Star.
London, England, 1823-06-06 00:00:00

Lord Chancellor, that " such was the way in which
that decree was pronounced ?" II these assertions were
.
warranted, was it fit that a Committee should be ap-
pointed to inquire into facts which, if true ought to
be Ingle the subject of an impeachment? The Hon.
weer said he had brought forward this proposition
at the grievance complained of had been admitted,
and the remedy attempted to be supplied in 1813 had
completely failed. He should have thought, when
the object was to shew that the evil was as great now
as MlBl3, that the Learned Gentleman would have
Dad recourse to some authentic document, to shew
neat amount of business was now before the Court.
He begged to state what the amount of business was
ja June, 1323. At present there were standing to be
head before the Lord Chancellor and Vice-Chancel-
-560 causes. The Learned Gentleman had, he
aeught, used rather a hard expression when lie de-
icribed the view taken by the Attorney-General of
faniness in arrear, to be a quibble. He felt himself
,ompelled to take the same course. He thought it
,:ev,ary to know what was in art ear to consider the
:AA number of causes to be heard and bills filed,
rd that with reference to the time when tfiey were
pit down fora hearing. The bills filed altogether
3 the course of 1822 had amounted to 2180. In
Is,2o,the number was 2220. In 1821, 2071. In the
resent year the number already filed was 1038.
'ese added to the 2189 filed last year gave a total
of eeaa since January, 1822. Ile did not consider it
was correct to say because such a number of cases
were before the Court on a i iven day, that there was
wear to that amount. ii;t if on any given day,
my the sth of January, 1822., it should appear that
sich a number of causes had been set down to be
heard three years ago, that business he should call an
arrear. This might be fallacious reasoning, but it
las no quibble. The bulk of the cases which now
good for heating had been set down since Michael-
mas Term, last year. The number of cases under the
Lead of" Further Directions," now before dig Court,
was one hundred and twenty-five. Two months re-
rineJ before the long vacation to dispose of these.—
Visiting to take a fair view of the arrear, he had yes-
taday inquired what it had been before the corn-
rencement of the last long vacation, and had found
t:at the number of cases under this head which were
among the most important as suitors, which bad not
been finally disposed of at tl, rt time, did not exceed
0. He would venture to lay it down as a position,
f.at with the exception of appeals, there was no busi-
rss in the Cow t of ChaMcery which could be called
i-larear. lie meant that a suitor might now go into
Court, and get his cause heard without its being set
ion in die list of arrears, and that in as short a time,
a shorter, than he ever could before. He knew that
sa opposite opinion was wen lined by some Gentle-
Yen, but he hoped they would not meet his position
rah a mere contradiction, but shew that such delay
Las incurred by suitors.—The office which now re-
clined for him to notice was that of the Master of
case Rolls. When Sir William Grant retired at Mi-
enelmas Term, 1816, the number of causes unheard
tam 480; since that period 817 had been set down,
zai the number remaining to be heard was now 61.
Lints 1,179 causes had been disposed of within that
ieriod, and he stated these independent of the peti-
eons. The petitions heard amounted to the number
15,003, though lie was willing to allow that these
id not consume much time. It was said that on his
tided the House they had not answered the addi-
tional facts brought for ward by the Hon. Member
fir Durham. He would state to the House why he
bad not answered them ; because at the time he heard
them, he knew they could not possibly have any
foundation in truth, or even in probability. There
sis one case in is hich it was said that the Term fees
EX one year amounted to 100/. He had since applied
through a different channel in order to possess him-
self of the documents upon which that statement was
founded by the Hun. and Learned Member; and he
tail ascertained that the most unaccountable mistake
Lad been committed. In the civillest language he
could use, he would say that he could not coeceive
how his Hon. and Learned Friend could think there
was the slightest truth in the matter, and he would
therefore only conclude that there had been a gross
mistake. In the case of Beer and Harwood, it had been
partly charged by his I lon. and Learned Friend, that
the Lord Chancellor had made a surreptitious decree.
Mr. WILLIAMS--" Never."
Mr. COURTENAY proceeded to read the words
ashebad heard them fall from his Hon. and Learned
Friend. This statement was, that the Solicitor com-
plained of a surreptitious decree having been given.
lir. WILLIAMS—" Hear, hear ; that I did say."
Mr. COURIENAY said he knew his Hon. and
Learned Friend was too guarded to make such a
shargehimself, but what was the impression his state-
rama conveyed to the House, if it was not an accusa-
tion of such a decree having been made? What was
the meaning of v hat followed? After stating the
it; he left it to the consideration of every Gentleman
is the House, and let them see how the Hon. Gentle-
man who spoke last understood it. That Hon. and
Learned Gentleman he was sure would not shrink
bow owning, in the bold and manly manner in which
lealways spoke his opinions, that to his mind such
am the charge made. The charges for the alleged
itendances having been disallowed, was at least
roof that the evidence possessed by the Hon. andl
Learned Gentleman was of too loose a nature to
*say a-charge so grave. When Lord klldon heard
that his receiving the assistance of the party in pri-
vate bad given offence to the adverse Solicitor, he
mentioned the subject publicly in Court, and stated
taut Upon the best of his judgment and experience
thoughtire it • best
to have such private assistance
in some cases, for the sake of accuracy and clear-
ness in the minutes, and that it was always his in-
tention to do so ii hen necessary—(lleer, hear).—
Om Hon. and Learned Gentleman then went through
the cases which bad been mentioned as examples of
delay, and sheaved that it was owing either to the!
peculiar intricacies of the questions, or to the con-
duct of the parties themselves and their Solicitor s.—
"lhe number of appeals from all the Courts, and upon
all the business of a wealthy population of 33 mil-
lions, now before the Lord Chancellor, amounted to
lOC These, of course, he meant, were upon ques-
tions. But, independent of this, the increase ot po-
jralation, and wealth, and enterprise in this country,
had created a new kind of business, which formerly
WaS never known. This consisted of motions and in-
structions in regard to intricate commercial transac-
clens, the working of • the large mines, interests incon-