LI. Styles relative to the small debt act, xxix, xxxiv LVIII. Form of a complaint founded on the act against forestallers, ib. No. LXVIII. Do. founded on the statute for herding cattle, LXIX. Complaint founded upon the statute against the celebrator of clandestine marriages, LXX. Complaint against party and witnesses, CONTENTS OF APPENDIX III. MR. COLQUHOUN remarks, that police, in this FINED country, may be confidered as a new science; POLICE DE understanding by it, thofe powers and duties, which we have already confidered as branches of preventive and re- Mr. Colqu medial justice, as well as "thofe other functions which houn's de "relate to internal regulations for the well ordering and "comfort of civil fociety a;" or (to ufe the words of a Treatife on the police of the metropolis, preface. Vol. 11 A finition. POLICE DE FINED. SI. judge Blackstone)" to the due regulation and domestic or"der of the kingdom; whereby the individuals of the state, "like members of a well governed family, are bound to "conform their general behaviour to the rules of propriety, "good neighbourhood, and good manners, and to be de"cent, industrious, and inoffenfive, in their respective situa"tions "." Blackftonc's. 62. ANCIENT REGULA CERNING POLICE. a THE duty of juftices of peace, with refpect to this clafs of offences, is equally various and delicate. On the committing of murder, robbery, or other fuch offences, we have already feen what fteps must be taken by the magiftrates as guardians of the public peace, which has been broken. We are now to confider their jurifdiction, in relation to fuch actions and line of conduct, as, though they do not, like the other malpractices, ftrike at the existence of civil fociety, yet are inconfiftent, at least, with its well being. Under this book, therefore, falls to be noticed, fuch regulations as have been made, touching idlenefs, vagrancy, forefalling, and regratting; weights and meafures, &c. which will be explained in different chapters. II. THE Scottish legislature appears to have been early prone to exercife jurisdiction in matters of police; and thus TIONS CON has afforded many warnings of the vanity of attempting to regulate things beyond the grafp of human legislation. Of their multiplied enactments, intended for encouraging trade, Their inef- manufactures, and agriculture, and checking luxury and exficacy. travagance, few have ferved any purpofe, but to afford the hiftorian and antiquary curious infight into the manner of living, and ftate of fociety, in thofe days". a B. iv, c. 12. feveral periods of his history of Scot Pinkerton's Retrofpects at the land. |