The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1820-05-16 00:00:00

I A i A rl I ; f r~ pointment, it wonlil not only act unfairly towards • the Commissioner*, but neglect the duty which it owed to the public. The Commiesioners hid con ducted their inquiries in the most fair and candid manger; they had taken fur their eyelid:oil, in foils toying the duties arid labour* of the office, the re preeentations of the Barons themselves. From the Basing they learned that there were in all shout silty-fear or sixty-five days in a your employed in iheir sittings, leaving ohl the Sundaes (the Com. meteismeredid (let eay the' they,were molt nada-dad), % te ne t two inon1)1.1 was the whole time emeloyed in all the memo rs,r Love year. Thee- iii* • meted as 111 Board of Trieristiry. Null in this dote they received raniewslly about 1,300 petitions. The borusesa of the Treasure': hdtweee% wits consigned by the Barone s e tt l e King's leement'brancer. and by him aging( to * his deputy. The Barons did nothing bolt order a report. then receive it !oil pronounce on it. and *ear labour in this department of their duties was at an end. He wished the douse to contra. , these unties with those of a Baron of the English Exche quer Court. The Scotch Barons never wrist cir. Colt like the English ones. The Court of Ex- CheqUer in England. was also • Court of Equity, which was open to all parties who chose t o apply; not so in Scotland. The English Barons trot only went circuit, het took their turn at the Old Bailey, and were liable besides for Special Commissions. The Scotch Barons had iaone of this to do. The English Barons lisd various cue+ and mete referred to them for their dreirion. In none of these labours could the ditties of the Scotch Barons be compared with them. They were only occupied during two months in the year by ! r eds et bar, and the whole business o r the Tres- Bury Board, after bring referred to the Remem brance% was dune by his deploy. 'Whet reason then could there be for five Barone in Seotlarid 'While four were sufficient in England ? lle would rat, what were the impression's of time late Attorney-General when lire accepted the office of 'Chief Baron of the Court of Exchequer in Scot land. whether he took that office with an under- Mantling that it was a laborious office, or as an office of easy employment, not to say a sinecure office? But deny thing were still wanting to prove the little labour of the r.ffice. it was furnished by that learned person ; for he undertook, besides the duties of the Chief Baron, the office of Lord Commissioner of the luny Ogirt. The ob ject was, by these two appointments, to make up the salary of Chief Be equal to those of the other Judges, the duties not being very weighty ex cept es they entitled the Chief Baron to a salary of ILIMO/. a year. Ile could remind the House be sides, that it had often been proposed to relieve the t7(rent of Session from the duties of the Court of Tierirle, and throw them on the Barons of the Ex rhequer, to increase their respectability, if pos sible, by glviug them the appearance of doing something r'r their money.---(d laugh.)--He eernevtly called the attention of any Gentleman whose vote could be influenced by a statement of facts—(A laugh)—if any such there were, mid he would state one, which, if the cause he was then supporting were before a jury, would instantly de cide the matter in his favour. The late Lord Chief Baton, before he died, enjoyed very bad health, was absent from the Court, three years. during two of which lie travelled Italy, and when he came home never returned to the Court of Exchequer, but wax, for the business of the Court as complete a nonentity as the door-keeper of the (louse. If the ('hie/ Baron could be seared, finely they might spare% J Nniar Baron.—(!lenr, Gear.)—Such was the simple fact, which lie lied not stated merely for the annuyance of Ministers, or for the purpose of decrying the Government. In these times it would be odious in coy man to stand up in that (louse for the purpose of ridiculing the ancient institutions of the country, which more than ever required their care. tie esker' far that respect for his mo. lives, to which the earldom. anti fairness of his pur. roses entitle(' biro, his sole view brine to object to an appointment so wholly without excuse, -except that of patronage. Little indeed seas he inclined to speak lightly of the Courts of .Justice, which more than ever required upholding, and which, whatever other qualities , might be attributed to them, had sheen of late that they were to the last degree persereting i 0 their examination% and im partial in their decisions. But this would be no apology for 'Untie up this appointment with such 1' breathless haste," if such a term could be ap plied to any but the military molione of 'Ali glisters. Perhape he ought to say. that there was ore disseiltient voice among the Commissioners.