At Rome
[21]
it was lawful for one citizen to accuse another. This
was agreeable to the spirit of a republic, where each citizen ought to
have an unlimited zeal for the public good, and is supposed to hold all
the rights of his country in his own hands. Under the emperors, the
republican maxims were still pursued; and instantly appeared a
pernicious tribe, a swarm of informers. Crafty, wicked men, who could
stoop to any indignity to serve the purposes of their ambition, were
sure to busy themselves in the search of criminals whose condemnation
might be agreeable to the prince; this was the road to honour and
preferment,
[22]
but luckily we are strangers to it in our country.
We have at present an admirable law, namely, that by which the
prince, who is established for the execution of the laws, appoints an
officer in each court of judicature to prosecute all sorts of crimes in
his name; hence the profession of informers is a thing unknown to us,
for if this public avenger were suspected to abuse his office, he would
soon be obliged to mention his author.
By Plato's Laws
[23]
those who neglect to inform or to. assist the
magistrates are liable to punishment. This would not be so proper in our
days. The public prosecutor watches for the safety of the citizens; he
proceeds in his office while they enjoy their quiet and ease.
