thoughts on the present discontents-第22部分

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the　chances　of　succession　may　put　other　more　constitutional　judges
in　their　place；　lastly；　if　neither　should　happen；　yet　that　the
spirit　of　an　English　jury　will　always　be　sufficient　for　the
vindication　of　its　own　rights；　and　will　not　suffer　itself　to　be
overborne　by　the　bench。　　I　confess　that　I　totally　dissent　from　all
these　opinions。　　These　suppositions　become　the　strongest　reasons
with　me　to　evince　the　necessity　of　some　clear　and　positive
settlement　of　this　question　of　contested　jurisdiction。　　If　judges
are　so　full　of　levity；　so　full　of　timidity；　if　they　are　influenced
by　such　mean　and　unworthy　passions；　that　a　popular　clamour　is
sufficient　to　shake　the　resolution　they　build　upon　the　solid　basis
of　a　legal　principle；　I　would　endeavour　to　fix　that　mercury　by　a
positive　law。　　If　to　please　an　administration　the　judges　can　go　one
way　to…day；　and　to　please　the　crowd　they　can　go　another　to…morrow；
if　they　will　oscillate　backward　and　forward　between　power　and
popularity；　it　is　high　time　to　fix　the　law　in　such　a　manner　as　to
resemble；　as　it　ought；　the　great　Author　of　all　law；　in　〃whom　there
is　no　variableness　nor　shadow　of　turning。〃

As　to　their　succession；　I　have　just　the　same　opinion。　　I　would　not
leave　it　to　the　chances　of　promotion；　or　to　the　characters　of
lawyers；　what　the　law　of　the　land；　what　the　rights　of　juries；　or
what　the　liberty　of　the　press　should　be。　　My　law　should　not　depend
upon　the　fluctuation　of　the　closet；　or　the　complexion　of　men。
Whether　a　black…haired　man　or　a　fair…haired　man　presided　in　the
Court　of　King's　Bench；　I　would　have　the　law　the　same：　　the　same
whether　he　was　born　in　domo　regnatrice；　and　sucked　from　his　infancy
the　milk　of　courts；　or　was　nurtured　in　the　rugged　discipline　of　a
popular　opposition。　　This　law　of　court　cabal　and　of　party；　this　mens
quaedam　nullo　perturbata　affectu；　this　law　of　complexion；　ought　not
to　be　endured　for　a　moment　in　a　country　whose　being　depends　upon　the
certainty；　clearness；　and　stability　of　institutions。

Now　I　come　to　the　last　substitute　for　the　proposed　bill；　the　spirit
of　juries　operating　their　own　jurisdiction。　　This；　I　confess；　I
think　the　worst　of　all；　for　the　same　reasons　on　which　I　objected　to
the　others；　and　for　other　weighty　reasons　besides　which　are　separate
and　distinct。　　First；　because　juries；　being　taken　at　random　out　of　a
mass　of　men　infinitely　large；　must　be　of　characters　as　various　as
the　body　they　arise　from　is　large　in　its　extent。　　If　the　judges
differ　in　their　complexions；　much　more　will　a　jury。　　A　timid　jury
will　give　way　to　an　awful　judge　delivering　oracularly　the　law；　and
charging　them　on　their　oaths；　and　putting　it　home　to　their
consciences；　to　beware　of　judging　where　the　law　had　given　them　no
competence。　　We　know　that　they　will　do　so；　they　have　done　so　in　a
hundred　instances；　a　respectable　member　of　your　own　house；　no　vulgar
man；　tells　you　that　on　the　authority　of　a　judge　he　found　a　man
guilty；　in　whom；　at　the　same　time；　he　could　find　no　guilt。　　But
supposing　them　full　of　knowledge　and　full　of　manly　confidence　in
themselves；　how　will　their　knowledge；　or　their　confidence；　inform　or
inspirit　others？　　They　give　no　reason　for　their　verdict；　they　can
but　condemn　or　acquit；　and　no　man　can　tell　the　motives　on　which　they
have　acquitted　or　condemned。　　So　that　this　hope　of　the　power　of
juries　to　assert　their　own　jurisdiction　must　be　a　principle　blind；
as　being　without　reason；　and　as　changeable　as　the　complexion　of　men
and　the　temper　of　the　times。

