The Express.
London, England, 1855-05-10 00:00:00

IMPERIAL P.

HOUSE OF 00111MONEL—Wansz8DAT, MAT 9.

Tbe Brianna took the chair at 12 o'clock, and in doing
se addressed the house as follows:—Oa taking the chair,
before proceeding to any otter bushman, I beg to express my
now grateful acknowledgments to the house for their nisi
Indulges., to we last night and the sight before, and I very
mush regret if in canrequenes of there bele, no hones last
night, which was entirely on my amount, any boa. ameba
should lave soffsesd any inconvenienee.

PRIVATE BUSINESS.
The Birmingham Canal Nevigeti me, Glasgow Water,
Eels* Bridge, Kiogston-upon.Thames I asperassiat, Pl -
sao,th Greet Western Decks, Bills, was ma a OW time

and paseaL
THE BEER BILL.
Mr. H. BERKELEY gave notice that be 'MEM move
for a "sleet committee to inqaire into the emetics of es aot
palmed last session, entitled 0 An Act fir /rrher
the Sale of Bier on the Lord's Day." day lel=
ea for his motion was the day called In the maenad
Bouihmee's Day, the 6th of June. (A. laugh.)
CIVIL SERVICE SUPERANNUATION.
Mr. MACARTNEY gave notice that, in the abbesses of
say goverament measure cm the subjoin, he would, on tbe
eth of Joao, move for lean to int:edam a bill to WIN a
more just distribution of the Civil /Jetties Superaponatioa
Fend.
UNIVERSITY REFORM.
HITWOOD—That on Tuesday, Joao 5, he; would
move for leave to bring in a bill for Mansferriag the power
of the heads of college', in their collective capacity, to •
nosed of the Senate, and for improving the academical
system of the Cambridge University.
MARRIAGES (SCOTLAND) BILL.
Mr. HEADLAM, in moving the second reading of this
bill, wished briefly to state the regions which had in-
duced him to propose it, and the nature of its trovi-
Woes. The object of the bill was to repress evils the
awitude of which it was impossible to describe
without sespicion of exaggeration, end which were lowering
the shunter, injuring the habits, and destroying the mora-
lity of the people in the northern counties of England. but
it would not in any way interfere with the established
principles of the law of Scoilc.d, or alter the oonstitation
of the marriage law as established in that country, or render
penal, or prohibit any act not penal, not prohibited by the
existiog law. All he sought to do wee to give effect to
the pr nineties of the Snub law, which had, in some re-
spects. become obsolete, and having beams obsolete it was
necessary to renew them in accordance with the forms of
modern betels ion, to prevent the evils he had referred to.
By the present law of Scotland marriage could be effected
by a simple declaratien of consent in the presence of
Then was not the 'lightest investi-
gation as to the condition of the parties giving
that cogent ; the cons quern was that minors,
children, and boys and girls in their tuns, in the
north of England were constantly going over the border to
oriatrect these marriages. The parties might have been
married before or not, and in numberless instances persons
were n-married again and again in this way: There was a
stroag feeling in Scotland against marriage with a de-
ceased wife's sister; but under this law a man might marry
not only his deceased wife's sista? but his own sister, or his
wife's sister while his wife was alive, with perfect impunity.
Again, thew marriages were frequently contracted when
the parties were ia a state of into:nation, and had only
known each other for a few hours before the ceremony took
place. No record being kept of these contracts, a man mar
Tied in this way might leave his wife and children charge-
able on the parish without the parochial authorities having
the least remedy against him. He had received letten
upon letters describing the evils resulting from this system.
