The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1803-04-30 00:00:00

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IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS.

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COVENTRY ACT. ASIENDED, &c. &c.

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APRIL 29.
A conversation took place in the Committee of
Privileges upon the claim of the Chandos Peerage ;
the Speaker's were, the Earl of Rosslyn, Lord Redes-
dale, Lord Alvanley, and the Lord Chancellor.
Lord REDESDALE concluded with moving,
" That it 3ppears to this Committee that the Clai-
mant had not sufficiently made out his claim."
The LORD CHANCELLOR then moved,
" That the further roceeding of the Committee be
a Ijourned to Monday next."
NIARKHAM's DIVORCE MIL
The House heard further evidence on the second
reailll of Markharn's Divorce BM.
AUCKLAND remarked, that the last
clans* of the Bill, in terms much too large and in-
delnite, "barred Dollor Markham sad allpersons
claiming by, from, or under him, firein AT right,
claim, title, or in:crest in, te, or nut of any manor,
messuage, lands. tenement*, and hereditament, and
other estates, real, personal, and mixed, and all or-
naments of the person, and wring apparel, and
all goods, chattels, personal estates, and effeaa
whatsoever, which the said EliSabeth Evelyn now
enjoys or is entitled to, or which she shall or may at
any time or times hereafter acquire or become seized
or possessed of, or entitled to by descent, gift, devise,
puichise, or otherwise, howsoever, &c. Ste." So
important a claim as this, so extensive in its reach,
and so large in the wording of it, was altogether un-
precedented in Bills of that nature ; and he could
only acenant ror it by imputing it to.the well-known
generosity iK the bfaikhams, who were ready in the
Most libeial manner to give the unfortunate lady
every thing in their power to bestow, hut such a
clause could never be permitted to stand. lie for
one was always anxious that there should be some
provision made for the maintenance of the wife, who
had been guilty of a crime of so heinous a nature as
made tar Bill fit to be entertained by their Lord-
ships ; and he did not mean to say any thing of the
lady, though, God knows, the leaving her husband
ten children to maintain, and depriving him of his
domestic happiness, mad:: a very flagrant caso. But
speaking of divorces generally, he could not be
. brought to admit that adulteresses ought to escape
altogether unwhipt of justice," and though he
eould not but re,,.rret that the Bill which he had in- I
traduced into that House three years ago, and in
which he had been favoured with the assistance of
the Noble Lord on tho Woolsack, had failed, yet the
wise and cautious condua of the Noble and Learned

Lord in respea to Divorce Bilk, had considerably
diminished that regret by its salutary operation.-.-
Wheat he introduced the Rill to which he alluded,
I)ivorce Bills seemed to be considered as mere mat-
ters of course, and were multiplying as fast as com-
mon Enclosure Bills, whereas he had had the ca-
titration to see then* visibly decreased, so that not
above five bad been brought into that House within
the last three years. His Lordship concluded with
giving notice that he would in the Committee on
Monday move either to omit or amend the last
clause of th. 2 Bill.

The Bia was read a second time, and committed
for Mayday.

The House resolved itself into a Committee nnT.ord
Eileishoenugh's Penal Offence Bill, when his Lord-
ship mostd the insertion of several new• Clauses, and
a •anety of verbal Arnendmtmts ; after which
Lord F N BOHOL:CH tuoved,that the Bill so
amended b. printed.
Lord ELLE \B4 )ROUGH moved to adjourn
the further pmcredings on the Irish Chalking Dill
till that day month.—Ordered. •