Lords Sitting of 3 August 1831

MINUTES.
Petitions presented. By the Marquis of WEST-MEATH, from the Land-holders of Clare, against the System of Grand Jury Taxation (Ireland). By the Bishop of LONDON, from the Clergy of the Diocese and County of Hereford, Doncaster, and Dorking, to extend the powers of the Church Building Act. By Earl GREY, from the Sheriff, Freeholders, and others, of the County of Dunbarton; Inhabitants of Weymouth, and Melcomb Regis, Brecknock, Royal Burgh of Anstruther, Easter, Galstoun, Londena, Denny, Ballycallan, Kilmanagh, and Killaloe, Palles Green, Athlone, and Tipton, in favour of Reform; from the Roman Catholic Bishops' (Ireland), and Inhabitants of Ross, Hereford, for the introduction of Poor Laws into Ireland; from the Roman Catholic Bishops' (Ulster), for participation in the Grants for Education; from the Roman Catholic Freemen of Londonderry, praying they may not be required to take the Oaths of Allegiance at each Election; from the Inhabitants of Donoughmore, for an alteration in the Grants for Education (Ireland); from the Corporation of Smiths (Dublin), for Compensation to the Coal Meters of that place; from the Roman Catholic Clergy, Irish Bar, and Resident Magistrates of Galway, three Petitions, to extend the Elective Franchise to Catholics at that place; from the Protestant Inhabitants of the same place, for the Repeal of 4th, George 1st, requiring the Freemen of Galvay to be Protestants. By the Earl of CARLISLE, from the Inhabitants of Exeter, against Capital Punishment for Crimes against Property only.

BEER BILL.
The Bishop of London presented a Petition from fifty Clergymen of the counties of Chester and Lancashire, praying for an alteration in the Beer Bill. It had been said, that the clergy had not come forward with any petition against this measure, and it had thence been inferred, that it had not been productive of the bad consequences which some had represented as resulting from it. He himself personally knew the petitioners, and could speak to their respectability; and they stated, that the Beer Act had been attended with very bad consequences in the parishes with which they were connected; that it had
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encouraged vice and immorality; and particularly, that it had led, in a great degree, to a disregard of the Christian Sabbath, and had taught even children to become drunkards. He had heard, from all quarters, complaints of its bad effects; and he was assured, that unless it were materially altered, the consequences would be of the most alarming description. He had received letters from clergymen, declaring that they could not find language to describe the lamentable results of this measure.
Petition laid on the Table.

KING'S MESSAGE—PROVISION FOR PRINCESS VICTORIA.
Earl Grey Earl Grey moved the Order of the Day for taking into consideration his Majesty's Message relative to the making an additional provision for the Duchess of Kent and the Princess Victoria.
The Message was read; for which see ante p. 584.
Earl Greysaid, their Lordships having heard this recommendation of his Majesty to make a further provision for her royal highness, the Duchess of Kent, and for the maintenance and support of the honour and dignity of her royal daughter the Princess Alexandria Victoria, he was not aware, that it was necessary for him to say any thing in support of that recommendation. He was persuaded, that their Lordships would be fully sensible of the propriety of making an augmented provision for her royal highness the Duchess of Kent, when it was considered that she was the mother of the presumptive heiress to the Crown; and he was also persuaded, that their Lordships would feel the propriety of making a further provision for the education and for the maintenance and support of the honour and dignity of her royal highness the Princess Victoria, when it was considered that she would, in all probability, be the future Sovereign of this empire. It was, indeed, of the last importance, that ample provision should be made for the support of the honour and dignity of the Princess, and for giving her the best possible education, so as to prepare her for the adequate execution of those high and important duties which she might some time be called upon to perform. If it were proper to mention any personal considerations as reasons to induce their Lordships to give effect to the object of his Majesty's Message, he might say, that the Duchess of Kent had per-