— It would be necessary for him to go into the consideration of who were these Crimmissiou ers. it might turn out that the dissentient per son was Sir Bay Campbell, under whose rugges. lion. all the appointments in Scotland, liar the last 50 years, had been filled up. Now, under the inirfortoneof a wont of a perfectly unanimous egreetnent among the Commissioners, every one in Scotland wculd say, Grant that the desisentient voce may be that of Sir llay Campbell," although he was at the bead of the Commission. The next comiderstion was, as to the person appointed to fulfil the duties of Remembrencer, whose name was Sir Patrick Murray. He would ask the Learned Lord Advocate, if Sir 1. wee a lawyer —if he had ever acted as • lawyer any time during twenty years past—or could claim the title any otherwise than from having been formally called to the bar ? There was no reason for the appoint ment of Sii Patrick, except that of the merest and most room parrorsegr. Ile was Rementhrancer, 1141 dad his di t ty by depti . ly. But some perilous lm 'Kra to attend Ceara. of Law, though they had a a tiesiness to Ink after, and Sir Patrick might cloture to put on his gown. and go into the Par. hauseut-Istruse, to see what was going on. The cause of his appvintnient might, perhaps, be traced to his having been once a troublesome candidate for the representstion of the county of Perth. It was not a new way to promotion, and a former candidate fur his (Lcrd Archibald Hamilton's) own county, had .found it • successful path ; and indeed, twin what he had observed of Scotch polities, a man could not take a' snore direct course to obtain any ,peliticul advancement than to stand in opposition to a candidate favoured by filisiteters. •The Noble Lord opponte, who had once been Lord Advocate, smiled and seem ed amused with the humour of the remark; but he would venture to say. that no out knew the truth of that remark better than the Lout Registrar. —!!fear. Aear. S—As the Noble Lard Advocate had implicated others, lie (Lord H.) was obliged to examine the list of Commissioners more closely. He would, first of all, declare that the Commissi (((( era were persons generally the most respectable and the best qualified for the busiiiess of such an inquiry that could he selected. There was first Sir Ilay Canmbell, who indeed might say of the Cllllllllllll , lOll, with re spect 1016. predosninance,"quorunt parsmognafai." —p•A laasrlt.J—Next was Sir James Montgomery, an authority as good (lie spoke it without the least disrespect) as the Lord Advocate or the Lord Re gistrar. There were also Messrs. Robinson, Trent ham, and Gaspard; the latter had written a hook ott Scotch Law, which was very generally quoted, and lie as well as Sir James Montgomery were weighty authorities with Miuisters. He was reminded of a feet, that in Edinburgh, at the time of the all pointossent in question, the convenati tttt in those cir cis, was nut as to the appointment of ■ fifth Ba ron, but was confined entirely to the question of Sir Petrick Murny's mipoiiittnint to that of fice ; and he would ask the Lord Advocate, whether in Scotland there was any other quere upon the sobjecs, except as to the appointment of Sir Patrick He now came to the paper brought on the table on the motion of the Learned Lord. When he Grit gave notice of his mafioso, the Learned Lord said he should be ready to meet it whenever it mime on. The learned Lord afterwards moved for the paper before the House, and he (Lord II.) took it therefore as a fair argnownt in support of the Learned Lord's opinion's on the subject. Now, had he asked the lea►urd Lord to produce a paper which should wholly betray his (Me Lord Advocate's) cause. he could not hive been better accommo dated ; lie would have been glad of that very paper. The paper took away all faindation frora the objec tions to the motions. • it asserted that the number of Barons. ought to he uneven, for the sake of being able to divide. Then, after what be had stated before, that nuitib(r should have been reduced to three, and slot increased to five, Iltit what foundation was th ere for t hi s ? The English Courts had four J iislg,es in each ; the whole number being called con stitutionally "the Twelve Judges," a custom which had been confirmed by reasoned ap:probstiou. But he had another more general objection to the paper. It brought the Judges, whose opinions it contented. before the House as the 'importers of a iodine ►I job. The opinion of the Commissioners on such a topic sweat be far superior to that of the Judges. flat the latter itself, by some unfortunate means of etpremion into which the subject had be trayed the author.. deprived the Lord Advo cate of all the argument which he could hove to draw from i►. Besides, how did he know that the paper was prepared fairly and inipirtially, so