One letter stated that servants on the hiring day would get
iataziested,and wind up by musing the border and getting
married. The miles, however, lasted for that term only,
as en the nest hiriag day the man would want another
wawa sad the women *Bother man. The writer staved
thee ha the town when he re Mid, eas man bed four wives,
efts sasyp OM of whom be had mistreated a marriage of
this dn.stslee, and ell of whom were living ; another hal
keit wine, sows three, and others again two. It had be-
eline a habit mond the English people on the border to
entreat these marriages, but he believed the habit did act
peemil amongst the Scotch, who were restrained by their high
sense elf morality and the exertions of their clergy. Ho had
ealeind • letter from the C (the Gann! Assembly
of Its Church of Seotlaed, giving the number of them
nandogee in 18 parishes for three year'. They were es
Mews k 18.50, where both parties were Scotch, 25; in
11161,9111_ sad in 1852, 29; where one party only wee Scotch,
11 is 1841 in 1851; and 15 in 1812 ; where both parties
were 1,091 in 1860; 1,093 in 1851 ; and 1,110 in
1852. previsions of the bill did not make the sligatest
&thistle& in the law of Scotland, but imposed penalties oa
thraceoas whit ontracted those marriages, and the bleak-
ea sod pubibmoo who were in the habit of celebrating
tham. The bank law reirgaieed four modes of contract-
ing marriages: Int, by public marriages in the church ; 2nd,
by unsure efamseat before witnesses ; 3rd, by a promise
desisted is mart; 4th, by cohabitation as man and wife. He
wily proposed le deal withthe second clam ; the existing Ciao-
imaimeinning" Act is Scotland imposed penalties on the
poetise eslebreting these marriages, bat they were obsolete,
sad sash as could not now be enforced. He proposed to
ealwitute other penalties for these. The provisions of the
bill lee that purpose were very simple. An person cele-
brating sae of then marriages was to be liable, for the first
ammo to a penalty of 101., or to imprisonment for three
ammiles; and for a second offence, a penalty of 601., or ine.
=.Bllfor six months. He also proposed to lanais a
t
the ties contracting these marriages. He thought
lad male oat a strong case for the interference of the
ground of the magnitude of these evils, and as
Ira eh the
sot wpm to violate any principle of the law of
Sentind, be beeped the Scotch nieraben would give bin
their support. He begged to move the second reading of
the bill.
The LORD ADVOCATE concurred in mach that had
been said by his hon. and learned friend as to the slin-
ky* evils which be proposed to remedy. It was true that
the bill, es it stood, did not mike any alteration in the prin-
ciple of the law of Scotland, bat only proposed to increase
the penalties already inflicted on the parties entreating
tbs.@ marriages. These penalties were merely nominal, for
ems of the ordinary modes et obtaining a record of these
marriages was for the parties to go before a jostles and
submit to be fined for having contracted en irregular mar-
rage. The bill proposed tomake these nominal Ones real. The
principle of the law of Scotland was that consent in the
presence of witnesses made a marriage. He held that it was
not in favour of, bat against morality, to throw obstacles in
the way of martian, thonich there could be no doubt that is
the borders especially, where the people belonged to Eng-
land and were accustomed to the English law and *sweat
of the effect of that of Scotland, very great abuses prevailed.
He felt no difficulty as to the principle of the bill, for there
was no injustice in making a penalty existing by law real
instead of nominal. His only doubt was whether the bill
would attain the object it intended, and for hie OWr nest
ke very mach doubted if it would put a stop to these evils.
Ia the Out plus it might be said to be a law against the
poor—(beer, bear)—bat on the other band the real evil
sad scandal to society which his bon. friend wished to pet
down was net the prevalence of irregular marriage', but
them anions that took place on the borders, which could
not be called marriages at all, but a mere mode of pro-
. clueing sal proldging immorality. The last clads was a
very deka on homes it imposed a penalty on those who
now owls theelialwalisa of these marriages a trade, and
he was mem srd seimmed to say that persons holding her
M4elV's immodulas of the peace is some imetsame leave
mamba Made of Wooing the aoudad lames peaks
coming balm this to asknowledgo too of those saediega.
He tesolii test swum the woad nudist, but be onbi set
pledge 'dwelt to doped the bill at any further dep.
Mr. ELLIOTT awed the bill. He admitted the odd.
east of the evils amplified of, but ha thought they eul
to be natediad by ewe genera menus relatlag to the
marriage law of Isellood, similar to that istrothend two
years age. The posposed to deal with the naeriagoe
celebrated en the boolokond if its efect was mead to
them, ha would set so much object to it, although he
disapprove' of least* end a :petty manner with thole
innottaat goeulisas. The evil was on. of groat magnitude
and Monetize", sad he did not wish to me the remedy
frittered away. (Hear, hear.) His complaint wee, that the
marriages to whisk the bill was inteaded to apply would not
be made void, but would only involve a peenniary penalty.
It was certainly very necessary that than should be ease
alteration in the law, foe there were many people in
Scotland who did not know whether they were married or
not. (Laughter.) He hoped the Lord Advocate would
take the whole subject of the Scotch marriage law into kis
consideration, and eadeavour to provide a remedy for so-
lids, evils. The hoe. mamba omeluded by moving that
the bill be read 'amend time that day six months.
