JB/097/178/003

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2. If penal laws are of any of the criminal the penal laws
at present existing there are any that are of any
use, this institution is proportionably mischievous.
A handful of men sitting together in a close room
not only licensed to secrecy but sworn to secrecy, a knot of men
restrained by no human tie, neither of law nor
of public opinion, determine without reason given
or pretence of reason whether an offender shall be
put to trial for his offence. A dislike of the law,
a dislike to the prosecutor, a liking to the defendant
and above all a liking or disliking to this or
that party, are sufficient and unquestionable guides
in the exercise of this disposition.

⊞ ⊞ It is thus that
a majority of four
and twenty men
chosen accountable by the nominee
of the Crown, accountable
to the Crown, deal
out pardons at random
and put a negative
at pleasure upon the execution of
any law that comes
under their cognizance.

By another part of its authority this Venetian
conclave is not less favourable to vexation
than by the former part to anarchy. By taking
upon themselves the province of the accuser, and
calling their proceeding a Presentment instead
of an Indictment it is their in their power at
any time to stand between a calumniator and
the punishment due to calumny.

The less they act, the less harm they do: for
good they can do none.

Identifier: | JB/097/178/003 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 97.
Date_1		Marginal Summary Numbering
Box	097	Main Headings
Folio number	178	Info in main headings field
Image	003	Titles
Category	text sheet	Number of Pages	4
Recto/Verso	recto	Page Numbering	f1 / f2 / f3 / f4
Penner	jeremy bentham	Watermarks	[[watermarks::l munn [britannia with shield emblem]]]
Marginals		Paper Producer	benjamin constant
Corrections		Paper Produced in Year
Notes public		ID Number	31562
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