The Sun.
London, England, 1823-06-16 00:00:00

PARLIAMENT,

HOUSE OF LORDS, FRIDAY, JUNE 13.
A Message from the Commons brought up the Silk Manu-
facturers' and Ireland Law Office? Compensattoq Dills, which
were read a first time.

MARRIAGE LAW.

On the further consideration of the Report on the Marriage
Law Bill,
The LORD 'CHANCELLOR proposed a clause in place
of that which at present stands in the Bill, by which all pro-
perty acquired by means of a marriage solemnized contrary to
the act by fraudulent means, shoold be forfeited. The clause
which he now proposed, was to extend the penalties to mar-
riages by bans as well as by licence. He would also propose a
shorter period than three years, for the legal proceedings to
commence. At present, he would move that the clause be
printed, and the Report further considered on Monday.
The Earl of 'WESTMORLAND agreed to the course pro.
posed by the Noble and Learned Lord, though, from what he
could perceive of the clause, it would not remove any of the
objections which he entertained to the principle on, which it was-
founded.

The Marquis of LANSDOWN gave notice, that at a very
early period of the next Session of Parliament, he should bring
in a Bill to relievelhe Dissenters from certain grievances of
which they complained in the solemnization of marriage.

PRISONS' LAW CONSOLIDATION.

On the motion of Lord SID3IOU Tilt the House went into a
!ommittee on the Prisons' Laws', Consolidation Bill..

On the clause which authorizes Magistrates to order a pri.
soner into close confinement for a month, for any breach of the
discipline of the prison,
Lord%BIDMOUTII remarked, that by this clause the power
of inflicting corporal punishment by the gaoler, which had been
sanctioned by three Acts of Parliament, was repealed. This
power he considered absolutely necessary in some cases; as
where an offender was committed to prison; and to be kept to.
hard labour. :There had been examples of persons so commit-
ted, who had absolutely refused to comply with their sentence
till rendered tractable by the threat of corporal punishment. On
such persons, and on convicted felons, be should therefore pro-
pose, that the power of. inflicting corporal punishment should
be given to the gaolers under the orders of the Magistrate. Ilia
Lordship concluded by .e.oving an'amendment to that effect.
Lord DAME:said,. he had come down with the intention of
opposing-the clause, but as the Noble Lord had now consider.
ably altered ir from that which he bad proposed in the Commit=
tee, he (Lord Dacre) -didnot now feel much repligaance to
agreeing with the Noble Lord's Arnendmerit ;* though he cer:.
tainly should have been better satisfied if the liability to cor-
poral punishment had been confined to persons committed to
hard labour., ass means of, compelling them to undergo !heir.
sentence. It appeared •to hint that if inflicted on convicted
felons, it would be w punishment additional to their sentence. '
Lord.SIDMOUTII said across the table..-" But for new
offence."
Lord DACRE said, .that taking it to be so, it would. be
punishment inflicted not according to the law of the land, by a
vertliet.of, a inty, bttt by the decision of a single liagistrate.
bad SIDMOUTII explained, and defended the application
of ,c,orporal punishment to convicted felons, who were in many