The Express.
London, England, 1849-06-14 00:00:00

SOCIETY FOR THE AMENDMENt' OF THE

LAW.

A public meeting of 1114 members of this society,
and others interested in the .tmeedment of the l,w, was
held yesterday at the societs's rooms in Regent strut, to
receive the sixth report of the council. The ch •:r was taken
by Lord BROUGHAM, and am. apt the more di..ingubbed
persons_ present were Lord Beaumont, H. Druminned,
ld P., Mr. Commissioner Face, end M. D. Mtn, S q , Q.C.
The noble and learned CHAIRMAN opened the busi-
uses of the meeting by reading the report, whit+ stated that
the reform of the law of property and of the C. art of Chan-
cery were the chief points to wh oh the secie y had devoted
their attention, ant that their (Mote in this .litteion had
not been altogether without suctets in legislative multi.
Parliament had dealt 'or were dealing with the subject of
incumbered estates in Ireland, the teen ter ef lands,
and the law of bankruptcy. The law el lunacy
and the question of the limi•ed liability of pert-
nership bad engaged the attention of t-e society,
but much difference of opition prevailed on tilted rubj.cw,
and no result had yet been arrived at. The r- form of the
Masters' Office, the subject of legal publications, a d other
mattets, were alto under consideration. The out cil had
watch, d the progress of the C aunty Courts, and re grati-
fied to report that they worked satisfactorily. 'lt e report,
I alter referring to the necessity of obtaining target funds, in
order to carry out the objects of the society my t treetuslly,
concleed with a suggestion for the es abashment of a law
university, and the appoint at nt of a minister of justice.
The report having been adopted,
The CHAIRMAN bogged to observe, that in regard to
one of the bills referred to, all that was good in it might be
said to have originated with this society ; hut here were
exceptionable provisions in it, in which the a. mete had had
no hand. With regard to the bill Low before peeliament for
consolidating the bankrupt laws, it gave him un-niegled
faction to state that be was now convinced that the al .ran he
had felt and ex; reseed in the House of Lords nn Monday,
that the postponement of the first reading of that bll in the
Commons on the previms Friday was the result of some
underhand design splint the measure, was groundless, and
that the delay was purely acci lental.
Mr. DRUMMOND moved a resolution to the following
effect: " That a cheaper, shorter, and sett mode of
transfer of land was required by all damn ut the cos-
i =unity," which was curled.
Mr. W. HAWES in moving tt that the present law relating
to debtor and creditor requires very great ametteltasnt to
Wake it protective to the unfortunate and coercive to due
fraudulent debtor and atlequve to the social end financial
wants of a great trading and commercial commuoity," ob-
arced, that last year he had eetirowed the loss oreequent
on our deferive law of debtor and creditor at 60 (100,0001.
yearly in bad debt, ; but to th's should be al& d the lose
from the locking no of vast amounts of capital. at a nominal
interest, which if efficient control were given to be coeditor
over the debtor, would be lent to traders, mat uf.cturere, and
merchants, end be est; ',trod in stimulating pr-ductim,
cheapening c immoditier, de., to the benefit of nil claws.
No law would be perfect which did not give th. tlaukrupt
Commissioners pow, r over the penon of the d«h'or.
The resolution was oecondet by Mr. ELLIO I. and car-
ried ; as woe a third, propesed by Mr. M. D. If Q C.,
"that the subject of secondary punishments te..s interior
to none in importance, and deserved the most earnest,
serious, end careful attei ton of government ..nllobjet The learned gentlemen observed that . of
secondary punishments was to reform the crim n ; and it
would be found far cheaper to do this than, vibe, the term of
the imprisonment had expired, to cut him lu B. on society
unimproved, to f how the some vicious doers,,, and to be-
come again tne subject of prosecution end put is.-orne.
A vote of thanks being pasted to the Chairman, the
meeting broke up.