Commons Sitting of 1 May 1820

THE KING'S ANSWER TO THE ADDRESS.
The Speaker reported his Majesty's Answer to the Address, as follows:
"Gentlemen; I return you my warmest thanks for this loyal and dutiful address. It gives me the utmost satisfaction to receive these assurances of your veneration for the memory of my beloved father, and of your attachment to my person and government, on this first occasion of my meeting you in parliament since my accession to the throne; and I shall rely with confidence on your support in my endeavours to promote the welfare of all classes of my people, as affording, under the blessing of Divine Providence, the surest pledge of a prosperous and happy reign."
The Chancellor of the Exchequersaid, he had searched the Journals of the House, and had found two precedents in former reigns wherein it had been the practice of the House to return thanks for the royal answer to the address presented to the throne by the first parliament of a new reign; therefore as hon. gentlemen had now heard read from the chair the most gracious answer of his present majesty, he should move "that an humble address be presented to his majesty returning the most humble thanks of this House for his most gracious answer to the address; and that such address be presented to his majesty by such members of this House as were members of his majesty's privy council."—The motion was agreed to.

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.
Mr. H. Sumneradverted to the great inconveniences under which the county of Surrey laboured, owing to the varying and uncertain state of weights and measures. He said that the city of London had formerly felt the great inconvenience and disadvantage of a similar state of things, and conceived that, acting under their own authority, they were capable of subdividing the standard measure in the Exchequer, and and of making those subdivisions the standards of weights and measures within their jurisdiction. Now, the county of
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Surrey having no means of obtaining that standard exchequer measure, took its own standard from that of the city of London, and nothing could be executed with more apparent accuracy than these weights and measures of the county were. But the county was immediately convicted for having so done, and now laboured under the state of one using weights and measures no longer established by law; the consequence was, that the public were liable to be defrauded to any excess without any possibility of redress. At the time when he first brought this subject under the notice of parliament, he gave notice that he should move for leave to bring in a bill in order to remedy so great and manifest an inconvenience; but the chancellor of the exchequer, on that occasion, seemed to wish that he should suspend such a measure, seeing that a committee had been already appointed to inquire into matters of this kind; and to intimate, that some general bill relative to weights and measures would be introduced by his majesty's ministers. Thus the case had stood two years; and though he was perfectly aware that the labours of the committee had been greatly retarded in consequence of investigating new specimens of bank notes, yet he thought it time that some definitive information on the subject should be afforded: and his object in now rising was to ask the chancellor of the exchequer whether the labours of that committee were concluded, or whether in consequence of their investigation it was his intention to introduce any general measure relative to establishing a standard of weights and measures.
The Chancellor of the Exchequerwas not entirely prepared to answer the question of the hon. gentleman. The subject was one which had long occupied the attention of his majesty's ministers. He was quite aware of its importance, but he apprehended that no general meausre could be brought in during the present session; some preliminary steps, however, might be taken.

COURTS OF JUSTICE IN SCOTLAND.
Mr. H. Clivelaid on the table a number of papers and reports connected with the commission to inquire into the receipt of fees, &c. in the courts of justice in Scotland. He moved they should be printed.
Lord A. Hamiltonbegged to be informed whether it was true that a new appointment had taken place, or was about

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to take place; namely, that of a fourth baron of the exchequer in Scotland? He saw, with regret, that no respect whatever had been paid to the suggestion of the committee, relative to the diminution of judicial expenses, nor any one earthly measure adopted in favour of the public as regarded the decrease of its burthens. He asked, therefore, whether such was the intention of ministers in the event of a vacancy?
The Lord Advocatereplied, that the appointment had already taken place several weeks ago.
Lord A. Hamilton,after this information, should feel it his duty to bring the subject before the House; but at present he was not prepared to say whether he should do so by moving for a copy of the appointment, or for a vote of censure upon the adviser of such an appointment.
The Lord Advocatehad no doubt but that he should be able to satisfy the House of the propriety of any measure of this sort which had been adopted, whenever the period arrived for its discussion.
Sir John Newportwas exceedingly anxious that his noble friend should bring this motion under discussion, either by moving for a copy of the appointment, or by any other mode of proceeding which he might think proper. He greatly lamented that not one step had yet been taken to realize the suggestions of many of the most intelligent members of that committee.
Mr. Broughamwished to ask the learned lord one question about the filling up of an appointment. The learned lord had once in his place remarked, that some officers of the jury-courts of Scotland being thought necessary, their appointments could not be filled up until parliament met. In consequence, however, of their having discovered a very gross transaction, which he would not characterize in the language that it deserved, it appeared otherwise. Had an additional number of judges of the jury-courts been really appointed? For the transaction he spoke of was really one of the most outrageous and gross jobs that ever had been done.
The Lord Advocatewas not cognizant of the particular transaction to which the learned gentleman alluded; but it was in consequence of express representations that the business of the judges of the jury-courts had so much increased, that their office could not be carried on without an addition to their number that that addition had been made.
Mr. Broughamwas not at all surprised that the judges of the jury-court, as parties in the case, should have recommended the addition; and he grieved that an hon. and learned friend of his was at that time a member of that very court. He pledged himself, however, to prove, that a grosser job, a more palpable job, or one more outrageous to the feelings of a burthened public, had never been transacted, even in Scotland.
Lord A. Hamiltonthen gave notice, that he should move for a copy of the appointment on the 11th of May.