CONVICTION. 117 



of by men much more unprincipled than themselves, 

 but that they do resist such so frequently as they 

 do. The man who does not may deserve transporta- 

 tion, we will allow ; but the old system of hanging 

 should still have been left in force for the benefit of 

 the scoundrel who tempted the other from the path 

 of rectitude. When trainers and jockeys do (as 

 numbers have done and now daily do) resist such temp- 

 tations, I can only say I consider such men hold out a 

 bright example of integrity not unworthy of imitation 

 by the highest of the aristocracy of the kingdom. 

 Let those that are guiltless throw the first stone. 



Various are the accusations brought forward every 

 day by one class of individuals against another T 

 sometimes based on justice and truth, and oftentimes 

 founded in error, taking its origin sometimes from 

 prejudiced representation made by a third party, or 

 from misconception or prejudice on the part of the 

 accuser. This holds equally good whether the ac- 

 cused party be peer or peasant, with this difference, 

 that in this, as Napoleon styled us, " nation of shop- 

 keepers," it takes a great deal of proof and a great 

 deal of money to convict a rich man, whereas some- 

 thing like vice versd is the case if the culprit happens 

 to be a poor one. Now really this is quite proper, 

 for if it takes 100 to convict one culprit, it must in 

 common ratio take .200 to convict two, which two 

 the poor culprit is the much to be envied representa- 

 tive of in his own proper person. He has, therefore, to 

 be convicted twice ; first, for being poor; and secondly, 

 for the crime itself, no matter of what nature it may 

 be. I do not mean to say, that fas aut nefas the poor 

 are condemned as guilty ; but as without money it is 

 very hard for any man to prove his innocence, if from 



i 3 



