rch 6th, 1840 {p.273}

[Page Head: JUDICIAL COMMITTEE BILL.]

The Chancellor spoke to me at the Council on Thursday about his
Judicial Committee[29] Amendment Bill, and begged to have any
information about practice, and any suggestions, I could give
him. Some of the provisions of his Bill appeared objectionable,
and I consulted Dr. Lushington about it. He agreed, particularly
as to the plan of making the Master of the Rolls (as Vice-
President) the organ of the court, and making it imperative on
him to give judgement in all cases. Yesterday I went to the
Chancellor and told him the objections to which I thought his
plan was liable, which he received very candidly and thankfully,
and seemed only anxious to hear and consider anything that could
be suggested. He is very different from Brougham, who, when he
framed the original Bill, was full of tricks and mystery, and
tried to make a job of it and create patronage for himself,
besides being very obstinate about the details which were then
objected to. The Chancellor said he would send me the Bill, which
he wished me to examine, and return with any observations I
thought fit.

[29] [This Bill with reference to the Judicial Committee of
the Privy Council did not pass. It would have made the
Master of the Rolls head of the Court, and its chief
organ.]

Prince Albert was gazetted last night. His precedence is not
fixed by patent under the Great Seal, but by Warrant (I suppose,
under the Sign Manual).

Copleston has got L1,000 for the little volume of Dudley's
letters[30] which he has just published. They are very well in
their way--clever, neatly written, not very amusing, rather
artificial, such as everybody reads because they were Dudley's,
but which nobody would think worth reading if they were
anonymous. A mighty proof of the value of a name.

[30] [Copleston, Bishop of Llandaff and Dean of St. Paul's,
was an intimate friend of the late Lord Dudley, and
published part of their correspondence; but the
executors of Lord Dudley, who were the Bishop of Exeter
and Lord Hatherton, caused part of it to be
suppressed.]

March 12th, 1840 {p.274}

The Chancellor sent me his Bill, after which I called on him, and
told him all my objections, and made several suggestions, which
he received very well, and begged me to put in writing what I had
said to him. This I did, and sent the p