House Of Lords, Thursday,...
The Times, 1824-02-20T00:00:00

PARLIAMENTARY INTELLIGEANCE. At tefLoCIOCK tnsr morning, it oru ... ? U ap.... House, in robes similar to those worn by the Lord Chancellor. There were alo present the Bishop oft LI:EIBcx, Lords SIIAFrES- SURLY, GRANTHAM4, LANSDOWS, &C. The Earl of SRAFTESISURV moved that the Commission be read, appointing Lord GIFFoRD Deputy Speaker of that house to hear Charics Rosc, Esq. the new reading clerk at the table (nephew of the late George Rosc,) accordingly read lhis Majesty's osImss!on, signed yesterdaI by the King at Carton Palace. he Commission set forth, that his late MlSajesty, on the 11th of March, in the 59th rear of his reign, appointed Sir C. Abbott, Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench, to act in the House of Lords, as Lord Chancellor and Lord Keeper, in the absence of the Lord Chancellor. It then revoked that appointinent.* It also mentioned, that the late Chief Baron Richards was at the same time invested with the like appointment. The Commission, at'ter tuch revocation and re- cital, proceeded to command and appoint Robert Lord Gifrbrd to act in the House of Peers, in all rMspects as Lord Chancellor and lord Keeper of the Great Seal, for the purpose of hearing appeals, &c., in the absence of the Lord Chancellor. The Ear of SllAFTESBU5RY then initroduced Lord GIFFORD to the woolsack, and afterwards moved that the mace be laid on the woolsack before bis Lordship.-Motion agreed to. The Sergeant-at-Arns (Captain Seymour) accordingly laid the mace on the woolsack. The Bishop of LersaEstLcx having read prayers, Lord GIFFOCRD desired the appeals to be called on. The first appeal was that of the Duke of Roxburt.he v. J. Swin- ton, lVriter to the Signet. Mr. Wetherell, the Solicitor-General, opened the case on the part of the appellant, and he was followed on ,he same side, at great length bv Alr. Jeffrev. After the appeals, their lorWships adjourned; and the house being resumed, the LoRD CbANCELLOR took hiis piace on the woolsack at 5 o'clock, Lord KItNG presented petitions from Alinehead and WVatchet in Somerzetshire, praying for relief from the duty on coals carre coastwise. GAME LAWS. Earl GROSVE:NOR stated, that a petition praying for an altera. tion in the game laws had been put into his hands, but as there wa% aorne irregularity in the wording, he should abstain from presenting it. ".e should, however, avail himself of the opportunity to say a .'ew wof ds on this sub ject, which he was happy to find had attracted attention in another place; and their lordships would agree with him that nothing could be more entitled to serious consideration, when it wvas ascertained that nearly one half, and at least one-third, of the persons cvnSfned in the gaols throughout the country consist- ed of persons committed for violations of the game laws. Such was his sense of the iraount importance of the subject, rhat had it not beer taken up in another place, and especially by a gentleman so :ell qualified., on account of his personal consideration as mem- ber of a great county, and his cossnexion vith hiLs Mlaesty's mi- nisterm, to give weight to the change recommended, he should have submitted a proposition of a similar kind to their lordships -himself. Under these circumstances, however, he hoped that the proposition made elsewhere would have the support of the Government and both houses of Parliament. The change in the lay; which was proposed appeared to him of all others to be that which was best calcu- lated to remove the enormous evils to which the state of the legisla- tion rezpecting game had given birth. He was aware that many ob- . ~ . . 1 _ - -.. .-.. 1 A#;nt ht advantages which must arise from the projected amendment of the law. Some persons were of opinion that authorizing the sale of game would diminish its quantity. This he believetd would be found to be an erroneous view of the subject. It was at present al- ways to be purchased when wanted, and the only effect ot legalizing the sale would be to render it less dear. It would also be said, that aty interference with the 8ports of the field would render the country gentlemen less disposed to reside on their estates. He well knew that it was common for the country gentlemen to take great pleasure in these sports, but they had other occupatioas of a far more important nature in which it was equally conmmon for them to be engaged, and which he was persuaded would always render them as desirous of residing in the country as their love of field sports. Instead of having the effect of diminilhing gamne, he wvv convinced the change would increase it. Aristocratic pride mit,st be offended at the opportunity wrhich every person would have to procure game; but those who had alreadv lowered their atistocra- tic pridc so far as to steU their game surely nced not take alarm at this. Hetzuatedthattheirlordships would turn their seriousattention to this impos:tant subject before the bill came from the other house. 'The house ih. Lombard-street biU was read a second time.-Ad- journed. t The appointment of the Chief Justice of the King's Bench to act in the absence of the L,ord Chancellor, is revoked, In eonsequence of its havine beeafound that the great pressure of business in that Court did not pesmt his attendance 5n tile House of Peers. It Is said that a Commission, simlar to the one issued In favour of the late Chief Baron Richards. 5s aboa: to be mnade out, emnpow ering the present Chief Baron of the Exchequer [Alexander) to preside In the Housc of Lords, should emergencies or the public blusness require it. HMOUSE OF LORDS. TiiuRSOAr. FEB. 19. LORD GIFFORD'S COMMISSION.