LORD BROUGHAM, on the presentation (by command) of the "Judicial Statistics, 1860," took occasion to refer to the Criminal Law Consolidation Bills, and said, that the conduct of the House of Commons on this subject was highly to be approved. There was but one mode of making a digest of the law and that was to repose confidence in the learned and skilful persons who were employed by the Government or the Parliament to prepare it, and to adopt their work, after due consideration in Select Committees, with as little discussion as possible in the two Houses. That was the wise course pursued by the House of Commons with regard to the important Bills for the consolidation of the Criminal Law. The last time his lamented Friend the late Lord Chancellor addressed the House was in moving that these Bills be read a first time, when he congratulated the House and the country on the judicious conduct of the Commons, and expressed a hope that it would be imitated by their Lordships.
THE LORD CHANCELLORsaid, that the Bills for the consolidation of the Criminal Law to which his noble and learned Friend referred received very careful consideration from their Lordships in a former Session, and that the country was greatly indebted to their Lordships for the care and skill with which the Bills were framed. They were introduced into the House of Commons during the present Session, and were referred to a Select Committee. He was very happy to say that the Bills as amended by their Lordships had been passed by the Select Committee with very trifling, if any, alteration. Four of them had been read a third time and passed by the House of Commons, and were now on their Lordship's table. In regard to the fifth Bill—that on Offences against the Person, a question had been raised whether conspiracy to murder should be held to be a felony, a capital felony, or a misdemeanour. In consequence of the change of the law officers that question had not yet been decided. His hon. and learned Friend the present Attorney General had promised him that, on his return to the House, he would bring forward that Bill on an early day. He hoped it would pass speedily through the House of Commons, and as soon as it came to their Lordships' House he would lose no time in calling their attention to it.
LORD BROUGHAMsaid, he hoped their Lordships would follow the example of the House of Commons, and pass these important Bills as speedily as possible.