The National Register.
London, England, 1819-06-20 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

and Quakers were exempted ; and he believed that the petitions
which they addressed at the time of its posing, had led to their
exemption, although he was aware it might be said that they
were a snore defintal body than the clam whom he now repre-
sented. That the old law M the country had always contemp-
lated marriage as a civil contract, mama evident from the pre-
amble and provisions of the Isith Charles 11. e. 33, respecting
marriages solemnised before j,!.tices of the peace dunng the
commonwealth. In that set it was not treated as at all necessa-
rily connected with any religious cemmony. The eGth of Geo.
Ili. had appointed a certain 'entice; hut it was not necessary that
the 'whole should be gone through in order to render the act
binding. it was usual to omit tevoral parts which were not eon.
ronant to the delicacies and deconnu of the pretest day. The
petitioners did nut ceinplain et' the general colour of the mar.
rutge-service, but of a distinct paw of it, the emission of which,
in certain cases, was the object of the measure it was his intention
to propose. Th 6 measure would leave every other class
viduaL precisely in their present situation, as it was only at the
request of parties disapproving of that part of it that the satiat-
ing minister would be authorised so make the omission. No
additional duty would be imposed upon the minister, bot,on the
contrary, he would be exempted from the painful necessity of
doing what was disagreeable to others. He proposed no alters-
nee er rtsluctie . of tees, nor did he conceive that any descrip-
tion of property could be affected by the measure. It' it were
important that the marriage-contract should he sauctiuned by a
religious ceremony, it ought to be congenial to the religious
principles anacientiously entertained by the .p.aties. lie knew
t tat many persons regarded marriageas the most solemn eogage-
mem which could be coatesced, and that it was highly advan-
tageous that it should be clothed with the sanctions of religion.
in taking oaths' the religious creed of the person sworn was
always made the teat and security of his emelt:ace: the Jew
WAS swum opon the Old Testament, and the Malmaietioi upon
the Koran. The analogy appeared to him to be extremely
strong. Ile feared, however, that the association of a religious
ceremony with the marriage contract had not always the good
effect that was ascribed to it.. If they looked to those countries
where nuiniage was a sacrament, it would appear diet its vows
were touch more frequently broken than in the northern part of
this kingdom, where no religious ceremony was essential to its
talidity. Under all these considerations, lie should now move
for leave to being in a bill to alter and amend the marriage act,
so far as relates to the ceremony in the ease Protestant dissen-
ters from the church of Fogland.
Lord CASTLEREAGH did net rise toebject to the ibtrodaction
of the bill, but as he was not aware of the provisions it might
, contain, he must reserve his opinion till the measure should be
inunecha sely before the house.
Mr. Wisacaroacs observed. that' be had sty beard a part
of his boa. friend's eessewatism hat be perfeetly. acquiesced in
I the propriety of aliveleedsa 1111 ea be buoy* an. Hs mold
not help feeling _ems appolleallea lest the several emu be
which babes. &knelled epetea of 'armless as o devil earl:set
Might be alemAsssesed. ,There mould• be airehiubt that, se far
as enigma vas anwerned, it might be se daisolioatal, but the
insslisdlea was itself of divine ordinance. To this inuitution
numbed' the superiority of leurope ever Asia end other portions
of the earth, especially in social and domestic life, might be attri-
' bated. He certainly approved of the general object of the bill,
and its particular provisions waddle the subjt et of future
consideration.

Leave was then given to bring in the bill.
'fur otveut I)ebtorb' Bill wa. coomnittesi, when there
arose considerable IiiSCII*6II/11. A clause to exclude the
application of•Ceawa Debtors, except where they hail the
approbation of thelitroww, was agreed to, after opposition
from Lord Attloorp, Mr. !leaden, &r. Report on Friday.
The other orders of the klay were thew disposed of, and the
'house adjourned at half past twelve (*Mack till Friday.