The Sun.
London, England, 1857-06-26 00:00:00

BILL.

Lord CAMPBELL moved the second reading of this
bill. The object of the measure was to put an end to
the sale of obscene books and pictures, an evil which had
increased to an alarming extent of late years. The only
remedy that at present existed was to indict the publish-
ers for a misdemeanour, but the greatest difficulty was
experienced in bringing the offenders to justice. The
present bill would authorise the magistrates to grant a
warrant authorising the police to enter the shop of any
person suspected of selling these abominable publica-
tions, to seize any books and pictures of an obscene nature.
It was not the object of the bill to create a new offenee,
nor did it give a power of summary conviction ; but it
Pimply extended the provisions of the Betting-house
Act to shops of the description he had mentioned.
Lord BROUGHAM said it could not be denied that
the sale of obscene books and pictures bad increased to
& very great extent, but he thought the details of the bill
of the noble and learned lord would require careful conside-
ration. Alimitation must certainly be fixed as to what works
were of a character to be deemed obscene. He did not
think it. was the intention of the noble and learned lord
to indict abooksellerforselling copies of Horace orJuvenal
Lord CAMPBELL—Certainly not.
The LORD CHANCELLOR said he felt considerable
difficulty in opposing the present bill, which bad for its
object the purpose of checking evil. The bill, in its
re3ent state was very imp rfect, and he thought before
it could rec Ave the assent of their lordships it would
require very great alteration.
Lord LYNDHURST agreed with his noble friend on
the woolsack that credit was due to his noble friend the
Lord Chief Justice for the best possible intentions in in-
troducingthis bill. At the same time he must say it
seemed to him to be most imprudent and unwise, by
dealing with such questions, to agitate the public mind
in regard to them. As to what was an "obscene print,"
that depended upon the interpretation put upon the
word "obscene." Now, what was the definition of the
word "obscene 1" According to Dr. Johnson, it was
said to be either "something immoral"-"something
that called forth unchaste ideas," or, "something in-
consistent with a chaste mind." Now, suppose a man
went as an informant into a shop, and saw what he con-
.4dered to be a licentious print ; he forthwith goes before
magistrate, and describes, according to his ideas, what
besaw. Thereupon the magistrate issues his warrant

for the seizure of the questionable print. Well, the offi-
cer then proceeds to the shop, and he says to the owner
"I want to see a print you have here of Jupiter and
Antigone." (Laughter.) That was a picture of a beau-
tiful
woman asleep, with a strange expression upon her
countenance, perfectly naked, and a satyr standing by
her side, the expression upon whose countenance dis-
tinctly showed what were his feelings, and what his
object. The officer proceeded to seize the print—the
shopkeeper must know his right to do so. " Oh," said
he, "I do so under the authority of Lord Campbell's
Act." "Well," replies the owner, "I am very sur-
prised a: what you are going to do for this is a most
celebrated print that has cast me a great of money."
" Perhaps you have some others of the same kind" says
the officer ! "Oh yes, I have several others." Accord-
ingly the officer proceeds upon his search, and he stumbles
upon a print of Jupiter and Danae. This print is open
to precisely the same objections as its predecessor. It
represents a beautifully drawn woman—her eyes cast up
to Heaven, but standing in a very strange attitude ; she
is catching the shower of gold as it descends while
the little Cupid close by is pointing his arrow in a
direction which it is not nee-scary to describe.
Well, was this print also to be brought before the ma-
gistrate! For undoubtedly, according to the bill of his
noble and learned friend, such a representation must be
deemed to be obscene. It was a copy of a celebrated pic-
ture by Corregio, hanging in the large room of the Louvre
opposite to an ottoman, at which ledius of the first rank
from all parts of Europe were daily in the habit of assem-
bling to contemplate so noble a work of art. It might be
that women had a great art of seeing what they ought
not to see—(laughter)—but he must say that, according
to the definition of Dr. Johnson, the term " obscene" of
necessity referred to such a work. However, that was
only a small part of the case. The man, after he leaves
this French shop, goes into the studio ofa sculptor, and be
Sods before him plaister casts of men, of fawns, of satyrs.
All these figures are perfectly naked, and some of them
in attitudes that I shall not choose to describe; of course,
however, by the bill of my noble friend, all these copies
from the antique will be seized and destroyed. Well, I
have.now to deal with a third class—the poets—for the
informant next proceedste the circulating libraries. Now
I have no doubt that my noble friend's extensive readings
have made him familiar with "Rochester's Poems."
(Laughter.) I confess I myself I myself have read them,
but I remember very well my noble learned friend, speak-
ing of the freedom of the ancient satirists, said they no
more came up to the licentiousness of Rochester than
did the natives of India to that of the common prosti-
tutes in our streets. Well, " Rochester's Poems" are to
be found in the circulating libraries, but of course, by
the bill of his noble friend, they would be henceforth pro-
scribed. Again, what will my noble friend say as to the
translating of the worst productions of Ovid, of his' Art
of Love," a work for which he was exiled to the shores
of the Euxine ! Why, there is not a single volume of
that great poet that would not come under the denuncia-
tion of this bill. Does not my noble friend recollect
Ovid's description of "The Secret Marriage," of the
scenes that preceded and the scenes that followed it !
In one of Dryden's fables there was the following pas-
sage

