§ MR. BRADLAUGHI beg to ask the Lord Advocate whether his attention has been drawn to the account, in the Journal of Jurisprudence for April, of a trial in the High Court of Justiciary, in Edinburgh, of persons charged with theft, from which it appears that, before the jury had considered and delivered their verdict, reference was made to previous convictions against the prisoners; whether such reference to previous convictions was in express violation of Section 67 of "The Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act, 1887"; and if the Government will, under the circumstances, recommend any alteration or remission of the sentences?
§ THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. J. P. B. ROBERTSON,) ButeI find that the proceedings to which the question relates form the subject of a Petition for release of the persons convicted, which is at 6 present before the Secretary for Scotland. The hon. Gentleman will, therefore, not expect me to answer the question.