Lord Brougham,on presenting some petitions, took the opportunity of calling the attention 778 of the House to a published statement of which he had reason to complain. The statement was to the effect that "Lord Brougham had been compelled to give up, though he did so with a bad grace, his pet scheme of a new judgeship, as also the objectionable Clauses in the Bill relating to the new jurisdiction in reference to divorce, which latter he had given up in obedience to the Lord Chancellor; and that, after having given up his chances of the judgeship, he (Lord Brougham) seemed to take no longer any interest in the measure, which he had fairly deserted, the objectionable Clauses being expunged, while he was away from the House, by the Lord Chancellor." He had never read a more scandalous and unjustifiable statement, especially after the explanations he had given a week before. It was known that before quitting his place he had requested his noble and learned Friend to expunge the Clauses referred to, as he had been requested by a right rev. Prelate to postpone them for fuller consideration; but, so far from giving them up, he had expressly stated to the noble and learned Lord on the Woolsack, that he thought a more satisfactory measure would probably be the result of delay, inasmuch as the delay would end in taking away the power of divorce a mensa et thoro also from Doctors' Commons. As to the reason imputed to him for giving up the Clauses, namely, because he was not to have the Judgeship, nothing could be more scandalous, false, and audacious; for he had explained in his place before giving up the Bill, that he never had a thought of being a candidate for the Judgeship. This he had stated in the House a week before this most scandalous and audacious libel appeared.
The Lord Chancellorconfirmed the noble and learned Lord's statement respecting the withdrawal of the Clauses, and said, that the noble and learned Lord had declared in the House that he would not accept the judgeship.