Star.
London, England, 1824-02-25 00:00:00

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a alter

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p face, rose to present a Pedtion, which was a natural consequence Of
the statement made by that Right Honourable Gentleman last•
night. ft was a Petition from the, principal Silk Merchants of the
MT of London, praying that the measure proposed by the Chsh-
tailor of the Exchequer might not be carried into effect. They
Complained that this great alteration had been determined on with-
out their having been consulted, or.without the slightest conmense4
lion having been offered to them for the loss which they must soli
tam The duty upon raw silk was no his than one-third of.the
while wine, ond.thew were-mily fiafelliele4OuSiesed isfiji:this:
auk In Louden, who bed in,their wiaiumes from 50 to ‘6oiooo
swath of thtraw miterial. That such *rums would suffer a cow '
skiiiehre; susliiiiisAisiiii•Wiiiie-iiieurerreillisie 'AIWA:: ao net*
them, ha (Mr. Mee) steed set popeese,upou • the Mouse; at the
same time biperfeetly Coineldtgd iettlythe Chineetieriottite Etch.-
quer, that a tmal repeal of the to But he thought
thec& ae repeaf ought-Wise gradital. rtit On llitimotirOle
troidt
denten would alai have found it led is, MRS (Mr. ligt-.1
lice's) opinion, if 'he bad repealed thelseisifes p savetal ettiehis
gradually; the giednal.repcal of the distlM'ols the cep Sin. . d *O4l
be met hy that of the•bounties onthe Other.• • ,
• tar: WALLACE 'asked • it' the'retii)au presented .by the flan..
lijunibev. had been signal by this *rehants and Importers ilf silk ? ,
ELLICE-said It had 6eass dgried 1) heprincipal merchants
F_,s .. .
and sommysters of London. ' . •
• t
ill it OW a T OF CU It NC 4 RT.
Mr.J. WlLLlrfebif foie: porsuanr-to notice, to bring
fotAiard his' hibetett'.:telating to the'Cdurt of Chancery.
Ile apologized to the Vhifie Mr lint:ad:felt thesubjett
a second time far its deliberation. . It might he expected
that he, should producesome plan, upon the operation
ofivhiCh the evil he•huct to Complain:of wOuldberemea!
died ;lot:6i/hell:the extent of The subject Was.consiclered,!
wilten the length"of tithe Was' rerriembired in Which the
evils bad •existed,. he might be permitted to call that
- man rather bold than wise'whO shuold propose such -a
remedy. It was -I Matter 'of 'surprise 'to him, that a
Measure shorild finite-been caiiietrinto effect In -the
other House of Parliament; without any steps of inquiry
in this. "Thatmeasuri would in effect expose to the
people the affairs of Chancety. It *as Calculated •tO
produce this impression, that because individuili 'Were
blemberi of the ethei House, they' were' therefore corn-
petent judges of abstract points of law. It-Was a Ma-
san wirich-appearedl to hub to...be at least doubtful,
wbethei•thelastsef this country would catintenente.,-:
Itia-s• the' duty of thil House fe hiie inquired licisi'far
spelt a proceeding was proper, insteadCif. remaining a
silesit spectatcni. In former times, wheningtiriti were
itaituted; this' House' took a &tided tiart..:ln the reign
• ofkith'etli. when there'st-ai ickirteh c.l Court a Chin-
cery as at present existed, at the suggestioriof Sir &4-
wore Coke the Hoisseof CO:unions. inttinitedan inquiry
whieh'did ' credit •to'elietni •-ficiineCornishrnenhadbeen
' brodght up to 'plead On a etinilnal'infOrthation;- if he
(44.Piilliama) "seas not mistaken, - and the House of
Commons of that day did resole itself into a' Grand
Conwnittee 'hi I.ltistice teifigAihe into the prociedingt.
They tli'd '4'd rtiiiiiSttf j entice 'to.die no :Mall Sat6faction
and benefit of the country. The liOn..Gentlernan. then
alluded tes' the etincluct Vf‘Lord Bacon; who was proved
ginity- of -; oh upt' Wrat tieeS . as _if Judge; and' firted...
