§ LORD ST. LEONARDSobserved, that he had on a former occasion, when introducing one of the Bills he had laid before their Lordships for the amendment of the law, expressed his anxiety to prevent and punish the commission of offences and assaults by husbands against wives, and against children of tender years by adults: but he was very happy to see that a Bill had been introduced in another place to confer greater powers on magistrates and courts of justice for the punishment of such offences; and he hoped some steps would be made, by the exercise of those powers of summary conviction and of indictment, to put an end to a class of outrages which certainly were a disgrace to this country. As some doubt had been expressed respecting the increase and prevalence of these offences, he begged leave to move for an Address (of which he had not thought it necessary to give notice) to the Crown for a Return of the number of convictions in England and Wales, during the several years 1850, 1851, and 1852, for murder or manslaughter by husbands of wives, or for batteries or assaults by husbands on wives: and also, like Return for the several years 1840, 1841, and 1842.
The LORD CHANCELLORsaid, there was no objection to agree to the Motion; but he doubted if the records would give the required information, or show in what cases the persons convicted were the husbands of the injured women.
§ Motion agreed to.