27 Oct r 1807

L d Eldon's Bill

'.11

- assembled by President

So much for the effect of those significant words, now as to the instruction that seems derived from them /they seem pregnant with/.

Judging merely from what is public, if /were/ the question were put to me, what do you suppose, the Lord Presidents draughtsman means should be done, and if I were obliged to answer, my /the/ answer would be - nothing.

Unless it be by encrease of salary, an operation to which nothing more than a few words without any such elaborateness of regulation would be necessary, in what shape can /could/ he be /any thing/ the better for any thing that could be done? Answer - in none. After or before or along with salary /the peculium/, what has he the greatest regard for /is it that sits nearest to his heart/? The answer has been given by himself (- his own case? his own necessary periodical repose: - that repose viz. of 6 months out of 12, which being acceptable to a person of exalted dignity and proportionable merit that he knows of, he concludes to be absolutely necessary to every other head or at least to every other which has learning in it /everything of jurisprudential learning to agitate and plague its periodical repose: - that periodical repose (6 months together out of the 12)/) "which the laborious functions, both of the Judges and Counsel, absolutely require."

Supposing it now his intention /suppose it merely for arguments sake his intention/, that any such new body of regulations should be made which his draughtsman and what is more the Lord Chancellor's draughtsman he is determined it shall not be without a Court or Quorum assembled by the President, when would be the time for making them? Not the six months vacation nor any part of it: given to judicature, given to legislation, every hour misapplied in either way would be so much taken from that periodical repose which the laborious functions of the Judges, ... absolutely require. Still less from that only other remaining portion /half/ of the year, during which to such a degree are those learned persons fatigued and over-fatigued with the laborious functions so imposed upon them, as to require /the other/ 6 months to recover themselves.