dozen have been prosecuted with effect, at the instance of common Informers. On the other hand, I cannot fall in with the doctrine that is propagated by vulgar prejudice of censuring every man who becomes plaintiff in a Qui Tam action, nor can I countenance the absurdity of making laws to punish offences, and deeming it infamous to put those laws in execution; but then let them be put in force according to the spirit of that law, and consonant with the rules of public justice. Proceedings conducted upon such principles ought to receive the protection of Magistracy:—but to put the instruments of terror into the hands of ruffians, for the mere purpose of plundering even the worst offenders, is monstrous, and ought not to be endured, for neither innocence or common fortitude can repel the ravages committed by such means; with Mr. Barnes Hart, and many others, whose views and principles are of the same complexion, little regard is paid to the difference between guilt and innocence; witness the many poor wretches that have been committed to Bridewell upon the oaths of reptiles, under the Lottery Act, who never took a number, or had any transactions in the Lottery; the charge of the offence is first made to try the depth of unfortunate people’s pockets; if no one comes forward with an appropriate sum, Bridewell is the certain doom of the victim,—for those gentlemen see danger in retracting from the affidavit they have made. To authenticate these assertions many instances might be produced; and here I cannot omit a circumstance to the honour of Mr. Harvey Coombe, when Lord Mayor, before whom a man of the name of Paulett was brought, charged as a vagrant, for taking illegal insurances in the Lottery, and committed to the counter for a rehearing the next day; but in the intermediate time, 100l. had been paid: of course not even the ghost of an informer appeared to make good the charge; his lordship saw through the infamy, and conjured Paulett to tell him what sum he had given, who replied 100l. but as the money was paid out of the jurisdiction of the city, his Lordship lamented the circumstance, declaring he intended to prosecute the offender.