JB/091/035/001

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31 July 1806
Scotch Reform

Who is my neighbour? The word is is thus put for ought to be. Had is been meant
and the man of law the interrogator, a duty no divinity, no inspiration would have been required necessary to answer it.

Perhaps so: but the plan being for Scotland, may not learned advice
be listened to from English Counsellors –

My Lord – who is the other lawyers neighbour? Is it the suitor
anywhere? No, my Lord: it is the lawyer everywhere. Everywhere The
same interests beget the same prejudices: the same interests and the
same prejudices the same passions and the same arts. Their name
is legion: they form a phalanx covering and oppressing the whole of the civilized part of the human
world kind.

I speak in the dark – and though my conjecture being
but a random conjecture my conjecture in regard to the cause of a particular incident should be ill founded, it will be no prejudice
to the principle. I speak in the dark: but if
an incident I have observed in you a speech of Your Lordships
on this very occasion should be found to afford an experimental proof of a
proposition so plain in principle, it will be altogether in the natural
order of things.

In that speech the report I have seen I observe a hint of an arrangement so
efficient that in comparison of it without it the root of the plan will give the
lawyers professional men little to fear. Turning to the Resolutions, I perceive
that arrangement dropt. When proposed by Your Lordship, it being
considered as a novelty a sort of innovation, it was proposed with diffidence.
To what are ascribe on so deflebiles? Being so
novel – originating perhaps in some unlearned hand – in some
such unlearned head as planned framed the Grenville Act – was it not
submitted to the appropriate jug judgment of some especially and
extremely learned person, and was not his learning adverse
to it?

The question is one of those presumptuous ones which presumptuous
as they are do not so much as expect an answer.
I presume not to force the penetration of the cabinet. Your Lordship's
duty is to maintain silence: but my right is to suppress doubts.
I say nothing as to the arrangement here: the occasion for speaking of it
will come presently.

Identifier: | JB/091/035/001 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 91.
Date_1	1806-07-31	Marginal Summary Numbering
Box	091	Main Headings	scotch reform
Folio number	035	Info in main headings field	scotch reform
Image	001	Titles
Category	text sheet	Number of Pages	1
Recto/Verso	recto	Page Numbering	c5
Penner	jeremy bentham	Watermarks
Marginals		Paper Producer
Corrections		Paper Produced in Year
Notes public		ID Number	29031
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