Dear fairylady-ga;
Thank you for allowing me an opportunity to answer your very
interesting question.
This quote is often attributed to such wise soothsayers as Benjamin
Franklin, Albert Einstein and Justice Learned Hand but British jurist
Sir William Blackstone (1723-1780) is the modern source of this legal
maxim. Blackstone said, "Better that nine guilty men go free than one
innocent man be convicted." Or alternatively “It is better that ten
guilty escape than one innocent suffer.”
Blackstone fashion his belief after this text from The Holy Bible in
which Abraham questions whether God intends to kill the innocent along
with the wicked when he destroys Sodom and Gomorrah:
http://ftwrthtx.webhostme.com/cgi-bin/biblestudy/
(quote the following)
GEN 18:20 And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is
great, and because their sin is very grievous;
GEN 18:21 I will go down now, and see whether they have done
altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if
not, I will know.
GEN 18:22 And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward
Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.
GEN 18:23 And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the
righteous with the wicked?
GEN 18:24 Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt
thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that
are therein?
GEN 18:25 That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the
righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the
wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do
right?
GEN 18:26 And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within
the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.
GEN 18:27 And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon
me to speak unto the LORD, which am but dust and ashes:
GEN 18:28 Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous:
wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I
find there forty and five, I will not destroy it.
GEN 18:29 And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure
there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for
forty's sake.
GEN 18:30 And he said unto him, Oh let not the LORD be angry, and I
will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he
said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there.
GEN 18:31 And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto
the LORD: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said,
I will not destroy it for twenty's sake.
GEN 18:32 And he said, Oh let not the LORD be angry, and I will speak
yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said,
I will not destroy it for ten's sake.
GEN 18:33 And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing
with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.
(end quote)
I hope you find that that my research exceeds your expectations. If
you have any questions about my research please post a clarification
request prior to rating the answer. I welcome your rating and your
final comments and I look forward to working with you again in the
near future. Thank you for bringing your question to us.
Best regards;
Tutuzdad-ga
INFORMATION SOURCES
GIGA USA
http://www.giga-usa.com/gigaweb1/quotes2/quautblackstonewilliamx001.htm
QUOTATION DATABASE
http://maller.com/quotes/default.html?xauth=Sir%20William%20Blac
JJ’S QUOTES AND APHORISMS
http://www.geocities.com/SouthBeach/3797/quotes.html
THE HOLY BIBLE
“Genesis, Chapter 18”
http://ftwrthtx.webhostme.com/cgi-bin/biblestudy/
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