I n : • the reign of. 'EtlWard the Tilird:. an inquiry -Was
instituted by Parliatnerit into the. Abusei of the 'enures •
of-Chaticety and the Bench. -This was done, it being
then_-considtrettalthing of_ great consequence . ta 'the i
errantry thattlii maitti"of Justice should' be' carefully ,
watched.' Dien in later times'the House of. Coin:irons :
had not sufferedarn matter relating to-the mal-adminis-
tration of . justice to passiby without a vigoiOns inquiry, '
(Thelionoutable Metither was'here. interrupted.'hfthe
bzikring*Of a dog, saith *Ain fhekody of the HOtise.)
'flee Honourable Member then alluded to the 'appoint:
ment of the Vite-Chancellor; and proceeded.to rettunt
that 'Alf inquiry ' thoilld, be.. instanced: intO•the-Cobreaf
Clistheery.. • Ad inquiry 'had' lieie instituted, initi"the
Couits'of -Scotland -by a party bf- grave and, learned
men,who bad acted under the authot sty of Commissititi
isstfelViti‘the3dnee.:ly;'Ktillfpdieiti'weieipveli:t6 tile
Commissioneri . to' inquire into the. ' CcihrtS -61-4eisien
and of Law in the Northern nation. The Honourable
Member here tefetred to the. Act which empowered the
Cortithiisionets toliteCeed'in the inguiry.::-Allikit ties' it
that no inquiry had been establistied of ,a similar nature
in the English Courts? He supposed that what was a
subject of inquiry' in Scotland *as not a subject of in-
gull:yin England. That althbtighlhe Pluliament thought
it fight'to legislate in this if annei ai regarded our nor-
thern neighbours, yet, when it was called upon to initi-
tote aninquiry. into an Engli,h Court, flora which an
evil'of considerable magnitude was spreading itselftwer
the land, it would hot grant it—(f/eat, hedr). And it
appeared that this House was not only to Shut its doors
againstlegislation on that subject, but actually to close
theist isgalast all Parliamentary inquiry.(Lienr).. On
one side' of the Tweed it was Safe, it was salutary, it
wits Wise, to inquire into the state Of the COtirts of Law •
on the other .sideolutras unsalutary, unwise; and unsafe.
Hewes .perfectlyswate of the *difficult task which he
hag-uiidertakin ; he 'required not to be informed, as
often be had. been, of that diffiCultY, being ignorant
of .the practice . of . the Court- about which he was
bringing forward his measure. He was very willing
to 'adteit that 'he nerer' did pricke thei-e, and neither
was he ever a Suitor in it, nor so Toni.is there was
a pistol-to be had would he ever be one-444 Latigh)..
If the people of England' were to Wait until setae -Gee-
tlerpan. a practitioner of that Court,- should teak fola•
wait& to expose its practice,' 'they Would-hate tifwalti
considerable time; that is, they would have to rernainas
lodg as •interest Would not influence men, before' such
an undertaking would be estiblithed.' But'the 'facts
which 'did reach Ilibi, to the extent of his pOWer, should
have utterance—(Cheers). There was another difficulty
which presented itself- on that part of the case about
which he was entering. On a former occasion, the ii
gunients which had 'been brotight'foriiatil'iin thl other
side went to the extent of sheaving that allithe facts of
which he had spoken had been constantly assumed ; as
if fox 'the first time the delays in Chancery were a subject
otcomplaint,'as though he was ;icitially broaching the
subject, or producing some unheard-of novelty, or re-
lating -a striking paradox. Must you dismiss from your
minds the statements and complaints respecting thelb
delays which reach your ears, which meet you in Se:
cietx, which jostle you in the streets, which Purim yoti
into the country ? There was not a corner of the king-
cloth,' save within these walls, where there truths Were
not-spoken of and known—(Hear,"hear). There was
another tlifficulty which beset him in the commence-
• mast of this part of his case. But he would just glance
at liehathitil 'been urged against him oh a former ocea-
sictri that he had'greac difficulty in dragging:to light
the -facts which he then introduied: He would now
stale, upon the word and honour of a Gentleman, that
be did find it
.experimentally true—(Hectt, hear, hear).
