The Bishop was authorized to return the manuscript by a decree
rendered in his own Court, by his Chancellor. The Chancellor
is regarded as the servant of the Bishop, and holds office,
I believe, at his will. But so does the King's Chancellor
at the King's will. I suppose the arrangement by which the
Chancellor determines suits in which his superior is affected
may be explained on the same ground as the authority of the
Lord Chancellor to determine suits in which the Crown is a
party.
I was quite curious to know on what ground, legal or equitable,
the decree for the restoration of the manuscript was made.
I wrote, after the thing was over, to the gentleman who had
acted as Mr. Bayard's counsel in the case, asking him to enlighten
me on this subject. I got a very courteous letter from him
in reply, in which he said he was then absent from home, but
would answer my inquiry on his return. After he got back,
however, I got a formal and ceremonious letter, in which he
said that, having been employed by Mr. Bayard as a public
officer, he did not think he was at liberty to answer questions
asked by private persons.
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