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matchless victories poor, compared with the triumph you are now in a condition to win-saw him contemn the fickleness of Fortune, while, in despite of her, he could pronounce his memorable boast, "I shall go down to posterity with the Code in my hand!" You have vanquished him in the field; strive now to rival him in the sacred arts of peace! Outstrip him as a lawgiver, whom in arms you overcame! The lustre of the Regency will be eclipsed by the more solid and enduring splendour of the Reign. The praise which false courtiers feigned for our Edwards and Harrys, the Justinians of their day, will be the just tribute of the wise and the good to that Monarch under whose sway so mighty an undertaking shall be accomplished. Of a truth, the holders of sceptres are most chiefly to be envied for that they bestow the power of thus conquering, and ruling thus. It was the boast of Augustus-it formed part of the glare in which the perfidies of his earlier years were lost-that he found Rome of brick, and left it of marble; a praise not unworthy a great prince, and to which the present reign also has its claims. But how much nobler will be the Sovereign's boast, when he shall have it to say, that he found law dear, and left it cheap; found it a sealed book-left it a living letter; found it the patrimony of the rich-left it the inheritance of the poor; found it the two-edged sword of craft and oppression-left it the staff of honesty and the shield of innocence! To me much reflecting on these things, it has always seemed a worthier honour to be the instrument of making you bestir yourselves in this high matter, than to enjoy all that office can bestow-office, of which the patronage would be an irksome incumbrance, the emoluments superfluous to one content with the rest of his industrious fellow-citizens, that his own hands minister to his wants: And as for the power supposed

to follow it-I have lived near half a century, and I have learned that power and place may be severed. But one power I do prize; that of being the advocate of my countrymen here, and their fellow-labourer elsewhere, in those things which concern the best interests of mankind. That power, I know full well, no government can give-no change take away!

I move you, Sir, "That an humble Address be presented to his Majesty, praying that he will be graciously pleased to issue a Commission for inquiring into the defects, occasioned by time and otherwise, in the Laws of this realm, and into the measures necessary for removing the same."

[Upon the adjourned debate on Mr. Brougham's motion, on Friday, February 29, the following Resolution, substituted by him with the assent of the Government, was unanimously carried :

"That an humble Address be presented to his Majesty, respectfully requesting that his Majesty may be pleased to take such measures as may seem most expedient for the purpose of causing due inquiry to be made into the origin, progress, and termination of actions in the superior Courts of Common Law in this country, and matters connected therewith; and into the state of the Law regarding the Transfer of Real Property."]

SPEECH

UPON

LOCAL COURT S.

Delivered IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS,

APRIL 29, 1830.

SPEECH.

I RISE, Sir, to call the attention of the House to a subject which I had the honour, some two years and a half ago, to bring under its consideration; and, in the first place, I will state the reason which has prevented me from again bringing it forward at an earlier period. The motion which I formerly made led to the appointment of two Commissions, and both of them have reported on the subject matters submitted to them for inquiry. One report has been made on the Law of Real Property; and I am in great hopes that a second report will soon be made. The other Commission has drawn up two reports, with respect to proceedings at Common Law. Now if I had renewed the subject after the first report had been made, I must have introduced it at a very great disadvantage, because the Commissioners had disclosed their intention to follow up that report, with suggestions upon many of those questions to which I had turned my attention. I have, therefore, waited till the second report was before the House, that I might perfectly know what the Commissioners propose. Let it not, Sir, for one moment be supposed, that in again calling the attention of the House to this most important subject, I have any ground of complaint as to the manner

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