Star.
London, England, 1811-03-08 00:00:00

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was so, would not be inclined to find fault, with Par
liament for taking time 'before they instituted any
measure for the purpose of remedying the evil cool-
plained of. The measure to remedy the evil must be
of a legislative nature, and originate of course'in Par-
liament. Whatever was doing in this respect, whether
as to the erection of new Corns of Judicature, or in
any shape, must have the sanction of the Legisla-
ture. The Hon. Gentleman would not accuse him
of great delay, when a Committee had already been
appointed, who were about to Make- that inquiry
which ha. wisliel Delay of justice was -1 cause of
complaint ; but, from the very nature of many of the
cases, the necessity for that delay was apparent ; and
whatever number of Judges might be appointed, they
could not remedy the grievance. There was great
delay in cases of equity, in getting the parties before
the Court, on the merits or demerits of the case, and
various other causes, before the Judge could make up
his mind to decide. The question was certainly of
the greatest importance, and the Hon. Gentleman
had implied; by giving his consent to the inquiry,'
es being the best mode of providing for the remedy;
and therefore it would be most advisable to wait to
see what the Committee would do.
Mr. ADAM wished to state his opinion upon the
question, an opinion which he had formed four years
before, when the Bill was before Parliament respect.
ing the Sco-t1 Courts. He did not agree either with
the Right Hon. Gentleman or his Hon. Friend. The
grievance of delay was very manifest ; the delay,
in cases of appeal which came from Scotland, was
cote seriously felt than in this kingdom. With re.
•istet to the cases in the Court of Ckancery, he agreed
orth his Hon. Friend that the Noble Lord evinced
great anxiety to do justice to all parties in adminis-
tering the duties of that Court; but it was certainly
'true that dilatoriness had arisen to a great height,
and this without imputing blame to any officer of the
Court. It was not so in the Common Law of Judi-
cature ; there more of dispatch took, place in less
time, and it was so from the very nature of the Courts.
In regard to cases of appeal, much remained yet to
be done before even justice could he administered.—
Not agteeinehowever, with the Right Hon. Gentle-
lain, Ind wishing that this House.ehould not appear
tb ibendon the duty cast upon it, and having a coll-
et*** duty to perform with the other House, he
Should conceive that the best way to decide would be
by adjourning the debate for three weeks, that in the
event of the decision of the other Committee not being
satisfactory, the business might be resumed in this
House, The Hon. Gentleman moved-0 That the
*bete be adjourned for three weeks."
Mr. SIMEON vindicated the Lord Chancellor
from what he thought a stigma, cast upon him by the
Hon. Gentleman, by the observations he had made.
The public would be deluded if they were allowed to
think that blame was imputable to the Lord Chan-
cellor. From the statement of the Hon. Gentleman,
it would appear as if the Noble Lord did not devote
much time to the suitors of his Court, but rather at-
tended to politics. There was a vast variety of judi-
cial business which the public knew nothing of, such
as demurrer, bills of exceptions, &c. which the Noble
Lord was obliged to attend to. When the Honour-
able Gentleman talked of only one cause being heard,
be was not correct ; and he-certainly had not done the.
Noble Lord justice in quoting.from a publication in
'which the author had misstated and misrepretented
the cases, and had charged the Court of Chancery
'with making use of the money of 'suitors in building
a Register Office, and come other buildings .for 'the
convenience of the officers of the Court. Mr. Simeon
bete very satisfactorily refuted the assertions contain-
ed in Mr. Beckwith's book. With respect to the mo-

Lion, he should vote against it, because the matter was
taken up in another" Place.
Sir SAMUEL ROMILLY declared, that if the
question of adjournment were not carried, he should
:Icote for the motion of his Hon. Friend ; and be was
desirous of stating. his reasons for giving the vote
which he should give on this occasion. The minion
would not convey, either directly or indirectly, any
park of tens lee upon the Noble and Learned Lord,
its the Hon. Gentleman opposite (Mr. Simeon) sup-
posed ; and he did assure the House, that nothing
could give hits') greater concern than to be thought to
give ins consent to any motion which could in any
way be construed into a desire to reflect upon the con-
duct of that Noble and Learned Lord. No man had
experienced more uniform acts of kindness than him-
self from the Noble and Learned Lord. Indeed his
general attention to the Bar, his conciliatory demea-
nour, and his strict love of justice, had endeared him
re all the Gentlemen who practised is that Court.—
Hear, hear, hear.) A man snore eminently qualified,
In point of talents and learning, for all parts of his
profession, he knew not ; and lie most firmly believed
that he never had his equal, in point of anxiety, to do
justice to the suitors of the Court. (Thar, hear.) If
he had any defect, it was an over-anxiety in that res-
pect. (Hear, Hear.) That being his opinion, it could
not be imputed to him (Sir Samuel) that he wished
in any thing he might say, to reflect on the character
or conduct of the Noble and Learned Lord ; but
when it was notorious that great and crying griev-
ances really existed, would it not be as his Hoil'.
Friend had justly said, " a denial of justice," not to
inquire into them ? The fact was, that from the great
pressure of business within the last two years, causes
had stood for that time in the Lord Chancellor's pa-
per for hearing, without having yet been heard. Was
not this period of delay a sufficient ground for in-
quiry ? In the House of Lords the delay was of a
much greater length. In one cause, which was that
of a cepy-right, which had been before the House
some years limn the. Court of Session, at the time the
deciston was known, the interest had ceased, for the
period of the right (14 years) had expired. Another
man who was about to present a petition was pining
in gaol. With respect to the question, the first thing,
to be done was to ascertain the cause of the evil com-
plained of—that being done, then to pro fide a remedy
either of a permanent or a temporary nature. Who.
titer that could be done by making an addition to the
Judicial Officers, or in whatever other manner, was
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she subject of after dicussion. He much doubted
whether the increase of causes since the time of my
Lord Hardwicke, was greater or not. The case of
liiankrup-:zies was certainly a great evil. The number
of Commissions sealed in the last year was as many
as in the preceding year: A Cotnmission in that re-
. "ftlpe.ct might assist the Chancellor, and by affording a
ututpktary ressiesin yet rid of the press of batiaeis