The Sun.
London, England, 1832-05-14 00:00:00

COURT OF CHANCERY, MAY 12.

At the conclusion of the business of the Court, his Lordship
stated that he would give judgment in several cases after he had
quitted the Great Seal. I trust, said he, after examining all the
cases, I trust none have escaped me which I shall not be able
to dispose of within a very few days. And Ido hope that I
shall not leave to thole who succeed me, the task of rehearing,
and to the parties the expense and the delay consequent on a
rehearing, from their not being disposed of. The motions
which now remain to be disposed of, and which are set down in
the paper, are eight, or six—eight, I believe, are now in the pre-
sent paper. But of course the motions I find are of a date
prior, which could have been heard prior to the Ist of Sept.,
when the Court rose last summer. Those motions, as it now
appears, beyond those heard since that period, amount to some-
where about fourteen or fifteen. The motions which remained
at Christmas amount to nearly the same number. The appeals
at Christmas which were set down, amounted only to seven
or eight, and those which were ready for hearing to four or five.
I doubt very much whether any one of those could have
been, without any inconvenience, heard. But there arc a con_
aiderable number of appeals and re.hearings more—l think
upwards of thirty. I have been exceedingly sorry that there
should have been that number; But I can only say that it is
uo fault of mine. I have been exceedingly anxious to get
through them with the same despatch, which, by the kind as-
sistance of the Bar and the parties, I was enabled to get through
them during the last summer. But undoubtedly my health
suffered much from the labours of that year—lt: el. And
though those that remained were entirely got rid of, I have un-
qUestionably thenbeen prevented since that from giving as much
labour on the business of this Court as I could wish, though I
have certainly intermitted my legislative labours for the
Purpose of bestowing all the strength which I had, on
the business of this Court; notwithstanding, I have
not been able to satisfy myself since Christmas,
for the reasons which I have mentioned. I may venture to state
that I could over and over again have been perfectly excused
for not keeping the field, if I may so speak, though I might have
had very good excuses for not coming into court at all, I
felt it my duty so to do, and it is a very great satisfaction to me,
that I have been able to leave the business in the state I do.
I had hoped to have been able to perfect an arrangement
without application to the Legislature, which would have pro..
duced in my opinion the salutary and most beneficial effects of
an Act for certain purposes, for simplifying some of the most
Important business of jurisdiction composed of the three heads
voluntarily sitting—of the three heads of the equitable jurisdic-
tion of Westminster Hall voluntarily sitting. It is no fault of
Mine that that wish has not been accomplished. I hope and trust
I shall live and see it accomplished, as I hope and trust I shall live
to see another wish accomplished, which, it is known to many
of my colleagues, has long been near to my heart—to see the great
and necessary improvement in this country of the equitable
jurisdiction of the Chancellor severed from all his political
functions. Upon quitting this Court I should in ordinary cir-
cumstances feel nothing but the pain of parting with those from
whom, having always received unvaried respect and kindness, I
certainly feel my tribute of kind and respectful thanks most
Justly due. But on my voluntary retirement from office, and
after I am separated under the only pain which it gives me,
I mean of the separation that I have mentioned, I am
supported by the principles which dictate the course I pur-
sue--1 am more than supported. The personal feelings to
which I have adverted are lost in the public sense of duty un-
der which I act, and which compels me, I trust without any
undue feelings of pride, to regard the abandonment of power to
e commandments of duty, not as a misfortune, but a glory.
His Lordship delivered the above in the most emphatic and
energetic manner, which no one but those who were present
can conceive.