The Sun.
London, England, 1871-02-16 00:00:00

THE ROYAL MARRIAGE.

Mr. P. A. TAYLOR gave notice that when Mr. Glad-
stone moved the resolution he had given notice of to-
morrow evening, viz., that a sum of £30,000 be granted as
a dowry to her Royal Highness the Princess Louise, he
should take the sense of the House on the motion.
THE DISFRANCHISEMENT OF SLIGO.

Mr. HERON gave notice that on an early day he would
ask if it was the intention of the Government to bring in
a bill for the distribution of the seats vacant by the dis-
franchisement of Sligo and Cashel.
MARRIAGE WITH A DECEASED WIFE'S
SISTER. •

Mr. T. CHAMBERS, having presented a number of peti-

ons, moved the second reading of this bill.
Sir S. IBBETSON said considering the time at which

this bill came before the House, and that every
argument both for and against it had been exhausted—
(hear, hear)—he should detain the House but a very few
minutes. He should have much preferred that some
other hon. member should have thought it his duty to
put a notice on the paper similar to that which now stood
in his name ; but as that had not been done, and enter-
taining strong feelings on the measure now under con-
sideratian, he could not allow it to pass a second reading
sub silentio. He thought he should best study the con-
venience of both sides of the House by now simply
moving the rejection of the measure.
On the Speaker putting the question, That the bill be
now read a second time,

Mr. R. HITGGESON said he did not intend to have taken
part in any debate, as he had hoped that the hon. baronet
who had moved the rejection of the bill would hite post-
poned his opposition, considering that an important
meeting of those who objected to the bill was to be held
to-morrow, and thus give time to those to consider what
course they should pursue. Ile was not without hope
that they would come to the conclusion that the opposition
to the measure had lasted long enough, and considering
that the House had " over and over again given
its assent to the bill, and that it had only been rejected by
the other House by a very narrow majority, he thought
on the present occasion it would be wrong to refuse the
bill a second reading. It had also been urged as an argu-
ment against the passing of the bill that those affected by
it amounted to a very small number ; but he considered
that if but one subject was aggrieved he had a right to the
respectful consideration of the House. (Hear, hear.) He
did not think the number was so small, on the contrary,
he thought the law as it at present stood, inflicted a wrong
on a very large body of her Majesty's subjects. (Hear, hear.)
It was a hardship on a man who married his deceased
wife's sister in one country to find, on his return to his
own land, that his marriage was illegal. He knew many
persons whose position in life was beyond the suspicion of
immorality, who had contracted these alliances, and who
were now longing for a change in the law. He knew
that the feeling of the House was against what
was termed claptrap arguments, and he did not
wish to resort to them, but he contended that this
was essentially a poor man's question, and as such should
be considered respectfnlly. It had been asserted also that
the women of England were opposed to this measure ; but
he did not agree with that assertion. A great many of
the fair sex were inclined to take the same view of the
matter as that held by the clergy of the Church
of England, but he did not believe that the majority of the
women of England were opposed to the measure. He had
had some conversation with ladies on this subject, and
had not found them adverse to it. (Hear.) Again, it
was alleged that if a change in the law did take place the
wife would become suspicious of her sister. That, he
considered, Was a libel on the women of England. (Hear,
hear.) He believed that a woman, in whatever position
in life she was, who would be jealous of her sister, would
he equally jealous of her whether her husband could, on
her decease, marry her sister or not. He knew
of several cases in which the wife, on her
death bed, had asked her husband to marry
her sister, and supply her place as a mother to his
children. Neither was it at all unnatural that such
wishes should be expressed. He felt that nothing more
could be said in favour of the bill than was contained in
the comprehensive speech on this subject last session,
by the right hon. member for Birmingham, in which
the whole subject was dealt with in a truly liberal spirit.
He looked on this question, as a member of the Church of
England, and he felt that it would be an injury to the
Church if she persisted in opposing the bill. The law of
the Church should not be opposed to the expressed wishes
of the people. True, it was no light matter to alter the
law of marriage, but this measure had been pressed on the
Legislature again and again, and if the Bill was passed it
would prove a great boon to the people of this
country. It was a question of civil- and religious
liberty, and he saw no reason why that liberty should bo
infringed on this point. The first Parliament elected by
househould suffrage had passed the bill, by such a largo
majority, that he thought it would be wise on the part of
its opponents to yield on this occasion. (Hear, hear.) In t
conclusion, he would only add, that if the Church of
England Wishes to hold her own in the country, she must
beware and not stand between the people and civil and re-

ligious liberty. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. MONK, although an opponent of the measure,
doubted whether the hon. member for North r'
Essex had taken a wise course in moving
his amendment. Many hon. mentbers thought that this
was a measure which if passed into law would sap the
foundations of society. (Hear, hear, and oh.) He how-
ever could not shut his eyes to the fact that the measure
was demanded out of doors. (Hear.) He had on maul
occasions strongly opposed the Bill, and his opinion on its
merits remained unchanged, but he thought
that the time had come when it should n°
longer be opposed in the House of Commons.
If the question was so be fought out at all, it should be
fought in another place. Re would, however, appeal t°
her Majesty's Government to bring in a bill defining tile
degree of affinity. (Hear, hear.) The present measure
was an exceptional one, and as such should not encumber
the statute books. (Hear, hear.) red
Mr. CAMPBELL said it had frequently been asserted
that the people of Scotland entertained a very strong
objection to the bill of his hon. friend, the member fcd
Marylebone, and on former occasions notices
been entered to exclude Scotland from the operations °
the Act. Now he believed that was an entirely Wr°rigo.
impression. Years ago it was so, but a change of feelill;
had taken place lately. The opposition was confined
the kirk sessions, presbyteries, and church circles.,
He and other Scotch members in favour of this bill, 117
heard nothing from their constituents in opposition t°
He h&d carefully examined the petitions which
,113ci "ere
presented to the House against the bill. In 1,--4 th_ora
were 209 petitions against the bill, of which 118 caroe sirens Scotland, but out of this numberll6 were from Kirk Se: the
and presbyteries. Last year 66 were presented again 49 of
bill, and of these there were 53 from Scotland,
which were from Kirk sessions. One general petitionncrof
signed by 22 electors, and one from the Town Con s
silent
the city of Edinburgh ; but a counter petition wa, been
from the. Council, which stated that the former brs.?.,e 005
smuggled through. Without any disrespect to,
vilg; of
bodies, he must say they generally took a narrow
still be
such matters. If this Bill were passed it would
ci_e by
in the power of the kirks to restrict anon mana.'
excommunicating its members. h
Mr. ORR EWING said he was afraid the —on.
mh
for Glasgow was not conversant with the feelingsern 5,%
ad
010
countrymen on this question. The PresbYta , h
truly represented the feelings of the Scottish Pooll kirl;
petitioned time after time against the measuarue.d
couipOS•• 1
sessions, which were representative bodies, had
almost entirely of laymen, by Petitiolllll. g their