179I* ANEC. OF THE LATE EARL OF ERROL. 3 11 



and the court was there detefted as the fcourge of ths 

 people. 



Lord Errol could not behold, without indij^natlon, 

 fuch a flagrant perverfion of an inftitutlon which was 

 originally intended to guard the liberties of the people, 

 and to afford them redrefs of grievances, at a faiall ex- 

 pence ; nor could he, without fliame, beheld an order 

 of which he himf'^lf was a member, degraded to fuch 

 a vilifying ftate of debafement. He pointed out to the 

 gentlemen of rank and fortune around him, with great 

 energy of argument, the impropriety of accepting the 

 office of dijiijtice of the peace, if they were not determi- 

 ned to perform the duties of that office : he dwelt up- 

 on the difgrace that fuch a conduct brought upon 

 themfelves, by obliging them to participate in the ob- 

 loquy that attended the order, from the improper con- 

 duel of thofe who did a(ft in name of the whole, 

 lie infilled, tliat in order to free themfelves from this 

 odium, it became incumbent upon them all either to 

 decline accepting the office, or regularly to attend the 

 flated meetings of that court in perfon, to a<rt each fvir 

 hir.ifelf. It was this ccndudi alone, he faid, that coulJ 

 reltore to that inilttution that degree of refpedlabiiity 

 which it ought to bear in the flate. He could not but 

 confidcr thisdcrelitlion of duty as a culpable indolence, 

 and, therefore, if they would agree to co-operate with 

 him, he would undertake, as one, to meet them alv/ays 

 at the juflice of peace courts, when not prevented 

 bv bad health, or unavoidable avocations. 



Thefe remonflrances had the defired effeiSl. The 

 ni)blemen and gentlemen of the firft rank and charac- 

 ter in that country, from th:it time, attended thefe 

 courts with great j)un£luality, as long as his lordfhip 

 lived-, and he hlmfelf was never abfent but from un- 

 avoidable neceffity. Lord Errol was generally among 

 the firfl: that attended, and as he was at pains to mate 

 himfclf perfedlly mailer of the buHnefs, lie took care 

 that the clerks had every thing in rcauinefs when the 



