THE SALMON AND CHANNEL FISHERIES. 209 



without reproach or fear of consequences, the 4 

 spearer is sent to the county gaol for killing a sin- 

 gle one. 



" The colonel swears the agent is a dog ; 

 The attorney vows the colonel is a rogue ; 

 Against the thief the attorney loud inveighs, 

 For whose ten pounds the county twenty pays ; 

 The thief damns judges and the knaves of state, 

 And dying, mourns small villains hang'd by great*" 



I suppose this is human nature : but in all such 

 cases, where the pursuit of private advantage in- 

 vites men to overlook the rights of their neigh- 

 bours, the controlling power of the legislature 

 becomes doubly valuable, in the adjustment of 

 conflicting claims, and in the protection of public 

 right. 



We will now endeavour to ascertain the fair 

 meaning of this section. Those who are inte- 

 rested in the continuation of fish-locks say, that it 

 completely establishes the legality of those erec- 

 tions. I think otherwise : though I admit that 

 the words in the first part are indefinite and equi- 

 vocal. Taking, however, the whole together, the 

 sense is clear enough. The section consists of 

 three separate sentences or divisions : the first is, 

 that the act shall not legalize any fish-lock lawfully 

 erected. This is important indeed ! But what 

 is lawfully erected does not want to be legalized : 

 if it be lawful, nothing more is required : the sti- 

 pulation is, therefore, nugatory. The next sen- 



p 



