The National Register.
London, England, 1819-06-21 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

and liriakere were exempted ; and he believed that the petitions
which they addressed at the time of its passing, had led to their
exemption, although he was aware it might be said that they
were a more defined body than the class whom he now repre-
sented. That the old law of the country had always contemp-
lated marriage as a civil contract, seemed evident from the pre-
amble and provisions of the 12th Charles 11. c. 35' respecting
marriages solemnized before justices of the peace during the
commonwealth. In that act it was nut treated as at all necessa-
rily connected with any relii,tious ceremony. 'file 2Cith of Geo.
11. hail appointed a certain service ; but it was not necessary that
the whole should be gone through' in order to render tile act
binding. It was usual to omit several parts which were not con.
ionant to the delicacies and decorum of the present day. The
petitioners did not complain of the general tenour of the mar.
riage-service, but of a distinct part of it, the omission of which,
in certain cases, was the object of the measure it was his intention
to propose 'This measure would leave every other class of indi-
viduals precisely in their present situation, as it was only at the
request of parties disapproving of that part of it that the officiat-
ing minister would be authorized to make the oinission. No
additional duty would be imposed upon the minister, but, tin the
contrary, lie would he exempted from the painful necessity of
doing what was disagreeable to others. lie proposed no alters •
tion Of reduction of Ices, nor did lie conceive that any descrip-
tion of property could be affected by the measure. If it were
important that the marriage-contract should he saiictiontal by a
religious ceremony, it ought to be congenial to the religious
principles conscientiously entertained by the 'strum. Ile knew
that many persons regarded marriage as the must solemn engage-
ment which could be contracted, and that it was high!), advan-
tageous that it should be clinked with the sanctions of religion.
In taking oaths, the religious creed of the 'arson sworn was
always made the test and security of his evidence: the Jew
was sworn upon the Old Testament, and the 31aliumetan upon
the Koran. 'I lie analogy appeared to him to be extremely
strong. He feared, hos ever, that the association of ii religious
ceremony with the marriage contract had not always the good
effect that was ascribed to it. If they looked to those countries
where marrita,re was a sacrament, it would appear that its vows
were much more frequently broken than in the northern part of
this kingdom, where no religious ceremony was essential to its
validity. Under all these consitletations, he should now move
for leave to Ming in a bill to alter and amend the marriage act,
so far as relates to the ceremony in die case of Protestant dissen•
tees from the church of England.
Lord CASTLE ft EAG tt ltd not rise to object to the introduction
of the bill, but as he was not aware of the provisions it might
contain, he niust reserve his opinion till the measure should be
immediately before the honey.
Air. WILBERFORCE observed, that he had only heard a part
of his lion. friend's observations, but he perfectly acquiesced in
the propriety of allowing the Bill to be brought in. Ile could
not help feeling; some apprehension lest the general terms in
which his hon. friend had spoken of marriage as a civil contract
might bc mieundentood. There could be no doubt that, so far
as evidence was concerned, it might be so denominated, but the
institution was itself of divine ordinance. To this institution
much of the superiority of Europe over Asti and other portions
of the earth, especially in social and domestic life, might be sari-
butes!. Ile certainly approved of the general object of the bill.
and its particular pros ions would be the subji et of future

Leave was then given to bring in the bill.
The losulvent Debtors' Bill we. committed, when there
arose considerable discussion. 4. clause to escheile the
application of Clout) Debtors, eksept where they lied the
approbation of the Crown, was *peed to, atter opposition
(rout Lord Althorp, Al r. riv t , &e. Iteport un Feeley.
The other orders cl die day were then disposed of, and the
house adjourned at half past twelve o'clock till Friday.