The irregular administration of justice in the world, is indeed a
melancholy subject to think of. A poor fellow shall be hanged for
stealing a sheep, perhaps to keep his family from starving; while
one, who is already great and opulent, will not scruple to add to his
overflowing wealth by the most bare-faced peculation upon the public,
and yet shall escape punishment, and even censure, through powerful
interest with those who ought to be his judges, but allow themselves
to be swayed by the splendour of his connections, or corrupted by his
money. When justice is intrusted in such hands, then shall we see the
description given by one of our satirical poets, of a corrupt court of
law, realized. He calls it a place,
Where little villains must submit to fate,
That great ones may enjoy the world in state.
However, let no one, who violates the law, rest his defence on this
plea; for though crimes, committed by his superiors, ought not to
escape with impunity, yet his own nevertheless deserve punishment.
Hence we may also draw a hint, not unworthy of our attention, to
endeavour to preserve our own integrity, unshaken in the midst of
iniquity, and to shew ourselves unstained by the corruption even of the
worst of times.
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