Lord LOVAINE did not think the has member fee
Boxburgbahire (Mr. Elliott) had brought forward any suf-
ficient tunas foe opposing this attempt to aim/ the law.
It was an error to state that the onlytrally peopmed in
the bill was a pecuniary me. If Ana of 101. were
not paid patio wall he liable to hopaineemasat. The
entire law of limiked with regard to moldeauty was a
scandal to a Claimant sonstey. It was nil that the 11111 was
directed solely anima the pen. In point of fast the dent
was to prevent the poor bow entering into jumper ow
anion, end is that point of flaw it was uadloadedip
nista& Is bank them. AR that was easobt by Me bill
was to Immo a poloadl poulty on podia einannelbg
lamp, awiaish mad thaw to chock an evil wide woe a
bulks te the of the 'limy of Bootleal, who
were all auderm he on alteration. Rs Mad that We bill
would at all dyads le Mowed to go to a aommillea.
Mr. NAPIER W ad think the peevideer of the bill
would ban, prmisally. 257 114NareeL Mort Wit/
The ewe& salmi wore dm beet tree es la whit law WSW
themei (Rear, leer.) T regarded the bade of
=C en as the emeatial part of t, sad it woe calintl:iire-•
polls of asiWy wbee owed Meat a
Winless owassay. ratio of /Maga MIMI le
menimin sel:seesemMlowealki=etebevallat wir
Mr a peandriyWleale. The—ao of teed*
law is smoefipaa afibetsdi Whir ports of the air
=irel if a bill oil& Ink with the subject ►la a mmgeo.
wawa we istrodosed, he would,
If Poe" the
sb rimigalbw aCALK add, hevedot der7 101.14
aft the Lad he feh load tit moped
dthe
milleinut,boll6ol•ll* he mobs, et ie
Vail Ad
meet Aeoteakm kW Me law et
exielek taw tth t the
etroshagrispi asps,
brlti,Mil 111 as glide yeti* Muss

with regard to the proposed shame were adverse to IL Ia
' NM COMPS the bill might eves do mischief, by loonalkg a
marriage wilds it was kinsble Mond mko.placr. It d
prevent the peer from waning, gad woad be Imperative
with regard to the risk.
Mr. DUNLOP denied that the bill would intradoa eta-
kakis into the law of Sootlsod, sad embeds/ that it would
ea the contrary reader that law more effeetin. (Hear,
hear.) At present if • 'Legman married parties without '
the previous Sea of beans, he was hob!, to a moot
onion t; whereas if a blacksmith or any other 1
penes ia Melanie static* of life serried persons without • 1
religiose earenoe he experienced little ineonnainee la
tioasatinenee. This was a anisettes which ought not to
exist, aad the bill would in some degree teed to remove it. I
To threw oat the bill altogether when tho woe, I
d
clause was suiversally admitted to be • good one,
would ba highly nezpedient. It would be sea
better to let It go to • committn. Ho admitted th
bu at
gamma Mate of the law required consideration, t that
woe MI MOM why this partial remedy should be refused. 1
Ids WALPOLB odd the evil against which this bill was
dismal was the mantes of pia, to Scotland to be mar-
tiolj Wilk wee indulged is by persons dotninled in Bag- ,
MO; sad was it to be suppond that this encodes would be
aboliebei by the imposition of a penalty of 10i. ? I. his
spade, while vainly soaking that object, they would lobo-
don peat esafosice into the law of Scotland. The only •
West of the measure would be to prevent the poor man '
hem drier what the rich man could do for a email payment.
It INN iii• to talk of preventing immsrality by each auks.
Re wished to Iles the laws of Buglaad sad Soothed put cm
tie MN hang with regard to marriages. Such was the
operatioa a She present system, that puska were man and
wife ea is elk of the border, and not es ea the other.
Mr. HBADLAM replied. He said if he bad the smallest
Nana to supple* that the goverantent would bring forward
• general enneare be would willingly withdraw this bill ;
balmlike bed bees aid by the letrd Advocate to justify
ask ea ezpostalien By opposing this bill, hoe. member
were harks le presente • system d Immorality which
was serails, el through Scans& TM evil et ping
over the bargee to be married was on tie Wren . mess
poorer on the English side of the bean, mid the
lorpositt:s7a small Ise would do much to knit it.
