HL Deb 01 July 1845 vol 81 cc1396-7
Lord Wharncliffe

moved the Third Reading of he Museums, &c., Bill.

Lord Brougham

expressed his dissatisfaction with the Bill in its amended state.

Lord Campbell

approved of the Bill. It was intended to remedy a defect in the existing law.

The Lord Chancellor

said, as he read the Bill, a person laying his finger upon a plaster-cast in a shop window would come within the provisions of the Bill, and might be liable to two years' imprisonment, hard labour, and private whipping.

Lord Brougham

The punishment was the same as inflicted for felonies of the highest character. He was perfectly astonished at such a Bill coming from the Commons.

Lord Campbell

said, if the Bill were worded as the noble and learned Lord stated, it had been incautiously worded by the Government in the other House of Parliament, where it had been introduced by the Solicitor General.

The Lord Chancellor

I see very little trace of the Bill as it left the House of Commons in the Bill now upon the Table; it has been altogether new modelled under the superintendence of my noble and learned Friend. Let it be imprisonment for three months, and say nothing of hard labour; surely that is imprisonment enough.

Lord Brougham

Without hard labour.

The penalty finally agreed upon was imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, with hard labour or private whipping.

The Bill read 3a time.

Amendment made; Bill passed.

House adjourned.