The Sun.
London, England, 1823-03-13 00:00:00

THE MARRIAGE LAW.

Lord ELLENLIOROU(IU, on the question of adjournment
being put, rose to make a few observations on the state of the
Marriage Law of the country. Their Lordships were aware beat
they had passed two Bills in lite" present Session on the subject.
The object of the first Bill was ici'make valid those Marriages
which had been solemnised,: ander the licenses of surro.
gates exercising peculiar jurisdiction, wilt) had granted such
licenses before they were aware of the operation of the Act of
last Session, which deprived there of their jurisdictions. That
Bill had passed the ocher House of Parliament, and received the
Royal Assent on Friday last. The other Bill was to repeal the
prospective part of the New Marriage Act. The object
was to place the country under the Old Marriage Act,
with the exception that marriages soletimised 'without
consent of parents and guardians were null and void : that
clause was repealed. That Bill, as he understood, was not
road the second time in the House of Commons ; and he
feared that much misapprehension prevailed in .the country at
present as to the actual state of' the law. Indeed, lie knew a
Right ReverenePrelate who had received a letter from a per-
son in his dlocess, professing his inability to act on the subject
of licences, and his ignorance whether he was to proceed under
the old law or not. Much inconvenience also would arise, if
persons who possessed the peculiar jurisdictions were to
proceed to grant licenses under the idea that their powers
were revived, for then a fresh Pill would be necessary, to
make those marriages valid. A more serious inconvenience
would lie'the penalties to which parties would be liable,' if
marriages were celebrated under the old Law without the
observance of the formalities required by the Act of Sese
sion. It was to lea presumed, that the House of CoMmons
had taken into its consideration the Bill which their Lordships
hid passed.; and he now rose to call their Lordship? attention,
and the attention of the public (threugh those channels by
which their. Lordships' proceeding's clime to the public ear), to
real state of things ; as it seas higMy desirable it should be
known, thaeat this time no elterauon had taken place, becanse,
until the bill passed by their Lordships received the Royal
Assenr4,:the act passed last session remained in force. When
that act passed, the inconveniences, though not unforeseen,
were underrated ; and there was,. besides, an anxiety to secure
a great principle. The first measure of their Lordships' thit ses-
sion, had been to remedy those inconveniences, and therefore, as
far u that. House was concerned,. no , blame could attach. 'The
mischiefs arisingfrom the present state of things were very great:
the number of marriages had diminished; people, to use a com-
mon expression, took each other? word for it, and waited till a
more convenient mode of solemnizing the ceremony should be
appointed. He took this opportunity of saying, that the Cent=
mitten hid ;used every diligence on this important sulkject.
Much had been done An the- way of clearing the ground; and
he trusted that ere long the result would be, that a general law
would be before their Lordships which would prove satisfac-
tory both to that House and the public.—Adjourned till to-
morrow (this day.)

HOUSE Q} cOMIONS.
There being, at 4 o'cloek, only N Sternberg present, the-
SPEAKEn adjourned the House till to=morrow.
mimmoorimage

:REFORM MEETING.