Sir O. MT mid, M SOlilif to the appeal made le the
government le brag in a esseral mossure, he wisbeigitpe:alt
that if the gemeamont thought %Ilk re was a genial
ties mese Seel& members, or on the part of tin Mew
gemersay, to repave sash • measure favearabiy. they
*mkt be meet happy to introduce it. Bet It must be
reasserberod that whoa some years ago sash a bill was
brought is by his Lanced [bead the late Lord Bather-
Ned, shire was a general outcry among the Scotch members
manse say alteration of the law. (Hoer, hear.) The ob-
ject of this MU was to remedy a purely local evil. So far
Os Menne la the humbler alines of life on this side of
**bean ware concerned, he thought the lbw proposed
would be mania to check such marriseen The
11l we, harem directed against the meiriegie
st the peer aid could act prevent tkomi a
Os The: Zb hoe. friend aimed at removing one of the
elmilekele of the marriages in question—namely, sheep-
ask Oahe to the facilities for conveyance by railway,
Mlle the malaria of the fee over the border, parties
INNS* England could get married much cheaper ia Scot-
imillihea in their own parish church in England ; and he
Mika the degrees in his part of the country had sear-
rethat thee were deprived of their fees. 0..012
llatemeas swishes in which hardly any marriages
rill Me mini church; but he must add, *bat essay et
who went to Scotland to be married lived
afterwards most respectably as man and
Zkilr.
TM bill would certainly teed to shock the
sad ; bat it was a strong objection to it that
al ifellitisa would be confined to one clam of society ;
0 la put
Ctttiertw.ithhlrahr it anwidthittil=npdrowpotthir a re-
medy etelywbieh would be mama la its application to Sneaked
kJ England. .In any ipmerall measure which might be
peepond it would, perhaps, he desirable to provide that
parties who had lived together he algae period as man and
wife should be had to be mania.
- - -

-
Mr. HOWARD said, as ea who lived near the border,
hirwished to mann the Matentent that these maniages
peedueed great mischief. There was hardly an mein held
at iiik some one was set peeineuted for bigamy.
Me. INGHAM said, es arrester of Berwick he bad had
=t wallabies el observing the evils of the present
end the asessity Ise a remedy. The presbyteries'
nibblers seer the brim were extremely analose for
• ibengs. He thumbs/my penalty which sight be imposed
mould be satended is anew who were eneemory to each
marriages, se 11 was Names for parties to sot at mulish
end fairs as touters for these who performed marriages in
flatland.
Mr. 3'. G. PHILLIMORE objected to the bill, on the
Mad that its provisions were inoomplete, partial, and
Tits home then divided—
For the bill
Against it
The bill was, therefore, inst.
ECCLESIASTICAL PROPERTY (IRELAND) BILL.
This bill cared through e7mmittise.
MARRIAGE LAW AMENDMENT.
Upon the ad owned dews' being reused,
Sir W. lIKATHCOTE said that the main argument
which had been need in favour of this bill, viz., that the
misting law was • restriction of natural liberty, would apply
to almost every act upon the statute book, for Early
all law was a restrietiou upon natural liberty. Most of
the other arguments which had been brought forward were
mere ad coptsnifunt statements outside the question at
hone. Of this character was the argument attempted to be
drawn from the alleged fact that the law, as it stood, was
frequently bikes. Why, that would apply to almost
every act which was by law fo. bidden. For instance there
was no doubt bat that immoral intercourse existid to a
greater or lees silent throughout this country ; but it had
never been said that on this amount the primal law itself of
marriage should be altered. So again the argumeat that
this was &rehear grievanos was equally ussonnd. Did
any one believe that a matt felt It • religious grievance that
he could not marry his deceased wife's er ? Many might
feel that it was a restriction which should be abolished;
but this was very different from consideriag the matter as a
religious hardship. Into the sodal put of the question he
should not enter. He would only say this much, that if
the barriers placed by Um law in this matter wins once
broken through, it was impossible to say where the house
might to stop. Upon this matter he needed truly to point to
the state of things in Germany, where the law of marriage
steed epee a footle; which no hon. member, he thought,
woiM upheld. But after all, the religious portion of the
omegas was the main part, and in reference to
We he eiaridered that the often cited chapter of
Levities MI a deal and decisive authority. Oae
trogaremen kid indeed said that this chapter of
ahem& mg, to eases of concubinage. If this
ware se, them ..dogs would *Ramify the connexion. Bat
=the pesealbed mess I. this chapter were theses(
wish a slam and • mother ; this, he thought, die.
