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British empire, it cannot be too generally execrated and exploded. The uncontrouled trial by jury being the cornerstone of the temple of Liberty, every one is personally interested in its preservation. It must therefore be strenuously supported, my Lord, on the most enlarged and found bails, in opposition to all sappings and underminings. But it needs only to be minutely examined, and properly valued, to rouze the nation to preserve it unimpaired, for the benefit of the present generation, and that we may transmit it to posterity uncontaminated and undiminished.
The trial by jury, your Lordship knows, is so antient a privilege belonging to mankind, that its origin cannot properly be traced. Neither is it the business of this letter. It is only requisite, in order to alarm the people to recapitulate the blessings derived from this mode of trial, which gives jurors a right to decide upon the law as well as the fact to point to the danger of its being destroyed, and to the fatal consequences of that destruction