EDTSBUROII,MARCII 10.---On Saturday a Meet-
ing 'of the Inhabitants was hell in the Caledonian 'Theatre, for
the purpose of considering the propriety of petitioning Parlia-
ment to confer the.right of voting; for the Member for the City
on the householders, under such limitations as to Parliament
shall seem proper.. The doors were opened at half past twelve,
and the crowd which surrounded them was so great that the
house was filled to excesa in a few minutes. The Chair for the
President, and farms for the gentlemen who signed the requisi.
tion to the LordProVost,'were placed on the stage. This part of
the house was also crowded, and among the gentlemen present we
observed Sir A. M. Gibson ; Henry Cockburn, Esq.'; James
Moncrieff, Esq. t. Francis Jeffrey, ; J. A. Murray, Esq. ;
Thomas Allan,. Ettq. David Ramsay, Esq.' W. S. ; Win.
Inglis, Esq., W. S. ; John Horner, Esq. ; Patrick Miller,
Esq.
On the motion of Sir A. M. GrusoN, John Craig, Esq. was
unintously called to the Chair.
Mr. (NAM said he deeply felt the honour which had been
done him, but he attributed it more to their kindness than to
his own tnerits ; he trusted, however, he would exercise the
office conferred on him with that partiality and firmness which
tit required. Mr. Craig then read the requisition to the Lord
Provost, which he said was signed by gentlemen of the highest
• respectability, both for wealth and importance in the community;
it was also signed by gentlemen who have raised themselves
"by their talents and abilities to the highest eminence at the
&Amish bar, by writers to the signet, and by a number of citi.
tens of Edinburgh, who, he was proud to say, would not shrink
:in comparison for respectability, for intelligence, or talent, with
the citizens of any city in Britain.— (Applause.)—The Chairman
-then read his Lordship's mire; in which'he declined to call
.a meeting for such a purpose. 'He (the Chairinair) did not mean
to say -any thing on .t-his subject. His Lordship was a gentle.
man who was justly esteem ed—t Applause ).—for his private worth
;and ids public conduct, but he could not but think he had acted
wrong in not granting the meeting,the more particularly as h edid
mot state that heentertain ed any fear that the peace of the city would
be endangered by such an 'assemblage, and also when he saw it
urged by gentlemen superior to himself in talent, and not in-
ferior to him in respectability. It had now been called by pub-
lic advertisement, and when he saw so crowded and so respect.
able an auditory, he need scarcely mention that he trusted they
,would preserve order, and listen to every gentleman, whatever
might be his opinions, even although he might state that the
thirty.three gentlemen who at present returned the Member to
Parliament from the City were .the only persons who „should
possess that right. He hoped that unanimity would prevail,
as it would tend very materially to strengthen their cause, The
Petition had been drawn up by gentlemen on whom they might
rely for candour and prudence. He concluded by thanking the
Meeting for the attention they had given him.—(llear, hear.!)
Mr. AstnnEw SCOTT felt diffident in addressing the meet,
ing, when he loOked round him anti. saw so many'Gentlemen
of distinguished talent ;`but he would endeavour, to the best of
his ability, to discharge a duty which he considered incumbent
on him. There was ri propriety of uniting to obtain our just
rights, and these we could not say we possessed when the bur.
gems of Edinburgh were represented•by theVown.Colincil.—
The term Reform was at one time of so appalling a nature that
in order to get quit of it some other word was searched for, (nano
mathematician ever rejoiced more at the solution of a problem
than the 'enenlies of, Bitrgh Reform did when they substituted
the phrase Burgh Polity.—(A hu{r}t.)-:-He trusted the meeting
Would succeed in ite object, and he looked forward to such success
with the more confidence when lie considered that the Burgesses
were now united- with Gentlemen in the. College of Justice,
and from the moderate way hi which the petition WAS drawn up,
he flattered himself, it would be supported by the. English mem-
bers.' Looking at the constitutions of town councils, they
were the offspring of the dark ages,. and could scarcely now
be understood,i being ridiculous in their intricate details.
did not blame the House of Commons for being list-
less in the cause of Burgh Reform, when they theniselveX
did not understand, and could not follow the_ intricacies
Of the constitution of town councils. But they had here
a clearer -prospect anti they were asking a boon, whiCh,
be trusted, would .be granted. They were entitled :and
they were more likely to receive astelition when they' were
petitioning, that a number of the beuseholders of Edinburgh
&Mid hare the privilege of choosing •ti Member' of Perlis.'
rent than the few who had the present choice.. In his ides,
the right of eleeting a Mather, was not a vested right, but tt'
public truet.—(llear !)—Were the reform, which was asked,