" The holy man, amazed at what he saw,
Made haste to sanctify the bliss by law."
Again, all the French novels, not alone those of Paul
de Kock, but all the novels that some int the country,
will be proscribed by this bill. It is only necessary that
they should in any way promote " licentious dealings."
The whole stock, therefore, of a circulating library will
at any moment be liatle to seizure, and the reading of
even Don Quixote will be forbidden. Now this is no
mode of dealing with the evil. I myself believe the
existing law to be sufficient for the purpose of suppress-
ing the sale of filthy publications, but if it is not, I am
satisfied that nothing ban be easier than to arrange means
for thesdetection of persons engaged in the trade,
and that will make the law sufficient. I have such an
objection, my lords, to the bill of my noble friend, that I
propose that it be read a second time this day six months.
Lord CAMPBELL thought the suggestions that bad
been made would take away all the securities that
existed.
Some altercation took place between Lord Campbell
and Lord Lyndhurst in reference to the right of the for-
mer to speak, and then it was suggested that the Lord
Chancellor had not put the question.
A long discussion ensued as to the rules which should
guide their lordships in their speeches on substantive
motions and amendments, but nothing definite was come
to for the regulation of future proceedings.
Lord CAMPBELL hoped that after what they bad
just beard their lordships would not slow this bit to be
rejected on its second reading. Upon the principle laid
down by the noble lord (Lord Lyndhurst) there would
be no misdemeanour in selling these obscene books, and
he bad asked how they were to define what was to be
meant by obscene. That would of course be a question
for a jury to decide. The bill he had introduced bad
especial reference to books which were written with the
horrible purpose of corrupting the youth in this coun-
try, and there could be no difficulty in determining upon
the character of these books. There wouid be no
objection to the introduction in committee of words
which might guard against any abuse- of the provisions
of the bill.
the GRA.NVILLE supported the second reading of
necessary
believing that any' amendments that might be
could be introduced in committee.
The artudraent was withdrawn, and the bill was read
A second time.
The County ce,„ Ireland Bill was read a second time,
and
Lord tßrougham.he Vexatious Litigation Bill was withdrawn by
The Grand Juries Amendment Bill was read a
first time.
Their lordships then adjourned.

SOUSE OF COMMoNs,„
ESTBRDAY
The SrLtKER took the chair at folgsosiclock. •)
PRIVATE BUSIN
The Lords amendments to the Calcutta and So h
Eastern Railway Company bill were South-
Eastern -
considered and
agreed" to.
The Backwater Bridge and Road ; Bury
as
t, Can
mock mineral Riii,vay (No. 1) ; Deeside Extension
Rail
way ; Manchester Corporation ' • Monkland Railwa
Blaney River Improvement; Stamford and Eq3c„qine tra'd
way ; Stockton New Gas and Stock ton Gas Coneualere'
Companies, and Victoria (London) Ducks Bills were
read a third time and passed.
The Dundalk and Enniskillen Railway, and the Sit-
tinghonrne and Sheerness Railway Bills were further
considered and ordered to be read a third titile.
The Swansea Dock Bill was withdrawn.
ELECTION PETITIONS.
The members to serve on the Pontefract, Marlborough,
and Wareham Election Committees were sworn at the
table of the house.

LITURGY OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND.
Lord R. GROSVENOR gave notice that on an early
day he should move the house to addrefs the Qui:en,
praying her IlLjesty to appoint a committee for the
purpose of exinfining the liturgy of the Church of Eng-
land, ag to the propriety of recommending an alteration
calculated to irn;:rove its eflicierey. (flear, hear.)

DISTRIBUTION OF MEDALS.
Sir C. NA.PIER aiked why the sailo►s of the Rlal

Navy were not to attend Hyde-park to-morrow to wit-
ness the distribution of the order of valour by her Ma-
jesty ? He also asked why lord-lieutenants and general
officers were to be permitted to enter Hyde-park on
horseback, and admirals not—(laughter)—and if the
latter would be allowed the privilege on horseback or
on foot t

The questions were not answered.
SAVINGS BANKS.
Mr. BAGWELL asked the Chancellor of the Exche-
quer in what manner he proposed to deal with the exist-
ing auditors of such savings banks as may become
" Government Security Savings Banks," in the event of
the Savings Banks Bill, as amended, becoming law ?
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said it
would be premature t,) answer the queAtion then.

THE CHURCH IN CANADA.
Mr. COLLINS asked the Secretary of State for the
Colonies if the royal assent had been given to the bill
passed by the Parliament of Canada, "to enable the
members of the United Church of England and Ire-
land in Canada to meet in synod, in order that the
members thereof may be permitted to exercise the
same rights of self-government that are enjoyed by other
religious communities ;" and, if so, whether such act
did not place the appointment of bishops in that church
in the Synod as therein constituted, any prerogative of
the Crown to the contrary notwithstanding 1
Mr. LABOUCHERE said that the Royal assent
had been given to the bill, and that the appointment of
the Bishop was vested in the Synod.
STORING OF GUNPOWDER.
Major SIBTHORP asked the Under-Secretary for
War whether it was true that large quantities of gun-
powder were stored in various places in the immediate
neighborhood and town of Waltham Abbey, and, if so,
whether they were to remain there ; also, if it was true
that any parties connected with the Government had
threatened with instant dismissal any of the workmen
or others at the mills, if they divulged anything rela-
tive to the quantity of gunpowder stored there
Sir J. RAMSDEN said that there was no account of
gunpowder stored in the town or neighbourhood of
Waltham, and that it was untrue that any Government
official had been threatened with dismissal if he divulged
anything relative to the quantity of gunpowder stored
there.