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formed her duties in the most admirable manner, both as a wife and a mother, and had conducted the education of the Princess her daughter upon the most enlightened views and principles, and with the most praiseworthy assiduity. As for the amount of the grant, that was a matter to be settled by the other House; and when the matter should come again before their Lordships, in the shape of a bill brought up from the other House, it would be for their Lordships to say whether it, was sufficient. For the present, he would conclude by moving, "That an humble Address be presented to his Majesty, thanking his Majesty for his most gracious Message, and assuring his Majesty, that this House, gladly embracing every opportunity of showing their respect and regard for his Majesty's person and family, would cheerfully concur in any measure for giving effect to the object of his Majesty's most gracious Message."
The Earl of Rosslyn and the Duke of Cumberland whispered something across the Table to Earl Grey.
Earl Greywas now informed, that there was an inaccuracy in his Majesty's Message. As to that, he had only to say, in excuse for himself, that he had desired the Message to be prepared by the proper person in the usual way; that the Message bad been put in his hand in the usual way, and had been signed by his Majesty. He had, therefore, concluded that all was correct, according to the usual form; and whether it was, in fact, correct or not, he could not, of his own knowledge, pretend to say. But he was informed, that the Message was inaccurate, inasmuch as it did not designate the Princess Victoria as her "royal" highness. He supposed, however, that no one would say, that there was any thing intentionally derogatory to her royal highness, in withholding this title of respect.
The Address agreed to, and ordered, nemine dissentiente, to be presented to his Majesty.

AFFIDAVITS IN CHANCERY SUITS.
The Lord Chancellorsaid, that he held in his hand a Bill which, with their Lordships' permission, he would lay on their Table, the object of which Bill was, to prevent delays in conducting the business of the Court of Chancery. Their Lordships were aware, that, very early after his Majesty had done him the honour to intrust
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him with the Great Seal, he had intimated his intention of bringing up the arrear of appeals in the Court of Chancery with all possible despatch; and this object had been, in a great degree, accomplished, and his labours were drawing to a close. A few cases, however, still remained to be disposed of; and the last Seal after the Term having taken place last Wednesday, after which, according to the practice of his predecessors, affidavits could not be read, and therefore appeals could not be heard, he could not finish these few cases. He believed it would not be illegal for him to adopt a contrary course, but it would be very unusual. He wished, therefore, to be empowered to have affidavits read, and appeals heard, after the last Seal, either in or after Term. The practice which he wished to alter was merely matter of form; but as there were some doubts whether he ought to alter it on his own authority, he had prepared this Bill, to give him the power which he required for the benefit of the suitors. It was highly expedient, that he should have this authority, for it often happened, that the losing parties, or those who were likely to lose, used every expedient in their power to delay the proceedings, and to prevent a final decision, as long as possible; and, for this purpose, advantage was taken of every informality, an instance of which had occurred within this last hour. Parties of that, description had other parties to back them—solicitors and others, who had some interest or object in delaying the final judgment; and time was thus consumed in useless discussions upon mere matters of form. He wished to have the authority of the law to assist him in his endeavours to accelerate the progress of Chancery suits: and he hoped, therefore, that those who thought, delay bad, and despatch good; who thought justice ought to be cheap and speedy as well as sure, would support this Bill. Here he begged leave to say a few words in answer to those who said, that he had not of late paid the usual degree of attention to the hearing of appeals in their Lordships' House, the arrears of which he had promised to bring up. In the first place he answered, that he had already reduced the arrear of appeals in their Lordships' House to a mere trifle, and all the cases had been disposed of, that had any existence in their Lordships' House previous to the present Session; and in the second place he answered, that it appeared to him, that the most

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convenient plan would be, to dispose of the arrear in the Court of Chancery, in order that the different parties and solicitors interested in them might return to their respective homes; and after he had so disposed of them, he would give his whole attention to the Appeal-paper; and he trusted, that there would be no cause to complain of any unnecessary delay.
The Bill read a first time.

DONNA MARIA OF PORTUGAL.
The Marquis of Londonderry, seeing the noble Earl at the head of his Majesty's Government in his place, observed, that he wished to ask the noble Earl a question which might be material, in relation to the debate which was expected to take place on Friday, on the motion of the noble Earl (Aberdeen) on that side of the House. He wished to know, whether orders or directions had been given to the civil and military authorities at Portsmouth, to receive Donna Maria as Queen of Portugal? Since Donna Maria had been here before, circumstances had altered, and different arrangements might be called for. If Donna Maria were to be recognized as Queen of Portugal, it was obvious, that this country would be still further alienated from the present ruling authorities in Portugal, and that the resumption of our usual confidential and friendly relations with that Power, would be very problematical, or at least postponed to a distant period.
Earl Grey, not having had any notice as to what the nature of the motion was, which the noble Earl proposed to bring forward on Friday, could not be prepared to say whether the reception of her—he did not know how to designate her, lest he should be censured for using some improper expression—but he did not know whether the reception of Donna Maria would have any bearing on the noble Earl's motion or not. But he could undertake to say, that the only answer which he could give to the noble Marquis's question could have no bearing on the noble Earl's motion, or on any thing else; for he did not know what orders or directions had been given as to the reception of Donna Maria, nor did he know that any orders at all had been given on the subject.