Hthsid hot met With a little denial in the production of
documents which be knew existed. It . was not imma-
terial Idetwise ul mention, that since he had given notice
of 'die piestot - Motion,-.'he had heard of a partictilar
ens frhtchlie befitted to be important, in which it ap:
pebred that it was tirought on and decided within' about
P ' ---•°",s- 4,egss( A laugh).. But when cases

were thus prolonged, it was not by any means an !In-
frequent occurrence that victq)y rgid raiik.catne toga) el-A
He, hearing of thfsl'ease, roads en splicatiois tp (4.
tßicitor epjtagafl hil ;Ire sayftw, liPfl itjtted the SISC;
fret' 'bislisit,' telli shi th ii intended making,
C
else it inlitie Vousik askring him, at Idle same time,
trot ' cottiti.qiet. • '''rodisqulinot be'
'ftelased,lnit merelymerely
the result that communicafidit.As soon* as the So-
.licitor head this, he declined giving up the documents.
necessary for the exposure of the facts—(bear). 'l'llere;
was another case, part of which he should statetere-
after. A -respectable Solicitor undoubtedly bier sreci-
kfeii'tallfniet liim, 4tid.'in'the coUrse'of their tonvetaa-
thin he Added to the cases formerly adduced bYharni
(Mr.'WilliaMS) in the House; which he considered trO-:
fortunate as illustrative of the delay ; observirig that
much stronger exiMples'might be brought forward=
(gear). • When he (Mr. Williams) gave notice 'tif. this,
Motion, he 'applied to this country trraCtstitiner, arid;
as doubts had arisen with respect to the dient's Wish to
give up the papers, it had become a Mauer .of consj--
deration with the Solicitor himself since his former
communication, and in short the inforMation wat With-
held(llear). The Honourablegendeman coMplained
that he had many difdcubies 'to contend with; thgt Ite
was labouring uphill--- '
a Niter in adversutn." .
There was one case which he would mention ; it was
that of'a poor woman, whote sole fortune Was locked
up in the Court of Chancery. When be applied to the
Solicitor to have all the facts, that 'Gentleman readily
acceded, and detailed ieriatim all the'etimplititits against
the delaYof jastiCe And said the papers should be trans-
Misted to liiiit. ' TfiteT were not, however, sent ; and
when writteiV to furnish them, he in substance returned
stn answer, declining to give them up, having taken
time to deliberate;' thiv the information sibkh had
been iolunteered before ivas now witMield—(deat). A
case of a similar' nature occurred a few days ago, in
which -a- London Solicitor, who was not unwilling to
flunish the materials of which he was'in posseslion for ex-
hibiting the delays Of justice, but that tr he did he, should
be's lurkedman, not by 'the Court, but by the offi,iceri,'
*ho Would rake. every opportunity or .tepp44 the
litisiXtess' which he might have in hand Tbeieear!e%
*ere additional' ones to what he (MrAilliatni).had inc.
traduced on a former-soccasion, and strongly 'enforced
the necessity of the measure for which "he contended:
he information was ,readily given hint, * but when 'll
required it for the purpose of intrOdUeing it' in the
House, it was invariably refused.. What he was anxious
to have Was a CoMmittee, and thin dOcuments and
evidence might. be commanded--(dear). He recol-
lected an observation of that 'great 'man, Mr. pir ice,
rthat 't4 its' would 'nett put forth their lights until' the?
'had their backs' Well' rubbed;". so neither would those
,Gentlemen 'put forth their lights, it seemed, tintß their
hacks were rttlabLid 'by a Cbromittee—(A• tairgh,)-
:Ile begged' pei'd)tition to ask the' atiuse if there wash .
,riot, ample reason ta go into a Cpramittee? li, with the
ignorance which be cbnfessed to 'have been most justly
lattiched to'him as to the practice * Ctice.ofCou# of qh4n=
eery, he shoalil brablp to bring hifore Vie, liliame sa.