ganted,'it Would impreve the general habits of the community.
They came here to support the Constitution:, not to.destroy it.
He congrattilated' die 3leeting, that they had tnet under cir-
cionstances, lvtien the'country was lahottring under no cala-
mity, but now We hail britiliter prespects its view. lie felt for
the important transactions that Vl(.'r:: gamy, on in Spain and
Greece. He trusted, by meetings such as th' pr,.,sait, that the
best interests of the people would he secured. lie concluded
by. reading the' itesolutams, and piopasi4: that a Petition,
founded on theth should-be presented;to Parharnent.
31r. R. B. IILYTA, read the petition: ‘.
" Mr. .Itrt:ititroxY'antl seconded the Resolittiona.—(Lobel
cheers.)—lle secoticred them, he said, With.,the 'greatest sails-
faction, and with less scruple than anv ildod th4t evqr attended
the act of any private individual. t ey were etilinently and
undoubtedly fitted for-the purpose, for wrf the were intended,
and came recommended; as being founde "the individual tion,
sciousness of those, who might subwriri lots„',;They dill
requite in their support, any lengthenea d4,iton; end he felt
\
it unnecessary to say much, after the very excellent :remarks
already given by the proposer. 'lndeed he apprehended,
that the question was self.evident and spoke for, itself, Ile did
not consider, 'that a meeting, such as this, was a proper
place to discuss . abstract point 0f... politics ; but,, with-
out entering at all into the views , of he conceiv-
ed, that the plan, proposed to be adopted'. by the.resolu-
, tions, was well fitted 'fortlie purpose intended. It, Wintld se.
cure the return of a Meniher, who, while he wptilit anttplitalla
on all occasions
,exereise his own jodgment and dtsciOron,
would neverltele° sight Or the interests of his constituents.—
Ile considered that- the dignity cif individual character or the
glory' of national count:W*ord the- result of that freedom
of discussion which gave such force.' to . public., opinion.
—Our liberties and the due maintenance of our constitution,
depended on the intelligence, the industry, andthemoral habits
of ;he community; and these qualities the i people of this
country possessed in an eminent degree: They had given a
spring and an impetus to the people, which.matie them enter
with spirit into all public transactions, and were the surest pre-
ventive against all encroachments on public liberty. Every ono
must.ecknowledge that no Governoteliti can stand
.against the
expressed opinion of the country . over which, it rules.—
Men' were in general disinclined to come from the. privacies
of domestic life, and take a part in political discussion ; but
when they were roused ionic their usual torpor, nothing- could
he so beneficial to the liberties of their country than in meeting
to consider the propriety of correctingpublie grievances. He
had comennprepared for addressing them 4. bur he trusted they
were convinced of the necessity that the measures recommended
in the resolutions shouid be adopted.. He thankall,the meeting
for the attention they had given him, and trusted their petition
would be as successful in Parliament as it so well deserved.—
(Applause.) . : . . .. .
The eigAlltAfAM then rend the Resolutions, which, with the
petitien, wero agreed to unanimously. .
Nr.- Ca stPitt Lt., of }Wherry; moved that. It. Cothinittee' be
appointed to procure subscriptions to the petition, And „read the
names of a number of Gendennen whom lie proptised should
Farm the.COnunittea. The motion was unanimously agreed to.
Mr. jAsits.ll4loi.cutEr concurred entirely in the sentiments
contained in the resolutions and petition. Ile thought the peti-
titin should be con Mitted us one in whose wisdom, whoie pa-
triotism, whose talents and ahoseattachment to Scotland, they
could confide. Hapioposed that the Ilan. 'lames Abercremby
be requested to present and support the petition.—(Grent ap-
plause.)—Although their effints On die present occasion might
not succeed, yethe had do doubt-than that sooner Of later they
would be successful. . . . . .

• • .
Mr: H seconded the'
'motion. thought it
must be a high gratification to those' who had grown grey in
the cause of Reform, to marle7the rapid strides which their
opinions were Making. and which' would ultimateir,aceed.
He trusted that those who had joined with the Nfonuers, would
maintain-steadily their szntiments, that they would not fhtetuate
or rise and fall like the price of wheat. e.‘ hard no doubt, from
the talent and intelligence on the sitie of the reformers, that
their cause would ultitOtgely prevail.
Mr. Cot:arm-2x piesumcd, that, ait'the Resolutions and
Petition had beenagreed to, they should pass vote of thanks
to the Chairman, who had reckoned it his ditty and hiajionour
to accept the situation assigned him.--(Cheers.)--He, therefore,
tnoved the thanks of the Meeting to Mr. Craig, for the ability
with which he had discharged the office of Chairman.—(Cireat
applause.).
Mr. Cnato thanked the meeting for the honour conferred on
him, and also for thegood order that had beep preserved, which
had rendered his duty extremely pleasant and gratifying to
to.—( Appian se.)
Mr. josEPit Gonnote,".writer to the signet, proposed, that
a vote of thanks should be giVen to Mr. Jeffrey, Mr. Scott,
and Mr. David Ramsay, which was unanimously, agreed to.
A vote, of thanks wa4 also unanimously given to Mr. IL
Johnston or his kindness in granting the use of the Theatre.
Te 'meeting, which was very respectable, then separated in
the greatest order.
The doors of the Theatre were crowded tiy twelve O'clock,
and by half-past twelVe, James-street and King-street were
filled with people. The rush When the doors were opened was
very great, and several persons were hurt by the pressure. A
great number went away who could nut gain admission...,
( Edinburgh Courant, March 10.)