The Sun.
London, England, 1808-05-20 00:00:00

CLANDESTINE MARRIAGES,

The Bishop of EXETER, moved the second read-
ing of the Bill for rendering valid Marriages which
had been solemnized in certain chutenes and chapels
',without a publication athe banns.
Tile LORD CHANcei.unt could not omit this occa7
skin of expressing his regret at the frequent introduc-
tion of 8i1L.4 of this description.,, '4:hey seemed now
to ke considered as that sort of Indemnity Bill.;

• which came- annqally before the House, and which
began to be looked upon as matters of course. He
would, however, at present give notice, that they
should no longer have his countenance and, in--
deed, if the Marriage A& was to remain in force,
' and to be attended to as it ought to be, with what
propriety. could hills of. the nature of that now
fore their Lordships be permitted to pass ?
The Bishop of EXETER acquiesced in the justness
of the Noble and Learned Lord's observations, an 4
hoped that the introduaion of such, Bills would
cease.

Lord LittiDER6ALE considered the Bill as of very
great importance, inasmuch as it chewed the mime-
•rous inconveniences that , aroae front the Marriage
„Att. • As the Noble and Learned ;Lord seemed re-
solved: to turn his attention to these inconveniences,
'he would perhaps AiScover how far it might .be ex=
pedient to repeal the Marriage Aft, or so tar to new
.model its provisions as to prevent the necessity of

such frequent suspen4ions of it. •
Lord HoLLA?Jo concurred in this opinion. Ide
' wished even the Legislature would take a more wide
and liberal view, of the Marriage .lUt, and some
other At such as the Corporation and Test Ads,
which proved such hardships to so many large de-
scriptions of his Maje,ty'S subjects. Surely that Aft
uld not be pradleally wise and useful which itts-
fled a recurrence to so many suspensions of it.
The Loan CHANCELLOR said he must have been
grossly misunderstood, if it was supposed be could
entertain any intention of moving the repeal' of any
en these Ads ; on the contrary, en occasion was like-
ly iu to occur when he should declare his opinion
of the necessity of retaining them, He,certainly
would hereafter set his face against such •measareE
as the present, and • manifest that resped in which
the Marriage Ad- ought to be held, and the atten.
Lion with which it should be observed.
Lord REnEsnALE would 'never sit silent and 4ear
The declarations' that were Made by seine Niihld
Lords.— As., he deeply and 'sitteerely reveled 'the
Marriage Mt, and as: he felt the great importance
of a stria observance of it, so should he always be
ready to raise his voice minst the Opinion Of those
. to whom nothing in the` Constitution appeared sa-
cred, and who avowed the design of proposing the
repeal of the Marriage At% ardother AOS equally
eisential to the safety of the State, and to Ole well-
being and peace of the community.---Those who
harbour such designs could not mean well to their
Country. •
Lord STAN HOPE called to order. He felt much
resped• for the Noble and L9rned Lord, btit he never
would allow him., or any Noble Lord to impute mo-
tives to Noble 'Lords as influencing -the opinions
they delivered in that House.
Lord REDESDALE did not conceive himself to be
disorderly.' He did not think that any Noble Lord,.
without moving for the repeal of an 'Ad of the Le-,
gislature, bad a right to enter into arguMents that
treated it with disrespe&. The Noble Lords in his
eye had spoken disre3pedftdlyof the Marriage Ad,,,
and intimated a wish for the repeal of other Ads of
eval importance and necessity. He therefore felt
Intuself Justified in again declaring, that those who
would attempt to repeal such Acts could not wish
well to their Country.
Lord 14,supcansi.g called the Noble 'and Learned
Lord to order, and reprobated the narroWnets and
illiberality of his opinions, which were•nOW held
odious in every part of the Country, and' which
he was certain would prove as mischievous as they
were odious.
Lord .Era.rmacinouon contended, that his Noble
and Learned friend was stridly iworder ; his ob-
servations grew .94 of the Bill.hefora tholitatise.
Alf& souse fiartlier explanations between- the I_,oll
Crists;cet,Lort, Lord itEOE3bALE, .and. LOrd'iIUL-
LAND, the Bill was rkstd.a'second time, and ordered
to 'be committed.