The Sun.
London, England, 1855-05-17 00:00:00

tion of expense was a subordinate matter, but so far
from adding to the expense's of criminal prosecutions, it
would considerably diminish them, by putting a stop to
1 frivolous prosecutions, such as were often brought forward
for the sake of gain. All he asked the house now to do
was to assent to the general principle of the bill, ant'
after that he would gladly
it accept of any suggestions
that might be made with reference to its de-
tails. He thought was the duty of the
house to show the public that the r;ghts of
the poor and the rich in criminal matters stood
on an equal footing, and that women and the poor-house
orphan might feel secure under the free and open eye of
public justice, and that instead of shrinking, as was now
the case, from the difficulties they had neither the nerve nor
resolution, nor experience to encounter—there was pro-
vided for them, when oppressed by a public grievance, a
person to whom they might apply,
and by whom they
would be at once supported.
Mr. E WART supported the principle of the bill,
but considered the whole subject should be referred to a
select committee.
Lord PALMERSTON said there could be no doubt
the subject was one of very deep interest, involving not
only the interests of the community at large, but also
the great question of morality, and the suppression of
crime. (Hear.) The proposal to establish a public
prosecutor was a question on which existed a great
diversity of opinion. (Hear, hear.) Undoubtedly
the practice in ;Scotland and Ireland might be
quoted in favour of such a measure, whilst, on the
other hand, there were good grounds for asserting
that what was successful in Scotland and Ireland
might not be applicable to the larger area of England,
where transactions of a more numerous and complicated
character came before the courts of justice. At the same
time he presumed the house was not prepared to deny
the principle of his honourable friend, or to
adopt the arrangement he proposed. It was the
intention of Lis learne.l friend the Attorney General
to propose to the house to allow the bill to be read a
second time, and postpone the further proceeding on it
until a select committee had examined the subject to
which it related. (Hear.) It was not the bill
he proposed to refer to the committee, but
the subject ; because the referring the bill would
be too narrow a proceeding to accomplish the
object he had in view. The. subject was one well worthy
the consideration of Parliament, that of enabling the
poor, or those who, from want of information or igno-
rance,to successfully prosecute a wrong before a court of
justice, whilst, on the other hand, factious and un-
founded prosecutions might be stopped. At the same
time, the house should bear in mind the bill proposed to
place a great responsibility and discretion in the hands
of a public officer, who would be actuary in trust
through the instrumentality of a variety of public agents.
(gear, bear, hear.) It would be impossible for him
to investigate or conduct the whole of the cases
that would be brought before them, or decided
whether they should be carried on or not, and that being
so it appeared to him (Lord Palmerston) the subject was
one well deserving serious and deliberate consideration,
requiring as a preilminary great information and inves-
tigation. He suggested, whether the bill was read a
third time or not, that further proceedings on it should
be suspended, and that the house should proceed to the
appointment of a committee to whom the subject should
be referred.

Mr. PACKE was glad to hear that the hon. and
gallapt member had consented to withdraw his bill, in
order that it might be sent to a select committee ; he
hoped that committee would have power to send for
papars and records.

Sir F. THESIGER thought it totally unnecessary
that the hon. member should withdraw his bill, in order
that it might be referred to a select committee, because
the effect of that would be to put an end to the second
reading, as he understood the noble baronet's object
was to move as an amendment to the motion
for the second reading that the whole subject should
be referred to a select committee. He thought
the second reading should be postponed till after the
committee had made its report. He agreed entirely with
that amendment, and should second it.
After some observations from Mr. BUTT, the second
reading of the bill was postponed, upon the under:itand-
ing that the whole subject should be referred to a select
corn mitt ea.