidence will be necessary to support their client's case: of course, they will answer, to the best of their judgment, all that can be honourably done according to law:-but God forbid that they should be held to be guilty of a conspiracy, if it should afterwards be proved, or be attempted to be proved, that some wickedness has been committed in procuring the evidence which they thought necessary! Or all the justices at a Quarter Sessions (perhaps several of them members of the House of Lords) are not to be held up to infamy, as conspirators, because one constable

within

within the county, or one justice upon the bench, has been guilty of a misdemeanour in the execution of his office.

If this were so, every prisoner or defendant might easily get the benefit of such testimony, by either bribing a witness to prove that such an offer had been made by an honest agent or officer, or by bribing an agent or an officer to make such an offer, one who had been honestly employed by others to assist in the advancement of legal justice.

The evidence in the case of partners in trade, and those who are employed or commissioned to assist in the administration of criminal justice, is quite different. In partnerships for civil purposes, by the nature of the contract, each places a confidence in the honesty and judgment of his partner; and the words and acts of one will bind all the rest. But the law of England, with respect to those who are engaged in the pursuit and administration of justice, has been, and I trust will be, eternally different; because I hope not only every Lawyer will agree that I have stated the law correctly, but that every man of sense will think it stands to reason, and is conformable to the principles of universal justice.

Every friend to his country, and to the correct administration of justice in it, must grieve to have

seen

seen public attempts to terrify the Lords from the faithful discharge of their duty. If a single vote has been gained by it, the public justice of the nation has, in fact, been perverted: and surely every attempt to influence a court of justice, except by fair proofs and ability in argument, must be equally incorrect and illegal. Whether we make an application to the passions of fear or avarice, the difference consists only in a public robbery or a clandestine fraud. By the first mode, the courage of all is assailed at once: by the second, which never is likely to be successful in the highest court, or in any other court, the virtue of each must be tempted one by one.

The House of Lords in England is now, and long has been, the most pure, honourable, independent, learned, wise, venerable, solemn, and august tribunal, which the sun from heaven shines upon. No parallel of their united wisdom and justice, gravity and dignity, can be found in any assemblage of men upon the surface of the earth: and it may ever be confidently expected, that they will also possess the courage to be regardless of all menaces and attempts to intimidate, and will never lose sight of their unerring guide,

Fiat justitia, ruat cœlum;

but will, with one undaunted voice and heart, pronounce

Si

Si fractus illabatur orbis,

Impavidos ferient ruinæ.

Every one who is a friend also to the government of his county, must view with deep affliction the shocking unconstitutional endeavours to overthrow that government, which our ancestors have never spared their blood to transmit unimpaired to us, and which has hitherto been the admiration and envy of all the rest of the world. The author of these Observations has never yet been the subject of any other Government; but he is contented ;and is happy to learn, from all his countrymen who have had practical experience abroad, that they have all panted to return to enjoy the blessings of justice and liberty in England.

Every true Englishman cannot but read with delight what has been written by a foreigner, whom the scholars of every country concur is the most profound scholar that ever wrote upon justice and governments. In another publication,* I have said, that he is one, who, from the peculiar nature of his studies, was intimately acquainted with all the best existing Governments in the world, and who had the most correct and perfect knowledge of those rules of justice which secure the liberty and promote

*See Christian's Charges, p. 312,

promote the happiness of mankind; and in whose writings the learned men of all nations have yet found the least, if any thing, to censure and to blame; I mean VATTEL, the author of the "Law of Nations:" he has pronounced the following just and beautiful panegyric upon the English Government :

"That illustrious nation (speaking of England) distinguishes itself in a glorious manner, by its application to every thing that can render the State the most flourishing. An admirable Constitution there places every citizen in a situation. that enables him to contribute to this great end, and everywhere diffuses a spirit of true patriotism, which is zealously employed for the public welfare, We there see mere citizens form considerable enterprises, in order to promote the glory and welfare of the nation: and while a bad prince would be abridged of his power, a king endowed with wisdom and moderation finds the most powerful succours to give success to his great designs. The nobles and the representatives of the people form a band of confidence between the monarch and the nation, and concur with him in every thing that concerns the public welfare; ease him in part of the burden of government; confirm his power; and render him an obedience the more perfect, as it is voluntary. Every good citizen sees

that

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