§ Lord John Russell moved the Order of the Day for the further consideration of the Report on the Forgery Bill.
Lord Stanleysaid, before the House proceeded further, he wished to ask the noble Lord a question on a subject of considerable importance, which referred in a certain degree to the subject matter 1661 of the Bill under discussion. He had stated to his noble Friend, some three or four months since, that a communication had been made to him, as foreman of the spring grand jury of Lancashire, to the effect that there had been an increase of the crime of forgery, and that there had been, contrary to the expectation of those who thought that a diminished severity of the law would be beneficial, a growing feeling against prosecuting, and that the tendency of the alteration of the law was too much to induce parties to look to the recovery of moneys, rather than the punishment of the offence committed. He had stated to the noble Lord the authority on which this information was given to him; he had since seen the person who gave this information, but he did not ascertain from him that he had had any communication with the noble Lord on the subject. He, therefore, wished to know what had been the result of the noble Lord's inquiries elsewhere?
§ Lord John Russellsaid, he had certainly not had any communication on the subject with the manufacturing districts; but the result of his inquiries in the metropolis was, that forgeries had not considerably increased, and that the effect of the present measure would be to afford an increased security against forgery.
§ Report received. Bill to be read a third time.