The National Register.
London, England, 1819-11-14 00:00:00

ON PARISH lIIICISTRIK
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[FROM " THR FAMPHLETRIR.I
Every plan for facilitating the means of verifying
marriages, births, and deaths, it is humbly presumed
may have some claim to attention, especially when
the inaccuracy of our present parish registers is so
often and so justly complained of.
In a country where the mild lawsof religious to-
leration are so much approved and so thoroughly
established, it is surprising that the marriage cere-
mony should be confined wholly to the Established
Church, except in two instances, viz. Quakers, and
Jews.. Yet it cannot be denied surely that other
dissenting congregations have an equal claim to si-
milar indulgence.
However, it is much to be wished that, whatever
ceremonies may be thought necessary by the con-
tracting parties and their particular friends to render
this union complete, there should• be one form in 1,
law so simple in its structure and so easy of verifi-
cation, as to be perfectly unobjectionable to every
religious persuasion.
As things now are, if a couple happen to marry
in the Quakers' meeting, and afterward change
their religion (a circumstance tar from uncommon),
their posterity, in few generations, entirely forget
that their ancestors were of that society; and when
it becomes necessary to make out a pedigree, in or-
der to succeed to the estate or effects of a distant
zelatiun, they are astonished at not being able to
Drove some marriage, and tke consequence is the
Les of the whole property.
But since it. is admitted, that marriage, by the
common law, is merely a civil uontract, ,it is to be
presumed that the most zealous Churchman would
have no objection to its being solemnized between
Non-conformists without the intervention of a priest,
at least in his sacerdotal character, particularly as
the religious ceremony may still be had whet► re-
quired,.and people of every persuasion be allowed to
observe privately, in their own temples, such forms
as may be thought necessary pro•zalule
Since experience teaches us, that the must sacred
vows at the altar in Roman Catholic countries are
of no avail, and that, even in our own, it too-often
becomes necessary for the legislature to interfere
between man and wifi, to break those bends which
religion had sanctified; we have surely tut cause to
regret that the original contract is, by our law.. less
binding, especially as the temporal. advantages re-
main the same.
But witlereganl to nonconformists. they seem,
in this case,. to have a. claim on the justice of the
nation; and since the satisfaction which those peo-
ple would receive by the change would ultimately
tend to the advantage of the laud,. as well as render
more correct the occasional enumeration, of popula-
tion, now so highly necessary and so much desired,
it is to be wished that some attention might be paid
thereto.
It cannot be denied that, since the practice of the
wedded couple's signing the register of their mar-
riage, it has secured the remembrance of it to a
greater certainty ; but it not being required by law
that any one should sign the entries of births and
baptisms, they are in conaequence neglected by the
clergy, who often trust theta to their memory from
day to day, from week to week, and from month to
inuath, till at length when they open the book for
the purpose of insertion, one halt' are forgotten and
many are misnamed. Another cause of this neglect
arises from its not being usual to register the birth,
but the baptism ; and as the clergyman is repeatedly
called on to give private baptism to new-born infants
whom he does nut think of registering till Orought
to church fir the public ceremony, which is too
often neglected. the consequences are, that the
entry is nut made, and posterity wonders at the
omission_

The glaring defects and improprieties, we trust,
iil induce the legislature to take the same into
o rious considtration.
The following is humbly offered as the outline of
a bill for directing a universal and authentic register
of marrriages, births, and burials in every parish.
I. * berms greiw inconveniences arise fruiu the %s ant of
oar general and n•tthentic register for masnages, births, and
burials of persons of every religioite persuasion, and it is
litgbly proper that the same should be r.•i;ulrieJ to
prevent the like in future; be it eutteleil by the King's Mob(
EICCIkat Majesty, by and with the advice and cloiseat oi
the Lords Spaitual and Temporal, sold Cumulous iii This p,e-
wmt parliumeot i.weitibled, and by the authority of WC Mille,
mai (rem and after toe day ut all

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had Ist.trrmi,e and marriages which shun be solemitise.6
i ;land and Ss elm or limn of tierwidt up. o "I' red,
Jahr/ AL.! itaut tteeolftlillg 10 the forms pres, tared by tot act
pasmed iit the ittelety•Silth 'ear of his late :Stajt.-•ty ki,,g
tieutge the St•ematt, tainted " An Act for the better pre-
renti.i; Clootb•stioe Marriages," shall be Hull mid rota,
• o betber uoi,oliz the people elided Quakers, ur those profe—
smit the Jra.,b or :any other rebates' ultateues.,, b,.Ve uud
except ay !sett iuurter oteutioseed.
U. And be it :u 'Alm' rusted, that from and after the

51A.