posed at emu Mehl argument. It had bean objected by the
loused AmereerGeseral that a partimlar pump La Le-
vities. painted espoially to the case if lido( a wite's sister
la the Mb% ilesime, and the his. sod leaned gestlissia
kid gene as to my that upon that Jessup the summate ef
the bill relied. Bat be (Sir Wm. Heathiste) thought that
the hrs. tad learned gentleman had male • greet mistake
on Ms hood. (Haar, hear.) He (Sir W. liestbasts) ow
tsl did not—wee did its think those who jibed ides la
did—rely upeotisis passage s; au the esatsery. they
ermatended that die pemage, If ht did not melee ear, at least
it oat make ageism them. Bat be did seshodi that the
te he heat in Ibis beek of Levities dearly sea-
holise
the peasilee whist the provost bill ht to
=rem
is Wales lama
our as a Christie& mad.
this be so. be could sat vote but the
womisre. The edged had bees as Wilms
Ms hoses, mod bed resolved sash peat athillisa
from essay hissorable mumbles, UM he hit
it would be tidy wirft_tiam to go teehie delefi ; ea
the ether band. he daradtbe gamin. Milstriarly an
sots *. ef seek vital Impalas's thee he add net give d a
sheet vole. He hosted that hon. ambers wield pause
beim they voted for a bill, the othel of whisk was not
ealy sigestimilie itself, bat would, II nossated le, ieevftably
lead to halm, swarm alike deslowithe M the religious
as to the moral primigias ef the mph if this essatry.
Mr. MINN thee& Moltke les. lomat whe had last
sinks& had fought to shift Use sous if proof from ems side
to the (Aber. Masai el maim a Noe for the existing islet
se Oblige. is Gramm eases he admitted that it weeks Ile
adessatas of a Menge to show geed reuses fir the &swipe
whisk they duirekbat he believed that the ehommateress
iodic whisk the with' law was imposM were evishot to
de away with this hale IS the part el them who woe fa
home of the bill. tale threw upon these whe wpm& it
the weight of setahlhbles the reammahhisess of the
Use se it at proem. steed. The oft commonly
hem as List Lyndhassfs Ad was intradwesd elsewhere
eittb • view Mineable, Makin dliermit humane which
wen this wader esosiimoisa. and it same deer to that

is—au at •Ms of year whoa lagillathe Mica remind
bat Utile of its das share of attention—bind bed it hem
albseelso, be Mined that the eat meld saws ban hoes
Owed apes tbs slake bilk. (111. !Ms) would not
maim Ie hem the Mt. Mead the umber for Oxford
Usivonity is ble warns masandm the Hokum! part
or this audios ; he me Milks le take the kni oi this
panics of the amass.' Os bak maker sensed hleave,
. kr eseppaleg Ma. aisialmes olosmat
at Mil append What be weak
than my woo kbs that if this walla' is he keskaleal
swat were as deabtfel, was UM" la "Miasmal Is impose
by as melding law • ralo of stalest Ikea time who did
oat is the stator is the km Bahr m bas. umbers
hoar). While ups kis mkt be Mitt
irle. as authority whisk bad his. used sa •
Imam makes. La he. somber, k maw Is
Me passage la Lovidom sad to stake sat Skit It Zit
eater to • tweet • naige with the MIA dater Ile
MA ma li, had opined trek /edam. Naas
appp he (Kr. Pales) had nand the F:,, la Imam te
be Malisted by • loaned Mind of sod Me week et
the emelMia really ran thus Tbe w den set per-
mit Ike ems nes to luny two Mum km if he Me put
the eas sway. ler Midi* she M Ms,
_it Ms set onside
it well that the ma abseil be kaMed IM ablee." It 1
weald at sass as aeM that thla Plato, WWI a
.okiag stizotirwas airway Is fame et tbs seammetka
put spas rit by Moe whmappowlei tbkllL TIM
then assmeispa were ak asikemedilq Milplesas was
a fiat wkMh bo egmlel hr Illseseiltli ankh
xualiied Om a. la Ma aka whisk se
Maid was kaki Mt Os lonians
of =Wel googol wile Um of on erg