as to make it fit to be used as an argument before the House? It was evident that the Judges in draw.. Mg it up made no appeal to the Commissioners, and in any case they most hove a bias on such a question; so must the Learned Lord, at whore in stance, perhaps, it was originally prepared. Ile thought the first fact respecting the late Chief Baron, which he had stated, decisive; but now he tame to as extraordinary and impressive a fact as ever was related by tongue or pen. In the first Report of the Commissioners it was re commended to let the duties of one clerk of the Court of Sessions devolve on the other two, and re duce the office. It was fun to chew what was the opinion of the Judges on the same case. They de clared, that it would not only be inexpedient, but almost impossible; that the duty of the clerks was olready enough for the time of any man, if indeed he could find time enough to get through it. Such was the opinion of the-Judges. Would it be believed that one of these overlaboured, overdone clerks, was Walter Scott ? Did lie find time fur nothing besides the duties of his office ? Were his writings nothing in respect of the time he used about them ? He did not care who entertained such an opinion. it must be scouted from the Land's End to the Orkneys. " And one mass," said the Report of the Judges, " could not do it for any length of time !" If this was tree, o► if the Rouse biliived it, let them get rid of these Commissioner. and the expense* of all such Cammtssions. This at least was due to the country. ft was a remarkable fact, that while the word " economy" was so frequently ringing in their ear*, by some fatality there was no office in the patronage of Ministers, however useless and disgraceful the expense, which wits ever attempted to be abridged. A man who wrote more delightful works than most men had time to read, held an office, of the duties of which the Judges Said, " and one man could not do it for any length of time." There was something fatisitons an d f a t a l i n Scotch patronage, which seemed to act independently of the will of Ministers, and the effects of which they were seldom aware of, until they heard it through the most formidable complaint* in that House. He really did not believe that Ministers would have retained such appointments after the Report of the Commissioners. They might he desirous of holding office, and eager for its emolument, but they never could willingly and knowingly comm it such an act of felt) de se, as to continue offices which could only promote disgust and indigos- Vm. Now as to the Court itself, the remark of the Commissioners was, that the duties of al most all the (Acre were performed by deputy. This was odd enough, us it was commonly asserted and supposed that there was no jobbing or corrup tion in those Courts. Mr. Goodwin, the Itemem brancer's Deputy, according to the Commissioners' liepors, page 24, " Charged whatever he 'Armed, or might judge to be a reicionable remuneration for his trouble."—(/leer, hear.)—He would not pursue the details of the Report further for the present ; but lie would • derlin e, sod was ready to prove it, there was Ito Court in which such syste matic jobbing prevailed throughout. As one instance he remarked that of the Barons sweeping their own chambers. He did not find fault because Sir P. Mur ray was nu lawyer; there was no need of his being a luityer to fulfil such sit office. But than he acted by deputy. Ile could not conceive this to be a ht and proper way to 1)614 the Judges of the laud be fore the House. Ministers ought to have taken the odium of this most disgraceful transaction entirely on themselves. He begged pardon for detaining the Howie—/blear, /.ear)--he was aware that from the imperfect manner in which lie hod brought it forward. lie must have done great injustice to the case. The paper of the Lord Adtocate should have carried coovictiusi to the people, especially as it was impossible foe it to carry conviettou to the Judges or . - B4r°"" of Scotland, illsr to any or int parties con cerned. lie would fileg leave to add, that such was the opinion of those conversant with the affairs of Scotch Courts, that the House might be assured, if their votes should ever pa" in fa; your of the appointment, that they would not carry conviction to the Srottish people. He cared nothing about the question. fur 1 1 %elf, or for his share in it ; bid it hail a deep and collateral in terest in the prevent state of the country. Let any one look, for insianee, into the state of Lanark. where, as lionenrable Members uppo•ite well knew, distress wish goading the people on to distraction. Let theta consider the effects of such an appoint ment on that population, some of whom were, no doubt, mieehi e vnn., si dniou and depraved, but the greater part were shrewd, speculative, reason ing people. What could be urged in reply to them when they stated this as one of hundred. of cases similar, which more that, any thing tended to keep up that excitement of the vulgar 'Mod ?