§ Order of the Day for the House to be put into Committee, read.
LORD DENMANI have to trouble your Lordships with a few observations upon this Bill. This is a very great change in the law, and the Grand Committee will have considerable trouble in arriving at a conclusion in respect of it. We have had Law of Evidence Amendment Bills passing first in this House and then in the other House, but no decision come to upon them. By this Bill any person accused of murder may be allowed to swear to his innocence—
§ THE LORD CHANCELLORWill the noble Lord allow me to interrupt him in order to prevent his speaking under a misapprehension? This Bill contains no such provision as he imagines; it is simply a Bill for the consodidation of the existing law.
LORD DENMANI am much obliged to the Lord Chancellor for correcting me, and I will not trouble your Lordships with further remarks.
§ House in Committee (according to order); Bill reported without Amendment, and re-committed to the Standing Committee.