3ri ANEC. OF THE Late EARL OF ERROL. Nov. rj, 



court met, fo that no time was loft in idle preparations, 

 and they were thus enabled to proceed on bufmefs at 

 an early hour. 



It v/ill be difficult for any one who has not fesn a 

 cafe of this fort to form an idea of the beneficial change 

 that was produced on the iiate of the country by thcfe 

 regulations. ' The firft chan>?;e tliat catched the atten- 

 tion of the people, and gave refpeftability to the court, 

 had a reference to the colleftor of excife. This officer, 

 from that period, was treated exactly in the fame man- 

 ner as any other fuitor before the court. The cafes 

 he ftated were attended to with due refpe£b ; the evi- 

 dence he adduced in fupport of his charges were exa- 

 mined with the moft fcrupulous care ; but unfupport- 

 ed allegations, from whatever quarter they proceeded, 

 were totally difregarded. The fuggellions of the col- 

 leclor, with regard to the decifions, had no weiglit ; 

 and any obfervations he at the beginning ventured to 

 make, as tending to influence the judgment of the 

 court, were received in fuch a manner as foon to con- 

 vince him of the impropriety of venturing upon fuch 

 freedoms. The fines, in cafe of accidental trefpalTcs 

 through ignorance, were moderated ; and if it appear- 

 ed that the people had been led on by the wilful con- 

 nivance, or culpable negleft of the officers, with a view 

 »o augment their own profits, at the expence of the re*. 

 venue f, fuch officers were openly and iliarply repri- 

 manded by the court. When the excife bufmefs was 

 over the coliedlor, like other fuitors at the court, was 

 ordered to withdraw ; and, if he was afterwards invited 



f Tt is wel! known that half the fines inipofcd by law upon tliofe 

 who are catched in attempts to cheat the revenue are given to the re- 

 venue ofiiccts. It therefore becomes the interefb of the revenue officers 

 that thefe attempts to evade the duties ihould not ceafe. A heavy 

 charge has been lately and publicly made againft fome of the higlicft 

 revenue officers in this counti'y v. inking at the inanufaikirers evadii^g 

 the duty, in order to induce them to continue in that practice for the 

 faicc of the fines, that they can thus levy v.hcn tl'.ey plcafe. This is no 

 new praiftice. ♦ 



