This  system  of  giving  high  rewards  only  on  con-
viction, also  tends  to  vpakcji  evidence:  since  it  is
obvious  that  the  Counsel  for  all  Prisoners,  >vhose
•offences  entitle  the  Prosecutors  and  Officers  to  a  re-

yard,


OF  OFFENDER*.  393

ward,  generally  endeavour  to  impress  upon  the  minds '
of  the  Jury  an  idea  that  witnesses;  who  have  a  pe-
cuniary interest  in  the  conviction  of  any  offender
standing  on  trial,  are  not,  on  all  occasions,  de-
serving of  full  trredit,  unless  strongly  corroborated  by
other  evidence ;  and  thus  mafly  notprious  offenders
often  escape  justice.
By  altering  the  system  entirely,  and  leaving  it  in
the  breast  of  the  Jodge  who  tries  the  offence,  to'de-
termine  what  reward  shall  be  allowed,  with  a  power
to  grant  or  ttithhoM,  or  to  Hmit  and  increase  the  same,'
according  to  circumstances  connected  with  the  trou-
ble and  risk  of  the  parries,  whether  there  is  a  coiwiction
or  not,  a  fairer  measure  of  recom pence  would  be  dealt
out ; — the  public  money  would  be  more  beneficially
distributed,*  so  as  to  excite  general  activity  in  check-
ing every  species  of  criminality  ; — and  the  objections,
now  urged  against  Officers  and  Prosecutors  as  in-
terested witnesses,  would,  by  this  arrangement,  be
completely  obviated.
For  the  purpose  of  elucidating  these  suggestions,
jf  may  be  useful  to  examine  the  different  offences

*  The  expence  to  the  Public  for  rewards  paid  by  the  Sheriffs
of  the  different  Counties  for  12  years,  from  1786'  to  1797  inclu-
sive, appears  from  the  Appendix  of  the  28th  Report  of  the  Select
Committee  on  Finance,  pjige  104  to  stand  thus  :

1786  £.10,840  1792  .€.7,330)

17S7  15,060  175W  8,160

1738  tf;500  1794  7,140

1789  7,340  1795  8/,»90

17*10  8,970  1796'  4,010  \'          £.-94,430.
