LORD BROUGHAM,in moving for a copy of the Report of the International Statistical Congress to the Secretary of State on Judicial Statistics, said lie took it for granted that there would be no objection to the production of that document. Their Lordships were aware that a Statistical Congress had been lately held in that Metropolis under the presidency of his Royal Highness the Prince Consort, of whom he would only say that that illustrious Prince discharged the duties of the high office with his usual courtesy and condescension and with his usual ability and learning. He had himself the honour of being chosen to preside over one of the sections of the Congress—namely, that of Judicial Statistics; in consequence, no doubt, of his having, some years ago, brought that subject before their Lordships. Judicial statistics wore absolutely necessary to good legislation, indeed to good government, inasmuch as without them they had no means of judging of the effect of existing laws or of the effects of any alterations made in them, and without such data he considered that legislation had no title to be called a science of induction. Beside, being chairman of one of the sections, ho had been requested, in the absence of His Royal Highness, to preside over the General Meeting of the Congress at which the document for which he was about to move was unanimously adopted; and, as unfortunately for them His Royal Highness was not a member of that House, it devolved upon him (Lord Brougham) who had made a Report to the Secretary of State for the Homo Department of their resolutions, to move their Lordships for its production. As the Report, addressed to the Home Department, contained some important suggestions, he begged humbly to move an Address for its production.
§ Motion agreed to.