The Sun.
London, England, 1831-08-22 00:00:00

SITTINGS.

Mr. ANDERDON, in consequence of Mr. Sugden's absence,
applied for leave to make a few observations upon what his
Lordship had said in " Hughes v. Wynne."
The LORD CHANCELLOR immediately observed, " I shall
give judgment, though Sir Edward Sugden is absent. If you
were absent—if all the gentlemen within the Bar were absent—
and if all the gentlemen behind the Bar were absent, I shall not
be prevented from discharging my duty from any such cause.'
Mr. MONTAAGU soon afterwards felt it necessary to inquire
whether it was his Lordship's intention at present to hear a cer-
tain bankrupt petition in the paper, notwithstanding two of the
leading Counsel were absent.
The LORD CHANCELLOR said, most certainly it is. I
am very glad (continued his Lordship) that you have given me
this opportunity of stating what lam about to say. There has
been a very curious mistake—l cannot help thinking, a wil-
ful misrepresentation—on the part of some persons—
parties, with respect to what I have three or four times
said, namely, that I was determined to finish the business,
and it is a falsehood.—l am sorry to use the word—but it is
afalschood to state that I have appeared to go through the
appeals, and have not in reality gone through them, having
postponed the heavy ones and taken the light ones. I heard
two appeals in the course of last week, in each of which
I had eighteen arguments addressed to rne, but I have post-
poned "Chambers v. Waters,"and" Chambers v. Waters' alone;
not upon the ground of its being a heavy appeal, but because I
had an impression (which impression was fortified by that of
some of the eminent Counsel concerned in it) that until another
case connected with it was heard, it did not appear to be
necessary to hear " Chambers r. Waters" at all; for which
reason I said let it be postponed ; but I am perfectly ready to
hear it now if it is desired. That is the only case that has been
postponed, except two others which were postponed on special
applications, stating that the parties were not ready—they were
not ready because I have overtaken them sooner than they had
expected. Therefore I say that all the appeals have been heard
with the exception of Chambers and Waters and the other two to
which I have alluded, which were ready and in a state to be
heard down to the end of last June, in number 123. There were
97 in arrear when I came to the great seal, and I:13 have I heard
since that period, which, of course, I could not have
done without the great assistance I have received from the Bar.
Now With respect to the bankrupt petitions, it has also gone
forth by an equal misrepresentation, that I only mean to hear three
bankrupt petitions, which shall be consented to ! Why, there has
hardly been a cause of any description brought before me since I
came into this Court that has not been contested, therefore, if I
were to hear only the consent matters, I should in reality hear
nothing at all. Now, let it be understood, once for all, that I in-
tend to hear the whole. Also that I further intend that if any
parties apply to have their petitions postponed on account of
theabsence of Counsel, I shall tender myself to hear those matters ;
and if parties are not ready to go on with them, and I see that it
is intended to postpone them simply on the ground of the ab-
sence of Counsel I shall decide them myself upon looking at the
papers, which 1 have a clear right to do, whether any parties
appear or not ; or I shall give the opportunity of having
them postponed, but not to have the chance of being heard after-
wards till the end of Michaelmas Term. All the causes which
arise between now and Michaelmas Term, including the ten
appeals from his Honour (the number that has been lodged
within the last six weeks, and which arenot ready for hearing), all
shall be heard before and in preference to the postponed causes, so
that those who wish for delay shall pay the penalty of it. So much
for the story that I only meant to hear short causes and causes
consented to. I shall not occupy the time at present by giving
judgment in all the causes that are in the paper for judgment,
for I mean to give judgment in heavy causes in the
evenings when if it is convenient one Counsel on a side may at-
tend me. lam not quite sure whether I shall be obliged to at-
tend the House of Lords to.night, but if I am not, I shall
return to sit here at half-past five o'clock in the evening,
after having risen to take some little refreshment.
WELLESLEY v. BEAUFOR'I'.

Mr. Wellesley was discharged this morning without having
personally to appear in Court, as the Registrar had almost ex-
pected the practice of the Court would have required.
The Solicitor-Goneral, Mr. Pepys, Mr. Rose, and Mr. Lovat,
were the King's Counsel who appeared this morning within
the Bar.