STATE PAPERS. 



377 



otherwise, undoubtedly require a 

 careful revision. 



That these practices, though 

 really so injurious, should have 

 been permitted so long to exist, 

 and of late even so greatly to in- 

 crease, seems easily explicable from 

 what has been already stated. It 

 is but too much in tlie nature of 

 all old establishments to be par- 

 tial to their own modes : to be 

 slow in perceiving their imperfec- 

 tions, and not very forward in 

 correcting them, even wlien ac- 

 knowledged,- especially if risk be 

 thereby incurred of diminishing 

 tlieir influence or jurisdiction. It 

 has been already observed, that 

 previous to 1S14, the whole num- 

 ber of instances in which these 

 writs were employed was compa- 

 ratively very small, and the gross 

 abuse of them still more lare, so 

 that the call for reformation was 

 neither loud nor uigent ; but as 

 soon as ever tliey began to be 

 more known and used, the en- 

 croaching principle of power be- 

 gan to operate ; each instance of 

 their unjustifiable misapplication 

 served also as a pretence for ano- 

 ther, by way eitlier of self-defence 

 or reimbursement ; and those ])er- 

 sons with whom interest is the 

 rule of action, eagerly nought the 

 means of including themselves 

 « ithin the class so piivilegeil, at 

 tlie expense of their neighlMUirs : 

 while tiie piofits arising to all tlic 

 agents and officers engaged in the 

 soliciting the issue, and the exe- 

 cution of tlie process, natuialiy 

 induced them to facilitate it by 

 every means whicli could be de- 

 sired, and to reconnnend its adop- 

 tion, till, by the concurrence of 

 all tlicse causes, the misc liicf \\ as 

 increasing with a rapidity whifii. 



had it not been speedily checked, 

 threatened to supersede all the 

 fair and ordinary modes of reco- 

 veringdebts by the common course 

 of law. 



Your connnittee cannot con- 

 clude without expressing their sa- 

 tisfaction, that even during the 

 consideration of this repoit, a bill 

 has passed, which, in its present 

 state, they trust will remedy nnuh 

 of the evil which they have been 

 compelled to expose and to con- 

 demn. But as nuuh power is still 

 continued to some classes, in which 

 are found individuals who have 

 exerted it in the most cens\irable 

 manner, they feel bourd to re- 

 commend an incie.ased vigilance 

 over its exercise in every quarter 

 in which it may be at all controll- 

 ed, in order that it may be at least 

 confined to tlie objects of its ori- 

 ginal intention. The laudable 

 jH'actice of the Post-ofhce, the 

 Board of Customs, and, perhaps, 

 inoie prominently still, of the 

 Excise, has shown not only how 

 imnecessary extents in aid are to 

 the security of the revenue, but 

 how beneficially ihe solicitors to 

 the public boards might be em- 

 ])loyed, in limiting their issue; 

 but your committee must observe 

 that, in order to gain this advan- 

 tage to its jnopei- extent, the ex- 

 ample of the Excise shoukl also 

 he followed in another jioint, 

 which to them a]jpears very im- 

 jiortant, viz. — that these solicitois 

 should confine themselves to their 

 otlicial )iractice ; or at least be 

 alisoUuely |irohiljited fiom under- 

 taking, for piivate indixiduals, 

 the management of any affairs in 

 which the revenue is at all con- 

 cerned. 



July 11, IS 17. 



CIIAKACILKS. 



