In this way
they will go on splitting up the damages, and some will grant the
whole and others nothing: how is the final reckoning to be taken?
Again, no one contends that he who votes for a simple acquittal or
condemnation perjures himself, if the indictment has been laid in an
unqualified form; and this is just, for the judge who acquits does not
decide that the defendant owes nothing, but that he does not owe the
twenty minae. He only is guilty of perjury who thinks that the
defendant ought not to pay twenty minae, and yet condemns him.
To honor those who discover anything which is useful to the state is
a proposal which has a specious sound, but cannot safely be enacted by
law, for it may encourage informers, and perhaps even lead to
political commotions. This question involves another. It has been
doubted whether it is or is not expedient to make any changes in the
laws of a country, even if another law be better. Now, if an changes
are inexpedient, we can hardly assent to the proposal of Hippodamus;
for, under pretense of doing a public service, a man may introduce
measures which are really destructive to the laws or to the
constitution. But, since we have touched upon this subject, perhaps we
had better go a little into detail, for, as I was saying, there is a
difference of opinion, and it may sometimes seem desirable to make
changes.
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