:large a niais"ot evidence in support or his motion, how
'much greater would seem the necessity of an inquiry ;
'and had any one Otte fcitward who possessed' great in;
firrinadon:on that' subjeCt; ho* much More 6000
would haie beeri 'Mar:fitted, and, how muck stiongea-
WoUld be the conclusions in favour of it. He begged
,permission to can the-attention of the House to: sonnet
documents which had; been laid on the, Ml*" c*OrAir
aahlYir3'a finhier 'With:M. These were "'A ItelArn o
all Appeals disposed of, in the &tin of Chancery, by the
Pord Chancellor, in ever' Term ante. thkestablislunent
'of dig office of Vice-Chancellor, to the first day of lii.
Idry Terus,.lo23 ; di.tinguishing how the same have
*ea disposed.of, whether gpon'hearing or,being struck
pot, and whin and to *both the deposits' Were returned.°
A?lso, an account was l:id an thetable, which stateslthe
lime when :h with PetitionofAppeal'svai presetificlitlf
I:l#te' Of the order made An each Petition of 404 in ~
Rehearing!' . 'there was a number of cases, amounting
to 160 dr 169, he could not pledge himself which, oar
this list. It appeared that three had been struck or or
withdrawn by consent of 'parties themielees; and that Hoare
Were only eighty-four or eighty-6;e cases fully decided
In the Court of Chancery during the last ten . years,
making about eight and a 'fraCtion in each year:.--
(Rear, hear):. When'he brought tile subject forward last
'year:, it was stated'in opposition to him, that there had
been about forty-seven cases decided yearly ; whereas the
number was 'now demonstrated 'to ,be about:eight —.
Amnion withoutproof bad come front the Other side.'
.He had' said that the business in the Court of Chancery
wits in "-admired disorder," which he begged to inter-
piet as being very diffictilt . for
.suitors. whfrow when
bUsinesi would come on. The HotiOnrable:,l4iniber.
thn referred to the documents connected with the aro-
-tidn, and *hewed from them, that in the third page' there
were twelve effective cases decided, three of which were
seen years old, three others averaged sir years, and.
three. onlytWo Aonths (Hear, hear). On what grOnnds
.was it that, 'Wbenihe number of *appeals ot;ihi.t...bitr
Chancellor's paper amounted to 104, there should be
one of nine years standing, followed by one of oily three
lathmbi standing? If and person would inspect the list,
.and take the eases sending, they, would disCifrei:' that
tbere was no regular system of placing then), from the
beginning to the end —(Hcar, hear).—lf Gentlemea
would be pleased to take the returns an* notice what
crises had been struck out, and those which had been
,withdrawn by the parties themselves, they would have
another proof of the 'necessity Of inquiry. ' The case of
" the Attornet-General 'a. 11ctok,7 ',Oki? was n4nOeFed
39 on the list, wa's"'Keard after being six yeah, entered f
the Lord Chancellor decided it as to its merits, but took
time to 'consider respecting the costs, and daang two
entire years no order was drawn up for the disvostil of
the costs. The parties, being wearied out with the de.
'lay, compromised,the matter, despairing of coming to a
,Conclusion kat, 4arj,—These were facts, arid wick-
put facts and documentsh.e could do nothing,.- He.
Would produce the list of cases brought forward .with)
the la*t two Terms, with the hearing; rehearing; ,and
appeals. The case of 44 Wilmot v. Logan" had .
heard, but not decided. 14 ..----... v. ltutten," had beeii
likewise heard, but no judgment was given. ~ The At.,
torney•General v. Mansfield" was heard, but the ques-
tion of costs had been reserved, and at present the or•
der was net drawn up; 84 COS a. Lord Sdmers" was
reheard, but no jtidgment`given. " 'Powell o. L.
chett" was a case of appeal, but air "lodgment was si*CO.
There was a case ielatang to tire Collegiate ChUrcil oEI
Ailanehester, which did not take up half an hour in dis-
catision and decision, and, which, according to the ac-
count he held in hit hand, vas heard and decided at the
sad; time. There was one thing whielr be took trice-
&it to mention now; he understood it was the practice
'of the Court, that every day in which,a case appeared

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