The Lord Chancellorsaid, that at the close of the last session, he had taken the liberty of stating, that he would, in the course of the present session, move for leave to regulate a system which was now going on to a most mischievous extent—he meant Joint-Stock Companies not yet formed, and which never might be formed, and where, before their formation, the shares of the persons adventuring therein were made the subject of sale, to the enormous profit of those who set such companies afloat. It was his intention to ask their lordships to consent to a bill to check that sort of proceeding. He had thought it right to mention the subject on the first day of the session, because he intended that the operation of the bill should affect all sales of interest on shares in those companies which might be proposed to be established, but not yet formed, from and after the first day of the present session. After having thus stated his intentions, there could be no ground for complaint with respect to the want of notice, supposing their lordships should think proper to approve of the bill. With respect to the past, he would either leave it to be dealt with according to the common law as it at present stood, or he would introduce into the bill a declaration as to what he conceived to be the intent of the common law on the subject.