—(Cheers front the Oppoitfoci—What could hr do or sly its reply to such a statement, when called upon to quell a disturbance of those unhappy men, and pot them dawn at the point of the sword, in his capacity of Deputy Lieutenant of the County, and as a Magistrate and Keeper of the l'eace ? lie concluded by entreating the lions-, as they re garded the sufferings and the respect of the people, and a• they preferred tranquillity and confidence to violence and distrust, to favour tie Resolution which he had to submit tr, them, which was— '" That this Holism do agree with the Report of the Com missioners appoiuted to inquire into the duties, memos, and einulliments of Courts of Justice in Scotland, as far a* relate* to the Court of Excheyier, concerning which ' the Report declares five 'Bayous to he snore than necessary, and that she bossiness could be done erpially well with four, as in England, withont materially adding to the duties of the remaining offices." The Noble Lord was loudly cheered as lie sat down. The LORD ADVOCATE then rose. Ile toil( th e whole blame of the papers which he had moved for upon himself; Nod in doing so lie (oily wished to have credit for their containing the whole truth, and fur his intention stud wishes that they should contain the truth. The Judge. at the heads of all the Courts in Edinburgh had nuallionously concurred with hi in its opinion, that a judicial establishment, subsinuing for a very foninteriod of time in Scotland, and who s e continuance had been provided for in the Act of Union bet.ren the two countries, should not be hastily and inCousiderately altered, and that no change should be admitted in the vonstiontion thereof, but upon the most grave and deliberate examination, and upon the testimony of such indi viduals as, from education and pursuits, were beat enabled to florin sn opinion on the ;object ; and if the Report which he had caused to be laid before the House, were looked into. this would be found la be the substance of it. It stated the necessity of deep deliberation and extensive inquire, previous to the *Joplin any alteration iii titr frame of the Court, mod all these conditions should be realised, it was advisable to continue the former number of Judges. He had been surprised at the observations of the Noble Lord (Lord A. Hamilton) on the Jury Court. That Court was a new institution ; yet, most of the Judges who presided in it were not new, but taken from other Court.. The whole system of it at the commencement had been merely experimental. All the proceedings were directed to commence in the Court of Session. The cause was to be brought into the Jury Court, merely to obtain a verdict, after which it was to be sent back into the oilier Court. Its its establishment the Pre judices of the people generally were by no means consulted—their feelings were on the aide of the old practice; and with these prejntlices alpinist it, it was surprising how perfectly it haul succeeded,' mid answered the purposes intended. This was Undoubtedly due principally to the zeal, good temper,. end talents of the Chief Commissioner; but such was the feeling of the benefits derived from it, that Acts of Parliament were passed aubar• queittly to its formation, giving it an original and entire jurisdiction over a variety of cases. It was quite clear therefore that a number of itnportout duties must devolve on the head of that Court, par ticularly as his two brethren were obliged to preside in another Court—( dear, from the Opposition)— where they had very arduous duties imposed on them. It was quite a mistake of the Noble Lord to suppose that a judge in one Court could devote none of his time to the administration of justice in another. The two minor Judges of the Jury Court, who were &elected on account of their talent* and. learning to that office, had duties to perform in the Court of Session besides, and also iu the Court of .1 mist iciary.-- ( Ifear,from the Opposition.) —To favour the motion of the Noble.Lurd, there certainly was a Report of certain Commissioners, not unanimous, however, for one, and the chief, had dissented from the rest. But the recommendation had come from persons who were not authorised, who had no power by law, or by the act of their ap pointment, to consider that point on which they had taken on themselves to give an opinion. Ile in sisted that they had travelled out of their jurisdic tion, mid, moreover, that their opinion rested tin the weight of their own names, merely unsupport ed by any other groom! ur outhority.