Star.
London, England, 1830-02-26 00:00:00

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IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

OF LORDS, Pt it. '25. •
entering d e house, at a for ottnut‘ rst we found
Lord Ulf A ENCI.IFFE; on his legs, presentingOrpetitina Com
Saddlcwottlt, ;Against the renewal of the East India Cots pany:e char-
tr. The noble lord likeeise presented a petition from the siine
place, complaining of distress, and praying relief.
Mr. Crafer, from the Treasury, presented at the bar certsto re-
turns of the 5/. and 101. notes in circulation.
Mr. Danvers. Men the India-house, presented at the bar an sc.
count of the salaries of the raters in the civil department ti. ludia,
for the year
/Br. Wood, from the Ecclesiastical Court, presented at the her
theinoceetrup in Muskatt's divorce.
The Divorce an, on the motion of the Earl of SUATTESDV it if,
was then read a fiat time.
j.ETITIOX MOM TUC JEWS. •
Lord BEXLEY presented a petition from a body of Jews, Bri-
' tish born subjects, praying the remove/ of the rcsniCidoos under
which they at present labour. '1 he no'rle lord said, that it was not
his intention to submit any measure upon. the subject, underststni.
ing that fro the other house of parliament a motion would be there
brought forward. The Jews had suffered gr.:7d; in former times,from the harsh proceedingiOnf our at•cestors. They had been ba-
nished from the country for three centuries by those proceeding-6,
and, on their return, though not sufi.ring to the extent they hit
previously done, yet they were by ro means tr:e front persecutt.;
and hardships. .11e hoped that thelsiolotdships would corside• tit.-
claims of the petitioners with unb!a,:-ed minds. and. if sly hererli-
tag prejodices existed that these would be discarded.
The pensive, hairpins reedit lervb, aces had on the tabl t.
111kLAH JeDICAiIIE. • •
Lord DYNEVOR presented a petition from Carmarthen ag est
the proposed alterations in Velsh Judicature.
Lord CAWDOR wished to take that opportunity of al.
vetting to a latter, which probably their lordships had Ken, that he
had published on the subject of the Welch Judicature, and to some
observations there given. He had been charged in a periodical pub-
lication (the Quarterly aview, we believe) with having unstated
certain facts Butte matt have known, or ought to have known, at
the time. It was, he said, a very painful subject to address then
lordships upon, but he felt it justice to himself to say a few word,
upon the subject.—..(Hear.) The noble earl then proceeded to no-
tice a return which had been moved for by himself, as to the pa} -
ment of moneys into the hands of the Accountant-General's Offi. e
(but on what account we could not hear below the bar,) to which
the return was wihil. It, however, happened that euhrequently
discovery was made that sonic sums had been paid into the .%e..
countant-General's Office. and which he had not notietni in i
letter. After some additional remarks, which were imptrf.ctl;
heard below the bor, the noble earl said he would net truubh tl. •
bouse with any farther observations on the subject.
The Earl of ELDON said, that on the subject of the %I-clot
Judicature he differed front the noble earl who had just dowlt
some particulars. He t lewd Eldon)) considered it would be a great
hardship on the inhabitants of NVaks if their equity courts were
taken away. During the twenty-five years he had the honour of
holding the great seals, he only recollected one case of an appe.it
from' the courts of equity in 'dales to the House of Lords, and in
that case the decision of the inferior court was confirmed. The sub-
ject relating to the meditated alteration required great oonsideratio:..
It was an important alteration, and should be maturely examine!.
He was fully persuaded that if the equitable jurisdiction were de-
stroyed great mischief would be done.
Lord DYNEVOR then pr‘sented petitions of a similar deset:p.
tion—vis. against any alteration in the Welsh judicature—from the
town of Carmarthen. tiom Cardigan, and another place.
Lord CAWDOR presented petitions of an opposite na-
ture from several places in Wales, in favour of the proposed altera
dons. The petition which the noble earl presented from Canna?.
then was signed by 2,215 persons, among whom were 21 magis-
trates, 025 freeholders, 752 farmers, and 000 tradesmen. This pe-
tidoo, be contended. conveyed the sentiments of the county rather
than the one presented by the noble lord opposite (Lord Dynceor)
from the same part of the country.
After a few observations from the Marquis of BUTE, who
that the petition with whose sentiments he was acquainted, who
had petitioned the legislature on the subject, had no wish to cast the
si.e.zggcs on the Welch Judges.
was laid on the table, as well as another to the same
el let from the borough of Carmarthen.
Viscount MELVILLE presented a petition from the incorpo.
rated merchants of Edinburgh, praying a free trade to India and
' China.
TWICE/lA.—LAW tomcats' ofixtoors.
The Marquis of CLANRICARDE—My lords, ``the noble
duke at the bud of his majesty's government in his place, 1 tv!.h
to put a question to him, before dander of the day is read for the
motion of which the noble
a earuliiirs=as, given notice. When
I the affairs of Portugal were the noble duke said.
in to the fring at Tesseims drat the law officers of the
aewn did not consider that as a violation of the laws of
nations. Now my lords, I wish to Flew whether that opinion of
the noble duke was founded on any of document in the pos-
session of government; and, if so, whether there be any objection to
lay it before the house of parliament ?
The Duke of WELLINGTON admitted that his assertion was
ed on the opinions of the law officer, of the crown, but said
saw the invariable practice not to lay those opinions before the
house.

