Letter received by Banks from William Balmain, 24 May 1802 (Series 23.03) - No. 0006

[Page 6]

Patent to compose it under the present form, and no Appeal to lay from its Decision where the Matter in dispute is less than the Sum of £200 - For the Spirit of Strife has arisen to such a wonderful height among the Inhabitants, that Matters of weighty Concern are frequently agitated before this Bench of Justice which commands so little Respect from its feeble structure, that they are seldom brought to a happy Conclusion The vanquished party cannot or will not persuade himself that his Plea has met with due Consideration, and he instantly arraigns the Judgement of the Court and appeals to the Govt. to reverse its Verdict ; Thus are our Courts of Law involved in perpetual perplexity and have become the sources of great disatisfaction and unhappiness among the Inhabitants

     In cases of emergency when Offenders could not be sent to Head Quarters for trial with sufficient Dispatch, and without Injury to the Service, it might be prudent to direct the Colonial Residents to summon to their Assistance as many Officers and other respectable persons as could be found in their District, and with them proceed to try pass Sentence and order Execution on Criminals the magnitude of whose Offence was of such a nature as to threaten the Settlement with Manifest Danger unless suppressed by prompt and examplary punishment

     The Residents might also be authorized to hold occasional meetings of respectable persons, for the adjustment of civil differences, in order to check as much as possible, that roving disposition and love of novelty which their frequent visits to head quarters never fail to excite, and which in