The Express.
London, England, 1853-02-11 00:00:00

wmproposed to make Bethlehem hospital open to the
same provisions as the other asylums for lunatics. (Hear,
hear.) He had reed the wool" cf the voluminous report
upon Bethlehem Ilapital, as he considered it was his duty
to do, and he should be unwilling to say • word that would
be painful to persons whoae sonata, had been animadverted
upon, the more especially as the examinations were taken
is the absence of the parties accused, and they ought not to
be condemned until they had had an opportunity of being
heard. Ile should hope, however, that is consequence of
the reports of the commissioner. an luaaey, and subsequent
inquiries, that the evil" comeleincd of would be all remedied.
The governors themselves had with great propriety altered
their own system ; they had appointed a resident physician,
snit they meant to have, if they had not already, another
resident apothecary. The medical staff had been
(partly from some resignations) entirely changed,
and he should think such improvements would work well
in uni..o with the change proposed to be effected by the
bill has then held in his hand. (Hear.) One of the meet
aetive and intelligeot of the govern; rs of Bethlehem Hos•
vat had said in hts evidence Chet he thought the excepting
f the hospital from the operation of the late act had been
disadsaatageous to it.
Iho bill was then read • first time.
BANKRUPT LAW.
Lord ST. LRONARDS sail that he was also about to in-
treduee a bill, tile object of which was to enah:e persons
whe had been unfortunate, and could nut meet their obli-
RCMP, t be able to ,brag:; relief hoot the Court of Bank-
ru;dey without fear or shame. The bill, which had the
'pommel of his noble and learned friend, not then in hi,
place (Lord Brougham), prorosed, aronne,A other prod-
eOl.ll, to ebolieh first, second, sod third times certificates.
The bill was tken read • first time.
Lard tiT. LEONARDS then introduced another bill for
the consolidation of • portion of the criminal law. The
bill would describe who was und who was not capable of
crime, and it contained other matter which would require
to be submitted to • select committee of their lordship;
house. Ile bad very mash at heart the atoppage of mu -
der* and minor brutalities between husband and wife.
With respect to the murder cf a wife, he had made it a
distinct crime; and so with regard t any minor brutality.
Oa the question as to the responsibility of a wife for a
crime committed in the presence of her husband, the cem-
tuissioners to whom these questions of law were referred
were of opinion that the law should be altered, and that the
wife should not be protected note's she could prove that she
committed the offence under the actual influence of her
hu,hartil. There was only one Piing more to which he
would call attention, and that was the eillince of duelling
The comn.i.sienen proposed that it should Oct be a capital
offence, and should not be punished by death, but by tram-'
partition tor life. The CoollllilsiOlifTS thought, and uis
doubt wisely, that there would be a greeter probability of
puniehmeht thing inflicted. Now, public opinion had done
more than any law could de towards putting an end to
duelling, and ho raid, thzrefore, do not interfere, you
hardly know what the consequences will be.
L.ia CAMPBELL said he reit:iced that the noble lord
had brought io these hills, though he did not wish now to
give any opinion on them. With regard, however, to the
proposed partial code, he thought it ought not to coma into
operation till the wi.ole code was complete. It would be
the first lime in legislation that, when a code was proposed,
it was to be brought into operation piecemeal. Would it
no' be nonsense to say they would hale • code respecting
nture:er end not respecting highway rubbery? But this was
no or; :meat at all against the bill, only he should say
there should be • clause tnat the bill should not come into
operation till the whole was completed. With regard to
duelling he entirely concurred with the noble lord. He re-
joie -el that public "pinion had wholly destroyed that prac-
tice, and that it did tint require to be put down by law ;
but be thought that duelling should still be in the eye of the
law murder, and that it should remain with those who ad-
vised the crown in these eases to say whether under the
particular circumstances the law should take its course.
The bill was then read a first time.