The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1820-07-20 00:00:00

Laid Amritsar% was isi favour of;
Committee.
The Earl Bum; L mid,
stated • •Ibed the • WOOD had &PP"
priociple. of thetaill. It bad iodee
• Pectin(' tinse and sent to a Committee, ona.ms
leaxiug.tisitst. Coasmitter it had become an emir*
new mid different measure from what it was on tlsg-
second reading. and he doubted if the Bill which'
W4S seut to the Coassaittee, or that which had been
through the Cummsuee, was tbe most objection-
able. The Noble Earl said he was simnely con-
vinced of the importance of an alteration, and * rest
alteratiou of the law, but lie thought it Dever svool4
be altered its the way in which it was now pee
about. There were in the prevent measure too greet
u variel of principles standing ou entirely different
grounds. The including the prospective and re-
trospective principle in the same measure was, lie
considered, highly objectionable. To makes good
prospective law, it should be as simple as possible.
He would not at that boor of the night enter
on the consideration of • retrospective law. tie
would say, " Legislate prospectively. and you
will do wisely ; and if you choose to legislate re-
trospectively, let it be by a separate measure." The
prospective measure was certainly much wanted,
VIM was of the greatest importance to the morals
and prosperity of the country. He could see no
good in now going into the Committee; one at-
tempt had made, and had failed. Oa these grounds
he should move that the Bill be committed that
day six months.
Lord ELLENBOROUOII explained.
Lord HOLLAND said, he preferred the present
measure to any future one that might be proposed.
on the principle that a bird in the baud was worth
two on the bush. Had the Noble and Learned
Lord proposed that it should have been so instruc-
tion to the Committee to divide the Bill into two
parts, with that he might have been brought to
concur ; but though the speeches which lie had
heard opposed going into the Committee, yet the
arguments made use of only tended to shew the
necessity of that proceedilig. It was said by the
Noble Earl (Liverpool) that the measure had been
completely altered—that lie thought a good rea-
son fur its re-commitment. There seemed to be
some fatslity attached to the law ou this subject,
for when Lord Hardwicke brought in the original
Marriage Act, although it had been revised by the
*hedges, yet it afterwards underwent such alteration,
both in that House and iii the Commons, that
scarcely a word of Lord Hardwicke'v original Bill
remained. It was held by the Noble Earl (Liver-
pool) that the present state of the law was injurious
to ocence and morality, and it was acknowledged
by another Noble Lord to he disgraceful. Now, al-
though the Bill had [:en much altered io the Com-
mittee, it still was the same in principle, and had
in view the remedying of those evils. The Noble
and Learned Lord opposite, had expressed himself
not taariendly to the principle--
Lord HEDEIDALB expressed his dissent from the
Noble Lord's observation.

Lord HOLLAND —" Hid the Noble and Learned
Lord mean to say he was not a friend to the priu-
ciple ?"
Lord REDESDALE Atli.' he bad before stated his
disapprobation of all the retrospective clauses, and
in that respect the measure certainly ought to be
altered.
Lord HOLLAND thought, after the Noble and
Learned Lord's explanntion, his conduct was most
extraordinary; he now acid the measure required
alteration, and yet he would put it off sine die,
though acknowledged by till to be highly grievous
to the subject. If their Lordships now object to
going into the Committee, it would be equal to say-
ing either that they were satisfied with the law as
it at prevent stood, or that the House of Lords
hail not *Wow enough to find out the means of
redressing the evil. The question really was
this, would they postpone sine die the remedy
for ■n evil, which even whilst they were cor.
ridering of it was increasing ? It they now
went into a Committee the House would still
have the power to reject the Bill at the third read-
ing, hut if th?y rejected it now they must thereby
cotideinn the principle.
Lad REDESDALL explained, that although he
might agree alterations were necessary, it by 110
means followed that he should approve of the prin-
ciple on which the alterotion was proposed to be
wade.

After some further observation• from Lord EL.
LIINDOROUGH, Lord EISICINE, Lord HEDESDALE,
Mud Lord HOLLAND, the House divided, when
there appeared—
For then going into the Committee 13
Against it 25

Majority. l2
.

The Alien Bill went through &Committee. after
which a conversation ensued, in which Lord Cott.
NAavox, Lord Ludlum'', and Lord HOLLAND
participated; on the *Object of the Irish Mowry iii
Choucery Bill, the second reading of which had
by mime Nobk Lords been considered as standing
for that evening.
l'he Earl of DONOI,IOIIIIOIIE regretted that he
should be. unable to attend the discussion of the
sneavure to-morrow, which he much desired to have
done, isod would, were he not prevented by another
engagement, give his support to the Bill, the
whole of which he approved of, and particularly the
Atnendarent which had been made to it.

The second reading of the Bill was then put off
till to-tuurrow (this ctd,).
INSOLVENT DEBTORS BILL
The LOAD CHANCELLOR moved the first read-
ing a a Bill to fun her continue the Act fur the
Mau( luarbresst °Orton.. This Bill w.. brought
forward in case the Bill oirivr before their Lordships
should .not puss intim low.

Several Bills were then pawed through their ►t-
Ipscure stages. •ud the House orljuurued at half
past woe o'cluck.

The storm in the night between the 12111 and
lath was very violent at Versedlie. The thunder
their fell upon the house of M. CLAUSE, the fluidly.
one of ilie finest on the lioulevdid de la Relate, •t
present inhabited by the tinnily of NI. fluTcnint-
box, a distinguished Member of the English House
.t Commons. The lightning fortunately caused
snore terror than actual damage, VIM eluhough it
penetrdied into several chambers, the only n•)atry
tione was the wetting of smut natal article•.

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