But；　after　all；　is　it　fit　that　this　dishonourable　contention　between
the　court　and　juries　should　subsist　any　longer？　　On　what　principle
is　it　that　a　jury　refuses　to　be　directed　by　the　court　as　to　his
competence？　　Whether　a　libel　or　no　libel　be　a　question　of　law　or　of
fact　may　be　doubted；　but　a　question　of　jurisdiction　and　competence
is　certainly　a　question　of　law；　on　this　the　court　ought　undoubtedly
to　judge；　and　to　judge　solely　and　exclusively。　　If　they　judge　wrong
from　excusable　error；　you　ought　to　correct　it；　as　to…day　it　is
proposed；　by　an　explanatory　bill；　or　if　by　corruption；　by　bill　of
penalties　declaratory；　and　by　punishment。　　What　does　a　juror　say　to
a　judge　when　he　refuses　his　opinion　upon　a　question　of　judicature？
You　are　so　corrupt；　that　I　should　consider　myself　a　partaker　of　your
crime；　were　I　to　be　guided　by　your　opinion；　or　you　are　so　grossly
ignorant；　that　I；　fresh　from　my　bounds；　from　my　plough；　my　counter；
or　my　loom；　am　fit　to　direct　you　in　your　profession。　　This　is　an
unfitting；　it　is　a　dangerous；　state　of　things。　　The　spirit　of　any
sort　of　men　is　not　a　fit　rule　for　deciding　on　the　bounds　of　their
jurisdiction。　　First；　because　it　is　different　in　different　men；　and
even　different　in　the　same　at　different　times；　and　can　never　become
the　proper　directing　line　of　law；　next；　because　it　is　not　reason；
but　feeling；　and　when　once　it　is　irritated；　it　is　not　apt　to　confine
itself　within　its　proper　limits。　　If　it　becomes；　not　difference　in
opinion　upon　law；　but　a　trial　of　spirit　between　parties；　our　courts
of　law　are　no　longer　the　temple　of　justice；　but　the　amphitheatre　for
gladiators。　　NoGod　forbid！　　Juries　ought　to　take　their　law　from
the　bench　only；　but　it　is　our　business　that　they　should　hear　nothing
from　the　bench　but　what　is　agreeable　to　the　principles　of　the
Constitution。　　The　jury　are　to　hear　the　judge；　the　judge　is　to　hear
the　law　where　it　speaks　plain；　where　it　does　not；　he　is　to　hear　the
legislature。　　As　I　do　not　think　these　opinions　of　the　judges　to　be
agreeable　to　those　principles；　I　wish　to　take　the　only　method　in
which　they　can　or　ought　to　be　corrected；　by　bill。

Next；　my　opinion　is；　that　it　ought　to　be　rather　by　a　bill　for
removing　controversies　than　by　a　bill　in　the　state　of　manifest　and
express　declaration；　and　in　words　de　praeterito。　　I　do　this　upon
reasons　of　equity　and　constitutional　policy。　　I　do　not　want　to
censure　the　present　judges。　　I　think　them　to　be　excused　for　their
error。　　Ignorance　is　no　excuse　for　a　judge：　　it　is　changing　the
nature　of　his　crimeit　is　not　absolving。　　It　must　be　such　error　as
a　wise　and　conscientious　judge　may　possibly　fall　into；　and　must
arise　from　one　or　both　these　causes：　　first；　a　plausible　principle
of　law；　secondly；　the　precedents　of　respectable　authorities；　and　in
good　times。　　In　the　first；　the　principle　of　law；　that　the　judge　is
to　decide　on　law；　the　jury　to　decide　on　fact；　is　an　ancient　and
venerable　principle　and　maxim　of　the　law；　and　if　supported　in　this
application　by　precedents　of　good　times　and　of　good　men；　the　judge；
if　wrong；　ought　to　be　corrected；　he　ought　not　to　be　reproved；　or　to
be　disgraced；　or　the　authority　or　respect　to　your　tribunals　to　be
impaired。　　In　cases　in　which　declaratory　bills　have　been　made；　where
by　violence　and　corruption　some　fundamental　part　of　the　Constitution
has　been　struck　at；　where　they　would　damn　the　principle；　censure　the
persons；　and　annul　the　acts；　but　where　the　law　having　been；　by　the
accident　of　human　frailty；　depraved；　or　in　a　particular　instance
misunderstood；　where　you　neither　mean　to　rescind　the　acts；　nor　to
censure　the　persons；　in　such　cases　you　have　taken　the　explanatory
mode；　and；　without　condemning　what　is　done；　you　direct　the　future
judgment　of　the　court。