—(lhur.) The Noble Lord might blame the filling up of the• vacancy, but if fairly viewed, it was, under the cif., commences, one of the most reasonable things that could be. It was merely the continuing iii its old form of a Court which the people had enjoyed fur centuries, and which they had a right to consider as their own, the vacancy mid taken 'duce (us we un •derstood) in November IntS, and was tilled up its lost &lurch. Parliament hod met twice it+ the interval,•but not a word had been said on the subject no the opposite side of the House. He must be indulged in a few words with respect to the qua litleatious of the gentleman appointed. Sir P. 'Murray possessed a species of knowledge which peculterly fitted him for tic situation. Ile had fur many years acted as Ptime Remembrancer of the Court of Exchequer; Hod he send that the ex perience and knowledge of pro . ctice amid forms ac.; quired by the 'whin% of that office qualified Imo for his new duty better than ally other mode of at terdance on the Court. An appointment on such. grounds was not without precedent : Baron Mon. cruel' had been chosen as a Baron of the Exchequer iu gii,eattd, in consequence of having been a De puty Itemembrancer for sa years; the appoint meta of 8111911 Perrott (we believe) proceeded our the same rectum. But there was one ptnut of stew .N. in which the appolistmeht of Sir P. Sin ?ray was !PPP. cially deserving of appiobation. I4ls appointment produced a considerable saving to the public, which would not accrue had stay other individual been fixed upon. Because by a Bill pawed a few years before, the office he had held was to he abolished, on the eirpiration of the interest of the then holder. —(Hear.)—The celery annexed to it, therefore, which w t's equal to one half of that of Boron of the Exchequer, became merged In that of the latter, and it reduction to such amount was thus effected for the country.--(( heers)—lle insisted that no assurance whatever had I).en ?liked or given, that the place would tint be tilled m 4.11111 'Corrected the error, that the fifth Moon was an additional one, not before known in the Court. lie con tended that the number of J udges in the Court of Exchequer had been fixed at firl•, by the following words in the Act of Union. " At ion time there shell be more 11)411 five members.— (,Cheers and laughter from the Opposkian.)-11o: language was strictly just, because it provided }or the occasional contingency of a moaner nniwber. lie argued, that there were several reasons why the number of Judges should he five rather than four. There were five Judges in all the Courts of Law in Scotland. •• We," sent the Lord Advo cate, ' • prefer four, you five."—(Laughter from the Opposiqess.)—The Learned Lord then entered into a description of the v.4iovis and important du ties to be performed by the Barna - , which he as serted could not be properly done by fewer. The Noble Lord's statement with respect to the di.- charge of the ministerial duties by the Deputy tie ntembrancer was a total mistake. These and other functions in relation to the passing of charters, and appointing tutors,could not he performed hut its per son. The Commissioners were appointed to inquire into the dutie', fees, and emoluments of clerk., ministers, and officers of the Courts of Justice— Mewl—surely, then,, they had exceeded their powers in extending their Inquiries to Judges.— (Hear, hear.)—He contended, that this, his view of the case, wee supported by the original motion of the lion. Member for AVaterford (Sir J. Newport), rod the former investigations referred to tlwresu, carried on in 1664, 1693, 1757, and 1797. The only qualification held necessary for must of the Connuissumers in the present inatauce woo an ignis ranee of the subjects into which they were io quire. lie thought that the Noble Lord's remarks 44s the first of the Commissioners (Sir Ilay Campbell) might have been spored, lie should have hoped that his years and venerable grey hair, would have sieved him from comments undeserved and unfounded, (Cries of " chair !") . . . . . The VEARER here called the Lord Advocate to order. The LORD ADVOCATE continued. lie had not io tended to say oily thing unparliamentary, and if soy thing of that description had escaped him, be was ready to make any apology.—(dear, hear.) — The First Commissioner was eminently qualified to fill the office for which he hail been selected, but the oilier, were svltoliy unfit, so that the reconnuen dation, was not entitled to much weight. The people of Scotland felt themselves highly gratified by his Majesty's Government having sent into that country to preside over the Exchequer Court an individual (Sir S. Shepherd) so ranch distinguish-' ed as the present Chief Baron was, by all the qua lities which could adorn a Judge; and lidless the north.couMly air —(d laugh)—w as utterly subver sive of parity of mind and integrity of chinacter. he mald not hove given his opinion, when required so to do,bot fairly, impartially, and wisely. Time records of Parliament would bear 111111 out wheu