Lord Kingsaid, he had been intrusted with a Petition respecting the Administration of Justice in this country, which for several reasons was entitled to an attentive and serious consideration. It was most numerously signed, and by persons of the highest respectability, resident in the metropolis. Amongst the signatures would be found that of the most eminent lawyer at the Irish bar, (Mr. O'Connell) and the peti- 1119 tion, he was given to understand, had been drawn up by the celebrated author of the "Fragment on Government," and of the "Defence of Usury,"(Mr. Jeremy Bentham), whose knowledge of jurisprudence was so eminently conspicuous in his writings. The terms in which this document was couched, furnished abundant internal evidence of its literary parentage, as the style which distinguished the writer's former productions was discoverable throughout. It set forth, that the petitioners, when they sought for information concerning (he legal Administration of Justice in England, were referred to the Statute Law and the Common Law as the sources to which they should look for wherewithal to satisfy there inquiry. They found, however, on examination, that the Statute Law covered more letter-press than it was possible to lift, and that the Common Law was sufficient to fill libraries not capable of being contained within that House. The noble Lord concluded with expressing his own opinion, that a proper division of labour in the Administration of Justice, would be found to produce as beneficial a result as the adoption of the principle had already effected in the mechanical arts and manufactures; the facilities which it afforded in the interesting process of pin-making sufficiently attested the practical advantages which would generally accrue from a division of labour.
§ Petition laid on the Table.