Introduction.
ccxii
which may
upon each magistrates under Government,
to the detail of all questions
particular topic.
It is for
arise
penetrated by the general spirit of the law, to direct this application."
Mr.
speaking of
Best,
the
expositions
the code,
of
complains that they had already, in his time, run to a considerable length.
That
of
Locr(3
in thirty-one volumes,
that of Toullier and Troplong in nearly
on the
Civil Code, those of Pailliet
"France," he
"may
said,
volumes, and,
and Teulet and
own
Bulletin des Lois, bid fair to rival our bulk.
fifty
well
of the
statute
book in
tremble
for the
future."
With us the
a commission
was issued
November, 1866, to following distinguished persons Lord Cranworth in
Hugh
Lord Westbury James Wilde, afterwards Lord Penzance Kobert Lowe, Sir William Page Wood, afterwards Lord Sherbrooke Sir George Bowyer Sir afterwards Lord Hatherley Sir John Koundell Palmer, afterwards Earl of Selborne Shaw-Lefevre Sir Thomas Erskine May, afterwards Lord Farnborough Mr. Daniel, Q.C. Henry Thring, afterwards Lord Thring and Sir Francis Reilly. The commission was to inquire into the exposition of a digest of the law and the best means of accomplishing the object, and other ways of exhibiting in a compendious and classical form the law as embodied in judicial decisions. Sir
Cairns, afterwards Earl Cairns
Sir
After pointing out that the law of England, as they under-
stood
it,
comprised the whole
administered, the
civil law, in
whatever Courts
criminal law, the law relating to the
constitution, the jurisdiction,
and procedure
of the Courts,
including the law of evidence and constitutional law, the com-
missioners proceeded to point out the extent and variety of the sources from which the existing law
Speaking of the bulk
of the statutes
is to
be ascertained.
and the amount
of
