lygt. DEFECTS IN THE LA V/S OF G. BRITAIN. lO^ 



All this, however, ftill produced no efFedl. The 

 following memorandum, dated Auguft 5th, 1791, clofes 

 the publication, and clearly {hows with what delibera- 

 tion he had refdlved upon the fatal cataftroplij : 



*' The machine feems to be worn out by anxiety, 

 vexation, and difappointment. The tree muft fail ! I 

 have not a wifh to prop it after the appearance of this 

 publication. But I have a molt ardent one, that in the 

 next feffion of parliament there may be a virtuous 771a- 

 jority in the Houfe of Co/ni7ioJis, who fhall think that I 

 have fair claims on government ; and that I have a right 

 to transfer them, as I hereby do, to my daughters 

 Mary and Louifa Sutherland. 



James Sutherland." 



I wifli not. Sir, to occafion difturbance by an appeal 

 to the palTions, but I wiflr that fuch momentous fa£t:s 

 {hould be known and attended to by all. As you yourfelf 

 profefs, fo I declare, that I have no prejudice againfi; 

 any of the perfons concerned in thcfe tr^nfaiSions to 

 induce me to take pleafure in expoGng them ; but nei- 

 ther have I fuch partiality as to wifli to fcreen any per- 

 fon from public obloquy v/lio may defervc it. I have 

 perufed the whole of this account with indignation and 

 with horror, as I believe every other perfon mufi: do. I 

 wilh it to be made as public as poilible, that thofe in 

 power may feel, that if it even fliould be poffible to evade 

 the lafl) of the law, it is not poffible to avoid public 

 obloquy when they difregard the di£lates of juftice and 

 humanity in the difcharge of their duty ; and as your 

 work has a circulation in foreign countries, I am par- 

 ticularly anxious this paper ihculd appear in it, fo as 

 that thefe facts may be known in tlie uttermoil parts 

 of the earth, and be prefcrved to futurity. On thefe 

 accounts Imuft rcquefl; the favour that you will not refufe 

 it a place. What is done already mud, I know, remain — 

 but the confcioufnefs of a public cxpofure, may, per- 

 haps, prove fome fort of check to a fimilar condud in 

 future. 



