Lords Sitting of 15 July 1833

MINUTES.
Bills. Read a second time:—Assessed Taxes Composition.—Read a third time:—Dublin Steam-Packet Company; Parochial Rates Exemption; Royal Artillery Pensions.
Petitions presented. By the Earl of ABERDEEN, from the Clergy of Suffolk, for the Preservation of the Church Establishment.—By the Earl of CAMPERDOWN, from Brechin, in favour of the Factories Regulation Bill.—By the Duke of WELLINGTON, from Hamilton, for taking the Ancient Boundary of that Borough for the Assessment under the Police Bill.—By the Earl of KINNOUL., from Perth; and the Duke of BUCCLEUGH, from the Cordwainers of Edinburgh, against the Royal Burghs (Soot-land Bill.—By a NOBLE LORD, from Bagnor, in favour of the Local Courts Bill.—By the Duke of GLOUCESTER, from the University of Cambridge; by the Bishop of EXTER, and the Earl of RODEN, from a Number of Places,—against the Irish Church Temporalities Bill.

THELLUSSON'S ESTATE.
Lord Lyndhurstrose to move the second reading of the Thellusson Estate Bill. He said, that when he first submitted this Bill to the House he did so without knowing any portion of the Thellusson family who might be benefited by the measure. He took the matter up on a principle of justice, and he was greatly surprised at the opposition which had been offered to the measure. Whether it was to be continued he knew not; but although he felt

637
the greatest possible respect for the noble Lords who bad been foremost in that opposition, he would say, that notwithstanding the deference which he entertained for their opinion, he deemed it to be his duty to persevere with this measure. Much had been said on the subject of precedent, and no man was more unwilling than himself to make new precedents; but, as the noble and learned Lord on the Woolsack had observed, this case could never be quoted as a precedent, because a Bill had been brought in for the specific purpose of preventing the recurrence of a similar case. He could say, on the authority of Sir Anthony Hart, who, when Vice-Chancellor, had made certain orders in this case, that the proceedings connected with it could never be cited as matter of precedent. He knew their Lordships' respect for testamentary documents, but the object of the testator's extraordinary will was to secure accumulation; that object bad failed; and he was sure that, so far from running counter to the testator's wishes, the present Bill would, if it were possible, receive his approbation, for it was intended to devote a part of his property to the use of his descendants, instead of allowing it to benefit strangers. Large funds were lying useless. Now, he said, let the late Mr. Thellusson's descendants have a portion of these funds, in order that they may be educated in a manner suitable to their future rank in society. There was in this measure no infringement of a legal principle—there was nothing that militated against strict justice, and therefore he should move "that this Bill be now read a second time."
Earl Greysaid, he had his Majesty's commands to express his consent to this Bill.
Bill read a second time.
Ordered to be committed to a Select Committee.