The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1833-09-17 00:00:00

THE CODIFICATION LAW COMMISSION.

A new commission has been issued by his Majesty, directed
to Thomas Starkie, Henry Bellenden Ker, William Wightman,
Andrew Amos, and John Austin, Esquires, for the purpose of
ascertaining the practicability of reducing to a systematic code
the statute and common law of England. The chief duty of the
commissioners will be that of "digesting into one statute all the
statutes and enactments touching crimes,
.and the trial and pu-
nishment thereof; and also of digesting into one other statute
all the provisions of the common or unwritten law touching the
same, and also of inquiring how far it may be expedient to
combine both those statutes into one body of the criminal law,
repealing all other statutory provisions, or how far it may be
expedient to pass into a law the first mentioned only of the said
statutes."

The-Commissioners are also empowered "to inquire and re-
port how far it , may be expedient to consolidate the other
branches of the existing law, or any of them;" but " codifica-
tion" is the main object of the commission. Three or more of
the learned commissioners have " full power and authority to
call before you, or any three or more of you, such persons as
you shall judge necessary, by whom you may be the better in-
formed on the subject of this our commission, and every other
matter connected therewith; and also to call for, have access
to, and examine all such official books, documents, papers, and
records, as may afford the fullest information on the subject,
and to inquire of and concerning the premises by all other law-
ful ways and means whatsoever. And we do hereby give and
grant to you, or any three or more of you, full power and, au-
thority, *hen the same shall appear to be requisite, to adminis-
ter au oath or oaths to any person or persons whatsoever to be
examined before you, or any three or more of you, touching or
coned ning the premises."
No doubt a report containing the usual number of volumes of
light reading will be the result, and as this is au experimental
age, we do not despair of seeing a " Code Brougham," as a
counterpoise to the superior advantages enjoyed in France
under the "Code Napoleon." In all humility we venture to
suggest the propriety of passing an act of Parliament to prevent
the passing of any new act of Parliament to amend acts of Par-
liament after the "Code Brougham" has become the law of the
land. Does not this commission smack a little of the Jerry
Bentham school?

INTENDED MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE.—We understand that
preparations are making for the celebration of the marriage of
Viscount Fordwich, eldest son of Earl and Countess Cowper,
with the eldest daughter of Earl and Countess de Grey, Lady
Anne Florence de Grey. This young and amiable lady pos-
sesses very-considerable property in her own right, left to her
by the late Countess de Grey, to which title she is also heiress.
The ceremony is••expected to take place at Wrest Hall, Bed-
fordshire, in a few days, and, for the purpose of. being present,
the diyacLure or tne Eari mini Countess Cowper for the eouti-
aeuk is (irk v • •