§ EARL GRANVILLEI now rise, my Lords, for another purpose. Your Lordships are aware, not only from public rumour, but officially from the proceedings of the other House of Parliament, which are communicated to us, of the Resolution with respect to the Lord Chancellor which was adopted last night in that House. It would be not only irregular but improper on my part to make any comment on that Resolution. I deem it, however, to be my duty to inform your Lordships that the Lord Chancellor requested Lord Palmerston this morning to tender to Her Majesty his resignation of the Great Seal; and that Lord Palmerston has acted upon that request. It may be in- 1143 teresting to your Lordships to know that the Lord Chancellor has frequently during the last five months requested Lord Palmerston to accept his resignation of his office. He stated that, though the charges against him were unjust, it might be injurious to the Government and to the profession of which he was head that he should continue to hold office with any suspicion of improper proceedings resting upon him. Lord Palmerston on those occasions induced him to withdraw his resignation, Lord Palmerston being of opinion, in which I concurred, that the Lord Chancellor should wait for the fullest Parliamentary investigation into his conduct. And now, after the fullest Parliamentary investigation that could possibly take place, I am happy to state the Resolution passed last night in the House of Commons entirely confirms the Report of the Committee of your Lordships' House and that of the Committee of the House of Commons, that no imputation of a corrupt or unworthy nature rests on the Lord Chancellor. In consequence, however, of the opinion expressed by the House of Commons, Lord Palmerston has thought it right to tender to Her Majesty the advice that the noble and learned Lord's resignation should be accepted. It would, I may add, be for the convenience of the public service that the Lord Chancellor should retain the Seals until after the prorogation of Parliament.