Earl Grosvenorsaid, he had been intrusted with a Petition from Chester, which related to two subjects of the greatest possible importance; and his noble and learned friend then on the Woolsack, who had so long been the ornament of the other House, and was likely to be the ornament of this—having be- 673 coming a Peer—he could not avoid adverting to the important topics which that petition contained, as he was anxious to give him an opportunity—if he chose to avail himself of it—of correcting some misrepresentations, and replying to some attacks which had been made against him in another place. From all that he had heard of his noble and learned friend's sentiments, they were coincident, he believed, with those which had been expressed by the noble Earl (Grey) on a recent occasion, in. a speech which would not be easily forgotten, both on the subject of Parliamentary Reform and the other subjects to which he had alluded. His own opinions upon Parliamentary Reform, and the necessity of economizing to the quick, were well known; and happy would it have been for the country if reform and retrenchment had been begun several years ago. As to the other topic dwelt upon in the petition, namely, negro slavery, he expressed his anxious hope that some period would be fixed when slavery should be abolished throughout his Majesty's dominions.
The Lord ChancellorMy Lords, I have listened with great attention to the few observations which have been made by my noble friend upon these two questions that must be considered of paramount importance, whether we regard the interests of the empire, or the public duties of statesmen to the entire world. I am obliged to my noble friend for the opportunity he has afforded me, but as many other opportunities will occur, and at no very distant period of time, it prevents the necessity of my declaring my opinions at present. That my opinions are known to my noble friend on the topics to which he alludes may be true—that they may be known to other noble Lords, in common with; the great mass of my fellow-citizens, is probable, and I hope is not for my disadvantage. That any noble Lord should know so little of me I hope is not the case, as for a moment to suppose, that in any circumstances in which I can be placed upon this earth, my opinions, my feelings, my principles, my wishes in favour of both these great questions, always of extreme, and now of urgent importance to this empire, could suffer change, or that any thing could even induce me to abate one iota of the zeal which swells my bosom in these matters. At least I trust there can be but few who know so little of me, even from report, as to sus- 674 pect me of such a change. It is painful to me, and the more so from the unexpected appeal of my noble friend, that now, when, for the first time, I have the honour of addressing your Lordships, excepting in your judicial capacity, I should be called upon to speak of a subject in every way of such inferior importance as myself. Nevertheless, misrepresentations have gone abroad, and remarks of an unfriendly nature, touching the consistency of my public conduct, have been made elsewhere, and therefore, as my noble friend said, he was anxious to give me an opportunity of setting right the one, and repelling the other; and should I now shrink—or rather let me say—should I decline offering a few words in deference to your Lordships, and I may add, out of respect to myself, after the call which has been made on me, it might wear the appearance of shrinking, not from the expression of my opinions— not from a readiness to correct misrepresentations, but from the attacks which have been made on me, if, indeed, the observations to which my noble friend alludes were intended as attacks. It will be sufficient, however, to say very briefly, that I bear and shall bear with perfect equality of mind everything that may be said of me in any quarter whatsoever—that I am not at all surprised—but the contrary—that a person, respectable for his knowledge and talent—nay, even distinguished for the exercise of that knowledge and talent—has been led into errors of me, from ignorance of my character; and that I bear with an equal mind, what has been said by that individual, under the influence of mistake. I am not astonished at the observations which have been made by persons in another place, for they cannot be more astonished (and as a matter of astonishment I understand the observations to which I allude were introduced, and I do not say they were intended as an attack)—they cannot feel greater astonishment than I myself do at my consenting to my elevation to the distinguished place which I now hold in his Majesty's Councils. My Lords, lam not surprised at their astonishment, and only say, that I share it with them; for they cannot be more stricken with wonder than I am that, at this late period—at this eleventh hour, that I should have overcome my repugnance to resign my high station, as Representative for Yorkshire, than I was myself when I did overcome that repugnance; that I who 675 up to that time when I am reported to have stated my intention of not severing myself from the representation of Yorkshire; which intention, by the by, I never did state; but when I am said to have made that statement, I no more contemplated the possibility of my being prevailed upon to quit the station I held for that I now occupy, than I, at the present moment, fancy I shall ever go back to that House from which the favour of his Majesty has raised me. I need not add, that in changing my station in Parliament, the principles which have ever guided me remain unchanged. When I accepted the high office to which I have been called, I did so in the full and perfect conviction, that far from disabling me to discharge my duty to my country—far from rendering my services less efficient, it would but enlarge the sphere of my utility. The thing which dazzled me most in the prospect which opened to my view, was not the gewgaw splendor of the place, but because it seemed to afford me, if I were honest—on which I could rely; if I were consistent —which I knew to be a matter of absolute necessity in my nature; if I were as able as I was honest and consistent—a field of more extended exertion. That by which the Great Seal dazzled my eyes, and induced me to quit a station which, till this time, I deemed the most proud which an Englishman could enjoy was, that it seemed to hold out to me the gratifying prospect, that in serving my King I should be better able to serve my country.
§ The Petition laid on the Table.