And thus at last, about ten miles from Preston, it came about
that I found myself left in charge of his Majesty's London and Glasgow
mail, then running at the least twelve miles an hour.
What made this negligence less criminal than else it must have been
thought was the condition of the roads at night during the assizes. At
that time, all the law business of populous Liverpool, and also of
populous Manchester, with its vast cincture of populous rural
districts, was called up by ancient usage to the tribunal of
Lilliputian Lancaster. To break up this old traditional usage required,
1, a conflict with powerful established interests, 2, a large system of
new arrangements, and 3, a new parliamentary statute. But as yet this
change was merely in contemplation. As things were at present, twice in
the year [Footnote: "_Twice in the year_":--There were at that time
only two assizes even in the most populous counties--viz., the Lent
Assizes and the Summer Assizes.] so vast a body of business rolled
northwards from the southern quarter of the county that for a fortnight
at least it occupied the severe exertions of two judges in its
despatch. The consequence of this was that every horse available for
such a service, along the whole line of road, was exhausted in carrying
down the multitudes of people who were parties to the different suits.
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