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WILLIAM WEMMS AND SEVEN OTHERS. 491

which, the counsel for the prisoners, last speaking, has pro-
duced so many authorities; nor should I think it necessary
to remark particularly on it, but that it has been traced
through so many volumes, and urged with so much eloquence
and zeal, as though it were the foundation of their defense,
or at least an argument chiefly relied on. But if you consid-
er this sort of reasoning for a moment, you will be sensible
that it tends more to amuse than to enlighten; and without
great ecantion may captivate your minds to that principle of
law, whieh is endeared by the attributes of merey and benig-
nity, while it draws you entirely from justice—that essential
principle, without which the laws were but an empty sound.
Justice, sirict justice, is the ultimate object of our laws, and
to me it seems no hard task to maintain, that the attribute
of benignity or merey, can be ascribed to nothing abstracted
from that of justice; and that a law all merey would be an
unjust law—and therefore, when we talk of benignity, we
ean understand nothing more than what is comprehended in
Lord Coke’s observation on our law in general, ‘‘that it is
ultima ratio:’’ the last improvement of reason, which in the
nature of it, will not admit any proposition to be true, of
which it has not evidence; nor determine that to be certain,
of which there remains a doubt. If, therefore, in the exami-
nation of this cause, the evidence is not sufficient to convince
you beyond reasonable doubt, of the guilt of all, or of any
of the prisoners, by the benignity and reason of the law, you
will acquit them. But, if the evidence be sufficient to con-
yinee you of their guilt, beyond reasonable doubt, the justice
of the law will require you to declare them guilty, and the
benignity of the law will be satisfied with the fairness and
impartiality of their trial. I am sensible, gentlemen, I have
the severe side of the question to manage: I am to argue
against the lives of eight of our fellow subjects; the very
thought of which is enough to excite your compassion, and to
influence my conduct. The counsel for the prisoners, well
aware of their advantage, arising from the humane side of
the queation, have availed themselves of all the observations

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