he tuid, that in December last lie had given notice of moving for. leave to bring in two Bills to regulate the Courts of Session and of Admiralty. Circumstances had intervened to prevent I • from following up his intention before, but lie had iti the Mello time sub mitted the measures to all the great law authorities iu Scotland, and he should beg leave to relicw his notices in a few days. It was utterly impossible for lons at present to attempt tiny thing of pot nature in rrgdrd ess the C'ourt of Exchequer, because the Reports iiipecting it were not completed. fie wan not aware that the Barons of the Exchequer had soy yolitieal.duties attached to their The Noble Lord laboured ander • mistake vibes he affirmed . that the late Chief Baron had •bees abattat three years. The -period of hits absent* hid bdt Exceeded rine, hod When .residiug at &til t 'he went regularly down to Ediii .bitigh at totas time. Loni A. fiIIiSIMON and the Loan ADVOCATE mutually explainid. Sr./. IVEY/ PORT said that the House was bound to entertain the greatest postible distrust of M tote ten' intentions with regard to effectuating the re coaniiindations of the Commission. And why ? because they had originally voted against the motion for its appointment. and had done every thing in their power to delay and frustrate its object. Alter the address bad hero carricel, they aniseed omen months to pass before any ap pointment took place, and no appointment was made till a notice had been given in the House old motion for Inquiry into the causes of the delay. The Learned Lord (the Lord Advocate) said, that the Commissioners had travelled out of their lung diction, in inquiring into the constitution of the Court. It had so happened, however, that in both England and Ireland, the Commissioners were all +itv wits isistairiog into the duties of the J udges Weirs 4sivr)-4asi thiir emoluments. lie believed that &hued they had su 11111 l tined the Judges before them, sod staimainsvi them nib touching their fern. If the Lord's üb.rivatnwu had 66.11 well founded, the 'Cbuitni.• 1111 l ers ought to have been ut the firit AkliKfaleed. lie certainly allowed that the appointment of one of the Coto was Usoll extraordinary. Oa a C mission to inquire into ken of the officers in the Court of Chancery, his M•ijeety's Mihistrrs had nominated two Masters in Chaticery—(lleurj—and accordingly the House had their Report belore them which gave no account of fee.; a Repent, stating, that the Lord Chaticelfor's S. civility received nu fees, but only gratuities. He tl l ght the Corn nitsesioners bad stilted the most valid grounds, foe their opinion in describing the duties to be done io the Court, the uuwher of cases to be tried, and of days in the year, moulding by-the-bye, to only 'eighty-fire', fur which sittings were held. He be lieved the ministerial duties of the Barons consisted in only affixing a signature. But the must im portant argument on the side of the Conintiiialontis was, that for one whole year, on the Leartted odinission, the ditty of the Court 'NW'. four Barons. It was au extraordimary tar rri.ce that the number of Judges could not he lees because an Act of Parliament hid provided that it should not he more. Had the ease produced hv the Learned lAttril Mien submitted to the ('nniruts. s i nn ers, to discover what they could stlvatice in sup. Ant of their own opinion ?—/Hear, te , dr)—Wutild it not htiVe Win TAM 14 M Slli%Ved Went to se e it? But if the Home did not support its risti Comitionioners, it *Odd be ettoogh to rte•couri ze any mail from donrg his duty in future. 'Pit. war 11'4 tlw case in try the sincerity of Alajerty's Ministers to thei PrOfessionst * IWO effert thie endued* the CoMittrisints. trestio n termed to be mute olintit the exigence of abuses. The last RePnrt containOd I aiiciiption or sook OUP monstrous, that without comity/ ors strung evidence they 'would be incredible. It was Iris ictent - ld submit a tiintioa to the House foonded on one of the fa'ci'e ifetsiled in it.— . ‘Vhere there wee crimio•lity be woes as there describe:l. there should not only be amendment for the past, but ministrinint for the future. Hr Ise infortned that the htislnetta or the Eitchequer Court M4l diminalting, or at !Alit not increasing. If the !louse pronoist.ced that it would not act on the re commendation of the ConniFasinn, it would he 14r better that it were dissolved, and the expense of it saved to the public.