You should constitute a sworn appraiser of reputation, and take security for his integrity in the appraisement of all such goods as are seized by virtue of execution.
You should prevent clerks in office accepting presents from bailiffs, as such presents cannot be for the public good.
You should take care, that plaintiff and defendant are not BOTH charged with the expence of arrest, and that too by treble fees.
You should appoint proper persons in Middlesex to take bail-bonds, the same as in London; but under better regulations.
You should appoint a proper person to superintend lock-up-houses twice a week, and make returns of such prisoners as remain for want of bail, and the names of such bail as HAVE been by them OFFERED to the bailiff.
You should regulate the expence of lock-up-houses, and have those regulations hung up for the Inspection of prisoners.
You should prevent any officer keeping a Lock-up-house, or having any interest therein.
To enumerate ALL the frauds and artifices practised by these gentlemen would swell this Letter to a voluminous size. Suffice it therefore, that I have pointed out more malpractices than you will easily rectify, or could have comprehended from COMMON report, notwithstanding you conceived them to be both numerous and flagrant.
Having thus far shewn what is practised in open defiance of all laws human and divine, it will not be improper to remark how far these outrages are carefully prohibited by the strict letter of the laws now in force.
No arrest is lawful, unless the bailiff absolutely lay his hand on the defendant; for the writs express arrest by the words Capias, Attachias, that is, to take and catch-hold; therefore, breaking open doors to make an arrest is no more lawful than breaking them to commit a burglary; for every act of violence is unlawful till the arrest be made and complete.