CHANCELLOR - An officer appointed
to preside over a court of chancery, invested with
various powers in the several states.
The office of chancellor is of Roman origin. He appears,
at first, to have been a chief scribe or secretary,
but he was afterwards invested with judicial power,
and had superintendence over the other officers of
the empire. From the Romans the title and office passed
to the church, and therefore every bishop of the Catholic
church has, to this day, his chancellor, the principal
judge of his consistory. When the modern kingdoms
of Europe were established upon the ruins of the empire,
almost every state preserved its chancellor, with
different jurisdictions and dignities, according to
their different constitutions. In all he seems to
have had a supervision of all charters, letters, and
such other public instruments of the crown as were
authenticated in the most solemn manner; and when
seals came into use, he had the custody of the public
seal.
An officer bearing this title is to be found in most
countries of Europe, and is generally invested with
extensive authority. The title and office of chancellor
came to us from England. Some state constitutions
provide for the appointment of this officer, who is
by them, and by the law of the several states, invested
with power as they provide.
