Mr. C. Fergussonin moving for certain Returns from the Court of Session in Scotland, took the opportunity of asking the right hon. Secretary of State a question, in relation to the late learned Lord Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas. That learned Lord had retired, and had, as he believed, obtained a pension on the ground of infirm health. By the 29th of Geo. 3rd., his Majesty was empowered to grant to the Judges of the Courts of Westminster Hall certain annuities, upon their retiring from the Bench. That power was limited to cases in which these learned persons had been fifteen years upon the Bench, with the excepted case of persons who retired from permanent infirmity. The question he put was; 1076 Whether that noble and learned Lord was about to be appointed to another office; to one of high trust, great responsibility, and considerable labour; he meant the office of Deputy Speaker of the House of Lords; an office which embraced, among many other labours, that important duty of deciding on Appeals from Scotland? He hoped that what he had said would not be construed in the slightest manner to reflect upon the Noble and learned Lord; for, except for the reason he had stated, he should not have said a word on the subject. The question he wished to put was, Whether the Government intended to appoint Lord Wynford Deputy Speaker of the House of Lords?
Mr. Peelsaid, that the Government had it not in contemplation to make any special appointment of Deputy Speaker. The Chief Baron of the Exchequer, by virtue of his appointment as such, and the Master of the Rolls in the same manner, would sit in the House of Lords in the absence of the Lord Chancellor. There was no intention of making any special or individual appointment; there would be a general appointment; but in any? event, whether Lord Wynford was appointed or not, there was no intention whatever of attaching any salary to the office.