Some doubt having been entertained as to the legality of Art-Unions, it
has been determined to establish a legal Art-Union, by which the most
expensive of known luxuries—law—can be dealt out to the subscribers upon
most reasonable terms. The Union is to consist of as many persons as
think proper to subscribe, and the object will be the bringing and
defending actions, so that debtors and creditors will equally profit by
it.
Every subscriber, on paying six-and-eightpence, will have a declaration
delivered to him if he be a debtor; or if a creditor, he will receive a
plea; and the prizes will consist of a certain number of verdicts, to be
selected from the public exhibitions of justice, including the Courts of
Request, the Lord Mayor's, and Sheriffs' Courts. If a plaintiff draws a
prize, he will get the whole of the money; and if a debtor draws a
blank, he will have to pay it; but if the debtor and the creditor both
draw blanks, they neither of them get anything, but their loss is
limited to six-and-eightpence. If a debtor obtains a fortunate number he
is exonerated from his debt without the disgrace or inconvenience of
running away; while a creditor, even if he does not get his money, is
prevented from throwing any of the good after the bad, and thus all
parties reap advantages which they could not obtain in the regular
course of law. It is thought that the causing the verdicts to depend on
chance, and thus introducing the lottery principle into the
administration of justice, is quite in conformity with what, in nine
cases out of ten, practically happens.
Prospectuses may be had at the chambers of Messrs. Drain, Swindle, and
Company, Solicitors to the Court of Portugal, and Attorneys
Extraordinary (most extraordinary!) to anyone employing them.