THE STATUTE LAW COMMISSION.
The LORD CHANCELLOR stated on Tuesday, that he should next week lay seven bills on the table, forming a complete consolidation of Criminal Offences.
Lord BROUGHAM asked what means had been taken to obtain the pos
sibility of passing anything like a digest through Parliament. It is not the fault of the Commissioners that digests have not been passed, for on two separate occasions digests have been skilfully and carefully prepared by the Commissioners—those industrious, learned, and underpaid men, who are now the objects of such unmeasured attacks, he would not say in the other House of Parliament, but out of doors. Lord St. Leonardo and himself, some time ago, came to the conclusion that it was in vain to pass a digest of 1500 articles in their Lordships' House, and then send it down to be discussed in another place by 120 barristers, attorneys, and 300 or 400 magistrates, each having an attorney at his elbow to suggest doubts and difficulties at every step. There is but one course to take ; which is that adopted with respect to Sir Robert Peel's bill for the consolidation of the law of Larceny—namely, that confidence, or almost entire confidence, should be given to the skilful, learned, and-experienced men who set themselves to draw up that digest ; and after that was done, that Parliament—he would not say in every particular, but generally—should accept and adopt it. As to the charge that the learned men originally intrusted with the preparation of a digest— namely, Mr. Bellenden Ker, Mr. Starkie, Professor Amos, Justice W ight
• man, and Mr. Jardine—were overpaid, he might state that they were all paid 2000/. a year : Lord Brougham objected to that, and suggested that they should be paid by the piece instead, which brought down the payment to 1000/. a year. Mr. Bellenden Ker is the only one who has continued in the Commission; and why? Because Mr. Jardine was appointed a Police Magistrate, Mr.Wightman was made a Judge, and Professor Amos went to India ; and now, because Mr. Bellenden Ker had' no opportunity of being promoted in his profession, tied has remained in the Commission, he is made the scapegoat for the sins of the whole Commission. As to Mr. Ker being a sordid man, Lord Brougham thought be should give a sufficient answer to that imputation when he stated that absolutely on four Commissions he served for nothing. The LORD CHANCELLOR added, that he never saw in his life a more laborious or less selfish man than Mr. Ker.
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