—(Hear, hear.) Lord CASTLEREAGh SWIM' the Noble Lord (Lord A. Hamilton) that if he imputed to his M. jesoy's Ministers, in these times, any wish but that of performing their duty to the public, by correct. ing ill abuses that might crime to light, he impieed to theta what they were incapable of feeling. The Noble Lityri then argued, that the House would not be jistilled in consenting to change the frame and teinstantion of one of the principal Courts, on thC Vivre 'diction of fobs nut of Are Commissioners, who, had stepped, as be conceived, beyond their province. in giving the recommendation. The Court was. in addition to its other duties, a Court of Revenue, and in much of its jurisdiction wittinat slipfal. He hoped the Noble Lord had exaggerat id the distreisti . of his roninitnents, at all event* tfle decision of tbat night could make but lade deriehie to theta. Nothing he knew was so easy as to get credit for the imagination, that tyre)* rppoiniment was the result of a connexion with souse swan in power. Bin lie would a,k, would that hlghly.dostinguisheil and respected ch tarter. the Chief ffiroti of Scotland, have suc tioned an appOintment if it had not been necessary! lie nottet contend, that the gentleman appointed was the Attest person, from his previous habits and knowledge, and that, in short, the appont metit had not been made in the spirit of favour, bet Of joist discrimination. The Reports of Com mainiatersi of Inquiry, though useful. were not to heransidered without appeal, isud the only way of rightly renfleriug them available sins by referrisi; them to the Boards respecting what inquiries a, r , mode. in the case of the inquiry into the Court of Chancery, some years two, Lord Illairdwickelied setvilly himself drawn up the Reports. Bet he would ask, what interest could the Judges of Of &taunt have in the number of Blifelie of the Exchequer ? and he would contend that Lord Sidmontli would have incurred 4 very grave responsibility if he had not tilled op the office, but had left a Court of Law in a new and fantastical state of incompleteness. By so actin.: the House were not precluded from considering Ilse nature of the offence—that was still within the reach of Parliament, though uodout,tedly the particular appointment WWI SO placed.—His opinion was that the Commissioners had not examined fully and fairly, or ut all events, they had not given the Noose in the body of their Report any.grutinds to enatite the House to go along with thriti. He was pre pared to meet the Noble Lord half way, and 1,..0 Into a full inquiry. which In his opinion hail net been done by the short and dogmatical Report of the Commissioners. The SPEAKER now read the question, when Mr. TIEUNEY rose And swig, that be ai+s this was a question which Ministers would not meet directly; they had accordingly misinted the fllolllrT9 Of the Oentletwris on that site of the flous . e, sod 'OKI. ticularly ciitiotired the stew Members to be upon their guard against their audits -it, as !hey would ilia fallibly teal Olean into lid ore ; but lie would tell these stew Members that if they follow the Noble Lord, he will lead them into dffi coltits forthwith. We art iircuseti," said Mr, Tierney, " of not believing hi the sincerity of the professions of economy made by the Administration. I protest to God I do not believe one word of those professions; for if we put Furth a i„rritierul pro— ject of tenuously, then we are itemised of oversettiog the Goveruntent ; it a small atving is proposed, the.. it is said, %Vitat • noise you make about nothiu4 l" Ile believed this was the fault of the system, and the Ministers could not petit it; they could not afford to lose the third part of the fifth of a Baron. MIA were obliged, if they would retain their places, to retain also the whole of their patronage. It the Noble Lord lied proposed inquiry five mouths since, there would have been something in it, but now if they were to appoint a Committee, send for witnesses out of Scotland to resit:line, would there, lie would ask, be a probability of ar t y thing being done this Srd4loll ? The Noble Lord has said. the Government were embarrassed affair ; nut the suitor., but the Govern inesitiuni so iudeed they were. Sir Novick Muiruy'wes too well backed up to be refused ; he had played the game the sordid 00 disrespect to hint) which. had been once played before, at which some gentleman had and. Ttiere are three of u.." Ile could not say what the number was here. 111111111 " Five of us." Reviewing all 'the circum- stances of this appointment, be would ask. cotiltt any masa doubt that it was a job—is downright, un equivocal jolt ? If it had out been so the Ni•ble Lord would have at least abstained from tilling tilt tins appointment. The Right lion. Gandeuitto contended that there was 'scare made out distinctly. and that by Commissioners named by the Crown: all the facts were admitted ; and were they then to shut their eyes to that appo iiiii uent snide its tiefisae of all decency. uut for the sake of the miserable saving of 1,0001. a-yeur. as the Noble Lord liad stated it, but es being the first intelligible retrench ment which had been proposed ? If Me Ministers had sufficient authority to citify the business ht th e way they sitereiteing on, they must submit. as alt V ~t. 4 li li . I .