We are not to form our judgment on those dispositions from the rules and principles of a court of justice, but from those of private discretion,--not looking for what would serve to criminate another, but what is sufficient to direct ourselves.
Burke suggests that judgments about individuals should be based on personal discretion rather than legal standards.
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More from Edmund Burke
As he is not to obey us, but we are to obey the law in him, our Constitution has made no sort of provision towards rendering him, as a servant, in any degree responsible.
Who could conceive that men who are habitually meddling, daring, subtle, active, of litigious dispositions and unquiet minds, would easily fall back into their old condition of obscure contention, and laborious, low, and unprofitable…
If kings who did not owe their crown to the choice of their people had no title to make laws, what will become of the statute De tallagio non concedendo? of the Petition of Right? of the act of Habeas Corpus?
But the course of succession is the healthy habit of the British Constitution.
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