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The Bear Among the Bees.
53

saw a new edict issued on the subject. In 1816, especially, a vigorous attempt was made to produce a reform, and a re­ script was addressed to the Minister of Justice, bidding him see that the law courts should be rendered the means of maintaining right, not of confirming wrong: and that assistance should be given to the weak and needy in their appeals against oppression. But ft too often occurred that, when some great man had been detected in robbing the poor, the only punishment he underwent was a nominal banishment to his estates, where he enjoyed, like the Bear, the fruits of his villainy, and waited till the temporary ill wind should have blown over.]