Lead HOLLAND-1f there are any papers upon which the law
officers of the crown have recorded their opinions, my lards, and
supposing there are, if it be the invariable practice of mhtisuirs not
to give them to parliament, it is also the invariable practice' of every
minister not to quote them. I really do not understand this inva-
riable pracece of which the noble duke speaks. What, my lords.
are the ministers to come down to this house, with opinions founded
upon official documents, and not give us the papers upon which
those assertions ate founded ? But we have an instance to the con-
trary: I will give one in the recollection of the noble duke himself.
When a noble lord was secretary of state, I mean my Lord Old.
mouth, who is not now in his place in the house, he thoughtproper
to issue a circular—it Is eight or nine years ago—founded upon
the opinions of -the law caws of the crown, and, when called upon
to give an explanation respecting the course that he took, he laid
upse your lordships' table the, opinions of the attorney and solicitor
gaessals. The document for which the noble marquis had a.kcd
ante either to be before the house, melee it ought not to have been
quad as an autharty.
The of WELLINGTON said that the government was
respeemble id their own acts. " What I have said, my lords,"
mid* the aslii dike, " respecting withholding the dot:lament to
which alludes has been made, there are noble lords in this house
who well know the yracdce to be such as I have stated in similar
case& It is not, my lords, the practice to give up the opinion of
the law officers of the crown."

The LORD CHANCELLOR and the Earl of ELDON then
rose ; the latter gave way.
The LORD CHANCELLOR—" My lords, when I had the
honour of being Solicitor and Attomer-General, my opinions were
given on legal points upon subjects which his ntsjenty's tnirristers
consulted me on; and, although no case occurred in which INK:
opinions so given were sought to be laid before rsaiscatent, yet I
have always understood the practice to be rot to have them die.
elrwvi The opinions of the law officers of the crown are'conti.
dential opinions; and ought not to be produced. With raper! to
the particular case to which my roble friend (Lord Holland) has
alluded, according to my recollection it was the voluntary act of the
noble lord who was then the fiectetary of State for the Home De.
partment. He communicated these opinions for the purpose of in.
forming the public, but not in consequence of any b.pplication to
this hostse on the subjee;."
Lord HOLLAND—" lily lords, theo I am to understand from
the noble and learned lord that the opinions of the law officers of
the crown may be cemmtudeated to the public, but not to parlia-
ment ? It would mean from such a pumice that the only chance
of having the legal opinions of the Attorney and Solicitor-General
before ParliAment was to have them first communicated to the pub.
lie and all Europe. I hope that the noble marquis will move for
the pap. rs, and then we shall have an opportunity of dizcitsii:g the
point at issue."
The Earl of ELDON—" My don's, about thirty years *pi 1 had
the honour of being Atterney.tieneral; and I do know that the
practice was then not to lay before Parliament the opinions of the
law ofiicen of the Crown upon matters of this nature. I remember
well hearing that when Sit Pletcher Macon was Attorney.fhneral,
in conseqamer of some such application being madefor his opinion,
that he declared he would never give a written opinion again.—(
laugh.) Should these rapers he moved for, i, for one, my lords,
will Tote against their production. But at the same ag., l'rflUist
say that, if those opinions are not to be produced, they should MR
be quoted from. (here, bear.) Ido hope.that the papers will r.l t
be moved for." •

INTEINAL STATE OF THE COVET'S%
Earl STANHOPE rose, and said that, in submitting to the eon.
Bide ition of their lordships the motion of which he had given notice
he deeply regretted that the subject had not been introduced by some
one better qualified than he as to ensure its success, It would
Lave been far more satisfactory to him if, instead of his exertions, the
subject had been advocated by ooe whose eloquenow whose infor-
mation, and whose quaklisatioas Sur the task, were fetaiher to their
lordship.. His opinion, hunbly. and feebly as they *Ott be ea.
passel, he cold wow the bowel woe ebene, and ha had
other objets bl anforeieCtbent dun to peessuls the bepplarse sod
prosperity of the papas stable 1111ontry. Ithadisou urged that the
object which he bad in. chi subject cadet die ceusideraden
of the house, was*, of i ant aidomradss. He rive.
ted that such a ndeepipeehemeisa shetild bin plttealimlL Had
an object been is oswempeiles, ha skald bine Intssameed

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