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Chapter XIII. 
TATTAUNG OR ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE. 
It is plain, from the tenor of the enactments which have been made 
for the punishment of corrupt judges and their officers, that great 
pervertion of the ends of justice is prevalent,—while it can scarcely 
he less apparent that the harsh and expensive forms which attend 
the administration of the law must deter numbers from suing for 
their rights. By these combined causes the Siamese have been lit¬ 
tle benefited by t he labors of their ancient lawgivers. 
TATSAMO-AN. 
First. — Of,fudges and their corrupt practices —I ] Chapters m one 
Digest are dedicated to an exposition of the mal-practices in Courts 
of Justice, into which it would be useless here to enter. It is only 
curious to observe such anxiety manifested by lawgivers of Siam 
in exposing the chicanery of these Courts to the public eye, while, 
at the same time, no effectual remedy is applied, however such may 
be abstractly inculcated and enacted to get rid of the mischief. 
The penal law is no respecter of persons. 
A judge must not allow himself to be swayed from the right path 
by any arguments, “ should they even he as plausible as those which 
Rajci Seengjia, King of Lions, used when he seduced to his party 
the mighty Dog of the forest Ckeeng Climek, and persuaded him 
to assist in destroying P,hra Rdnasee (Benares.) For if he thus 
acts he will he equally confounded as that King of Dogs was when 
he entered that region (Benares) along with Raja Seengjia. The 
King of that country having heard of the intended confederated at¬ 
tack, ordered all his subjects to stuff their ears with cotton that they 
might not be stunned when they came to battle by the roaring of the 
Lion. But Cheeng Chawk neglected this precaution, and was stun¬ 
ned to death by the terrific voice of the King of Beasts.” 
A judge Avill he disgraced and suffer corporal punishment, with 
loss of office, who shall he convicted of compromising a suit, he being 
at the time aware that one or both of the parties have been wrought 
