Lords Sitting of 10 August 1832

MINUTES.
Bills. Read a first time:—Bribery at Elections.—Read a second time:—Roman Catholic Requests—Committed:—Composition of Tithes (Ireland).—Read a third time:—Revenue Accounts (Scotland); Speaker's Retirement:—Special Constables (Ireland).

FORGERY BILL.
The Lord Chancellorsaid, he had to move the second

1303
reading of a Bill of great importance, which went to repeal the law awarding punishment of death in cases of forgery. He was not aware that any noble Lord intended to make any objections to the second reading of the Bill, nor was he aware that any noble Lord would move to alter any of the details; but he recollected that, on a former occasion, when a Bill of a similar nature was before the House, exceptions had been taken to some of the details, with a view of retaining the punishment of death in some cases of forgery. They, however, did not succeed then—nor would they, he believed, if they were proposed now, for men's minds were pretty well made up on the point, as it was not to be expected that the punishment of death for offences of that description, which were seldom or never carried into execution, could continue the law of the land. At the same time, if any noble Lord thought that there ought to be exceptions in the Bill with respect to certain cases, a favourable opportunity would be afforded in a future stage. If the House consented to the second reading now, it was his intention to move to have the Bill committed on Monday.
The Duke of Cumberlandhoped that the noble and learned Lord on the Woolsack would not move to have the Bill committed on Monday, unless the noble and learned Lord, the Chief Justice (Lord Tenterden) had then returned to town from the Circuit.
The Lord Chancellorcould assure the illustrious Duke, that no appeal could be stronger to delay the Bill a short time than that made on account of the absence of his noble and learned friend, the Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench; but the Bill had been put off to so late a period of the Session, that it was almost the last day to which it could be deferred with a hope of carrying it. He trusted that his noble and learned friend would have returned to town on Monday; nevertheless, he did not say he would; and, if he should not, as there would be some amendments to make in the Committee, there would be another stage, in which his noble and learned friend might propose any alterations he thought right.
Bill read a second time.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S SALARY.
On the Motion that the Lord Chancellor's Salary Bill be read a first time.
The Lord Chancellorsaid, he wished to make one observation relative to statements which had been made elsewhere. It was said that there was no ground for so large a salary as this Bill proposed, inasmuch as there had been a great decrease of labour since the institution of the Bankruptcy Court. Now there could not be a greater delusion than that, for there was as much business now before the Court of Chancery as formerly, notwithstanding the Bankruptcy Court, or any other Court. The Court sat as long, and was as much occupied, as when a variety of other business was before it. If the Bankruptcy Court had diminished any business in Chancery, it was most likely to do so in the Vice Chancellor's Court; but even there the labours of the Vice-Chancellor were as great as ever. The arrears had been nearly got rid of, but the business had, in many respects, increased. Within the last seven months, there had been no less than 258 more Bills filed than in 1829, when there was the greatest number known.
Bill read a first time.

ABERDEEN COLLEGE.
The Earl of Rosslynpresented a Petition from the publishers of London, praying that the Aberdeen University Bill might be postponed till next Session.
The Bishop of Londonsaid, the right of Universities to claim a copy of each work was no doubt an unequal tax. Eleven copies were to be given whether the work was worth one guinea or ten guineas; so that a publisher who published 1,000 copies of a work that sold for one guinea, had to pay only eleven guineas, whereas another, who might publish only 100 copies of a work worth ten guineas, had to pay a tax of 110 guineas. The sum to be paid to the College of Aberdeen he thought too much, as he knew that some of the Colleges would accept of 300 l. for giving up the right.
The Marquess of Lansdownadmitted, that the sum to be paid was 500 l., and that possibly some colleges would accept less; but, as it was desirable to come to an agreement as speedily as possible with France, he could not consent to a postponement of the measure till next Session. He would at the same time say that he regarded the present state of the law as entailing an onerous and very unjust tax on a particular class; and next

1305
Session it might be desirable to ascertain what steps could be taken to relieve authors and publishers from such an unequal tax. The present Bill, however, would be no bar to any future measures as to copyright.
The Bishop of Londonthought, by giving so large a sum, their Lordships were creating obstacles to the purchase of the privilege from other universities.
Petition to lie on the Table.