The Sun.
London, England, 1828-02-08 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS, FEBRUALY 7.

The House met at Four o'clock.
Mr. PEEL and another Member took the oaths and their
seats.
General GASCOYNE presented a petition from the
Directors of the Manchester Railway, for leave to amend
their Bill.
Mr. FARQUHAR presented a petition from Kirkwall,
for leave to bring in a Bill to amend that harbour.
Sir E. KNATCHBULL presented a petition from the
Warden of Dover Harbour, praying that the Dover Har-
bour Bill might be renewed.
Mr. LLOYD presented a petition from a parish in
Limerick, praying for Catholic Emancipation.
Mr. CHARLES PALLINIER presented a petition from
certain Prollistant Dissenters, praying for a repeal of the
Test and Corporation Acts.
Mr. VESEY FITZGERALD presented a petition from
Clare, in favour of Catholic Emancipation.
Sir THOMAS LETHBRIDGE moved for various re-
turns relative to the importation of Foreign Corn, and also
for returns of the quantities of British Wool exported, and
of Foreign Wool imported, since the late alteration in the
law.
Mr. A. BARING said, that the importation of foreign
wool into the country, was not new, as had been supposed
by the Right Hon. Gentleman, who lately undertook to
remodel our commercial system. It would be found that
the present system, which so much startled the agricul-
turists, was merely a return to the old state of the law.
With the view of proving the truth of this statement, the
Hon. Member moved for returns of the quantities of wool
imported into this country since the year 1790 up to the
present time.
The several returns were ordered.
Sir HENRY PARNELL presented a Petition from a
parish in the county of Carlow, praying for the repeal of
the penal laws affecting the Roman Catholics.
Mr. CURTEIS presented a petition from the congrega-
tion of ProtestarA Dissenters, meeting at the Unitarian
Chapel at Battle, praying for the repeal of the Corporation
and Test Acts. _ .

Mr. BROWNLOW presented several petitions from
parishes in Ireland, in favour of Catholic Emancipation.
Mr. W. WHITMORE moved for returns of the quan-
tities of foreign grain of all sorts imported during the
last year, and also a like return of the quantity imported
from Ireland.
Mr. JOHN SMITH presented petitions from the Pro-
testant Dissenters of Titchfield, Rye, and Needham-mar-
ket, praying for the repeal of the Corporation and Test
Acts.

Dr. PHILLIMORE gave notice, that on the Bth March
he would bring in a Bill to amend and improve the Eccle-
siastical jurisdiction in County Courts.
Mr. DAWSON brought up an account of the public
income of the United Kingdom.—Laid on the table.
Mr. WODEHOUSE moved for a return of the number
of prosecutions and convictions which took place between
the sth Jan. 1824, and the sth Jan. 1827, under the Malt
Act.—Laid nn the table.
STATE AND ArMINISTRATIEON OF THE LAW.
Mr. BROUGHAM then rose, and addressed the House
on the motion of which he had given notice, respecting the
State and Administration of the Law. In rising, he said,

in'this House, to address it on what, certainly, is one m
the most important subjects that can possibly be submitted
to the consideration of the Legislature, I feel at the same
time deeply impressed with the conviction also, that it is
one of the most difficult, and the largest, that can engage
the attention of this House. That subject is no less than
the whole State of the Common Law of this country ;
the Common Law, I (all it, in contradistinction to Equity,
as administered in certain Courts, with the view of point-
ing out the defects which may have been in its original
construction, or which time may kave introduced, as well
as of considering the remedies which may be appropriate to
correct those defects. Nothing, I do assure you, at all
comforts and bears me up under the pressure of this vast
and otherwise overwhelming burden, but the consideration
I have of its paramount importance. Satisfied now of its ne-
cessity, that the inquiry can no longer with advantage to any
body be delayed, and feeling in my own mind a persuasion
that I can so deal with the subject, for such is my deep
veneration for all that is good to our system of law, and
my habitual and profound respect for those in whose
hands the administration of it is placed, that I shall neither
offend the prejudices of one class nor imitate the personal
feelings of another ; but I feel a confidence also which is
unspeakable, and which rests on another ground. Ido
not come here to raise cavils before men ignorant of the de-
tails and niceties of the profession to which I belong, and
who, in that unavoidable ignorance, would be unfit judges
of the merits of the question ; and I am determined to
say nothing that may enable me to avail myself of that
want of information for the sake of a futile triumph
over what is most valuable in our system of law. I
am unspeakably comforted and strengthened in my reso-
lution, from the accidental circumstances of my having
been joined, in some degree, by my profession to the ad-
ministration of the law in which I have had so consider-
able an experience. I have seen so much of its practical
details in the country, that it is in my view no speculative
matter whether for blame or praise. I pledge myself, as
long as the House may attend to me, in no one instance to
make any observation, to bring forward any grievance, or
notice any defect, of which I am not myself competent to
'eak from personal knowledge, either as Counsel or in
some shape partly concerned. I will even limit myself still
further, to"some cause or other in which I have practised
for one party or the other. With these considerations, em-
boldened on the one hand, and impressed on the other with
a becoming sense of the arduous duty I have undertaken in this
great and important matter, I will in the first place state the
points which I
Equity in
intend altogether to avoid. These are
every branch, unless where I may be compelled
to mention it incidentally, from its interference with the
course of the conamon law, not that I think nothing should
Parliament. A Committee sat
already taken up h
-3,
y, but because in some sort it has been
be done as to equity,
and inquired, and produced a report which has been
received, and though nut yet acted upon, the
Noble and Learned Lord, who presides over the
Court of Chancery, has announced his intention of
a bill, founded on that Report. , 1 may also add,
proposingthath
e subject of equity has, to his own great honour, and
to the great benefit of the country, been for many years in
the hands of my Hon. and Learned Friend, the Member
for Durham (Mr. M. A. Taylor), and is still in his hands,
and I trust his vigilance will not cease to be directed to it.
—(Hear, hear.) For reasons of a like kind, I pass over
the great matter of the Criminal Law. That too, happily,