1808.] 
to return the list to the high constables, 
who are to return them to the sessions. 
Four acts of parliament have passed to 
do that, which (proceeding on an errone- 
Ous principle) it is impossible ever sliould 
be eitected: How dittcult it is to obtain 
a jury of freeholders, let the late trials de- 
termine, on the authority of parliament, 
it may be fairly inquired, what degree of 
accuracy can be expected from petty 
constables in forming a Jury Book, when 
the service could not (on the same sys- 
tem) be executed by the most expe- 
rienced and intelligent? Evils resulting 
from erude and indigested laws, are im- 
puted to the ignorance of inferior off- 
cers: why the absurd practice of affixing 
names on the church doers? when, from 
the nature of the service, none are anx- 
lous about the matter, unless to learn, 
whether they are free from the burthen, 
or dubbed “ esquire,” a qualification. 
adopted by practice to mark a special! ju- 
ryman, who is allowed one guinea on each 
cause. 
The poor rates and land tax assess- 
ments may include qualified names, but 
which bear no proportion to the naniber 
of those unqualified: the rates are mere 
instructions to the: collectors, stating 
names of the persons rated, and the 
amount. Let it be remembered that, 
however fallacious, the returns cannot be 
reformed by the justices, until a convic- 
tion of the constable for “ willfully” 
omitting those qualified, and inserting 
those unqualified ;* an offence of which 
(although they are continually making 
false returns, yet making them according 
to the forms prescribed) they never can 
be guilty; their time might be employed 
more proftably to themselves and the 
public, than copying unqualified names 
over and everagain. Thousands unqua- 
lified, are annually returned, and a con- 
viction was never heard of; indeed it 
would be matter of surprise if there ever 
had been any. 
It may be of no great importance 
whether jurymen haye the particular qua- 
Nfications or not, provided they arein every 
otlrer respect fit for the service; but, it 
would be matter for grave and serious 
consideration, if the prisoner or defend- 
ant were advjsed captiously to make their 
challenge, and through a manifest defect 
in the laws, the important business of 
the uation, or of individuals, were post- 
poned or interrupted. The system is al- 
together witheut energy; that is com- 
ERE EE ESHER ea ane OE 
wired GEO, Gata Gals 
On the Custom of Compromising Debts. 
y 2014 
manded, which cannot be enforced. Vis 
gilance may assist, but not always supply 
radical defects; they should be known, 
aod enrolled, who are qualified to decide 
on whatever is important to the nation, 
or the liberty of the subject. 
The rule of qualification should be en- 
larged, guided by the poor rates to a cer- 
tain amount, and all possessing property 
ef a certain value deemed qualified, 
though not rated to the poor; this would 
at once reform the freeholder’s book, and 
by a simple method, throw the burthen 
on the most. substantial, and relieve the 
poor inhabitant from the service. The 
poor rates are the only general external 
evidence of property. The lists once re- 
turned by the overseers to the high con- 
stables, and by them to the sheriff, would 
(as to the same names) supersede the 
clumsy practice of annual returns; but 
fresh names would of course be returned. 
‘To distribute the burthen equally, the 
panels should be ballotted, those serving 
omitted in future ballots, until the whole 
number qualified be regularly called. If 
the wealthy, the idle, or any, desire ex- 
emptions from personal service, let them 
he taxed, to be applied in raising a fund 
to pay those on duty. : 
: ete 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazixe. 
SIR, 
BEG leave, through the medium of 
your publication, to offer some re- 
marks upon the usual mode of settling the 
affairs of insolvent traders. 
The provisions that have been made by 
the laws of our country, while they have 
taken care to do justice to the creditor, 
appear at the same time to have afford- 
ed every reasonable protection to the 
unfortunate bankrupt. But of late years 
a practice has prevailed, of extending a 
far greater indulgence to the debtor, 
than is consistent either with the wisdom 
of the bankrupt laws, or with justice to 
the creditor. I allude to the custom of 
compromising debts, or granting an un- 
reasonable extension of time to the deh- 
tor, a proceeding which, though not very 
general in the metropolis, occurs almost 
daily in provincial towns, It is now cus- 
tomary fora person, as soon as he finds 
that he can carry on his business no lon- 
ger, to call his creditors together, and to 
lay before them a hastily drawn up state~ 
ment of his. affairs, and to prevail upon 
them immediately to sign an instrument, 
by which either the debi is compromised, 
or such extensive power given to the 
debtor, as to enable him to set his credi- 
‘ tors 
