pS DEFECTS IN THE LAWS OF G. BRITAIN. Sep. SS. 



Defects of the Laws of Great Britain in certain Cafes* 

 pointed' Old y ivith a f^ieiv to their Improvement. 



To the Editor of the Bee, 



SlRj 



X HE imaginary cafe (though, for ought I know it 

 rriay, perhaps, be d real cafe), put by your correfpondent, 

 Mr. Hairbrain [vol. iv. p. 3 1 7.] brought to ray recol- 

 ledticn two real Cafes that have aftually occurred in 

 the hidory of this country, which tend to fliow that it 

 is either a matter of great difficulty to devife laws fuf- 

 ficient to guard againll all forts of crimes, or that 

 fomething very deieftive prevails in the legiflation of 

 this country, fince very glaring enormities may be 

 committed, not only with impunity, but may even be al- 

 lowed to pafs without reprehenfion; As you. Sir, feem 

 to have national profperity much at heart, which can 

 be bed promoted by having the lives and property of 

 every individual perfetiUy fecured from injury, where 

 no tranfgreffion of the law has been incurred, I doubt 

 not but you will give the following obfervations a place 

 in your ufeful mifcellany, that the public, being 

 through its extenfive circulation, generally informed of 

 thefe important fa£ls, may devife fome mode of ob- 

 viating fuch glaring abufes of power in future. 



The firft of the two cafes I (hall here mention is that 

 of Valentine Morris, Efq; late Governor of St. 

 Vincent, as written by himfelf, and publifhed by 

 Hooper in London, in the year 1787, the truth of no 

 one item in which narrative has been, or it is believed, 

 can be impeached. The evidence, indeed, of the 

 principal fafts are eftablifhed by undoubted documents 

 in the publication referred to. The cafe is ftiortly as 

 follows : 



