§ LORD ST. LEONARDSsaid, that having been absent when this measure was considered, he had not the opportunity of expressing his strong sense of the admirable manner in which the Gentlemen who propared the Bill had executed their task. He desired to point out to their Lordships that the schedule of the Bill did not afford complete evidence of the amount of labour performed by the gentlemen who had prepared this Bill. Quite as much labour and attention were required to determine what should be left out as to decide what should be included in the schedule. He made this observation in justice to the two gentlemen, and to his noble and learned Friend on the Woolsack, who had directed and personally assisted them. These gentlemen, who had performed their work so admirably, were not, in his opinion, at all adequately remunerated. The sum of £700 a year was really no remuneration for the time and labour requisite for the 1433 execution of such a work as this. And, besides the labour which was performed, the responsibility which these gentlemen undertook ought to be considered. If it should appear that with all their care there had been the slightest slip in the performance of their duty, they would be exposed to a series of attacks which might make any man tremble.
THE LORD CHANCELLORsaid, he quite concurred with his noble and learned Friend, that the country owed a debt of gratitude to the gentlemen who had devoted themselves to this great work for a most inadequate remuneration. The whole expense of the revision and expurgation of the statutes by these gentlemen had not exceeded £3,160, which was much less than that expended on former Commissions of a like character. He agreed with his noble and learned Friend that a greater amount of remuneration ought to be awarded to these gentlemen.
§ House adjourned at Two o'clock, to Monday next, Twelve o'clock.