All　bills　for　the　reformation　of　the　law　must　be　according　to　the
subject…matter；　the　circumstances；　and　the　occasion；　and　are　of　four
kinds：…　1。　　Either　the　law　is　totally　wanting；　and　then　a　new
enacting　statute　must　be　made　to　supply　that　want；　or；　2。　　It　is
defective；　then　a　new　law　must　be　made　to　enforce　it。　3。　　Or　it　is
opposed　by　power　or　fraud；　and　then　an　act　must　be　made　to　declare
it。　4　　Or　it　is　rendered　doubtful　and　controverted；　and　then　a　law
must　be　made　to　explain　it。　　These　must　be　applied　according　to　the
exigence　of　the　case；　one　is　just　as　good　as　another　of　them。
Miserable；　indeed；　would　be　the　resources；　poor　and　unfurnished　the
stores　and　magazines　of　legislation；　if　we　were　bound　up　to　a　little
narrow　form；　and　not　able　to　frame　our　acts　of　parliament　according
to　every　disposition　of　our　own　minds；　and　to　every　possible
emergency　of　the　commonwealth；　to　make　them　declaratory；　enforcing；
explanatory；　repealing；　just　in　what　mode；　or　in　what　degree　we
please。

Those　who　think　that　the　judges；　living　and　dead；　are　to　be
condemned；　that　your　tribunals　of　justice　are　to　be　dishonoured；
that　their　acts　and　judgments　on　this　business　are　to　be　rescinded；
they　will　undoubtedly　vote　against　this　bill；　and　for　another　sort。

I　am　not　of　the　opinion　of　those　gentlemen　who　are　against
disturbing　the　public　repose；　I　like　a　clamour　whenever　there　is　an
abuse。　　The　fire…bell　at　midnight　disturbs　your　sleep；　but　it　keeps
you　from　being　burned　in　your　bed。　　The　hue　and　cry　alarms　the
county；　but　it　preserves　all　the　property　of　the　province。　　All
these　clamours　aim　at　redress。　　But　a　clamour　made　merely　for　the
purpose　of　rendering　the　people　discontented　with　their　situation；
without　an　endeavour　to　give　them　a　practical　remedy；　is　indeed　one
of　the　worst　acts　of　sedition。

I　have　read　and　heard　much　upon　the　conduct　of　our　courts　in　the
business　of　libels。　　I　was　extremely　willing　to　enter　into；　and　very
free　to　act　as　facts　should　turn　out　on　that　inquiry；　aiming
constantly　at　remedy　as　the　end　of　all　clamour；　all　debate；　all
writing；　and　all　inquiry；　for　which　reason　I　did　embrace；　and　do　now
with　joy；　this　method　of　giving　quiet　to　the　courts；　jurisdiction　to
juries；　liberty　to　the　press；　and　satisfaction　to　the　people。　　I
thank　my　friends　for　what　they　have　done；　I　hope　the　public　will　one
day　reap　the　benefit　of　their　pious　and　judicious　endeavours。　　They
have　now　sown　the　seed；　I　hope　they　will　live　to　see　the　flourishing
harvest。　　Their　bill　is　sown　in　weakness；　it　will；　I　trust；　be
reaped　in　power；　and　then；　however；　we　shall　have　reason　to　apply　to
them　what　my　Lord　Coke　says　was　an　aphorism　continually　in　the　mouth
of　a　great　sage　of　the　law；　〃Blessed　be　not　the　complaining　tongue；
but　blessed　be　the　amending　hand。〃



SPEECH　ON　A　BILL　FOR　SHORTENING　THE　DURATION　OF　PARLIAMENTS



It　is　always　to　be　lamented　when　men　are　driven　to　search　into　the
foundations　of　the　commonwealth。