The Sun.
London, England, 1856-04-22 00:00:00

ER MA .T ES T Y'S THE AT R E.— I that
_recognised the assassins who perpetrated
-It-le,retqaectfully announced th her WSJ E TREAT-RE
Will RE-OPEN early in- stay. Engagements of great interest hive the sanguinary massacre at Sinope as magnani-
trega effected both in Opera and Ballet. and the best exertions used
ta make the arrangements worthy of th' occasion. I mous enemies—with whom there might be a copi-
Vie prospectus will immediately appear.
ous interchange of courtesies ; as if the battle
was to be gained by " booing, and booing, and
booing," without any exhibition of the rougher
qualities more becoming the soldiers and
seamen of England and of France. Had
there been an honest intention to injure or
humiliate the adversary, a decisive attack on
Sebastopol would have been the very beat
course that could be adopted. But there was
no such intention. The necessary preparations
were not made for the purpose. Nothing could
possibly have been achieved with the existing
materials save by a sudden coup de main while
the enemy were still depressed and panic stricken
by their unexpected defeat at the Alma.
But that was cautiously avoided, and there
were not, and Mr. GLADSTONE took care that
there should not be, adequate means for conduct-
ing a protracted siege. Hence the calamities that
occurred, the fearful loss of life among the Allied
forces, and the protracted resistance of the Rus-
sian stronghold.
But these were matters for which the Aber-
deenites were chiefly, if not altogether,
responsible. They had contrived to secure
for their own party a monopoly of the
offices connected with the Administration of
the War, and, as is unfortunately but too no-
torious, they took their inspiration from a quar-
ter, that would neither hurt Russia nor oppose
the dictates of Germanism, however unpalatable
to the country or injurious to its best interests.
Hence the misconduct that aggravated tenfold
the evils of the War, and hence, we fear, the dic-
tation that led to its "most lame and impotent
conclusion."

. . Ll,ATtir.; ,coyAl , ottlits.Y-LAINE
LeA.ee. Mr. It. T. Smith.
ENGLISH OPERA.
-THIS EVENING wilt be produced
TROVATORE, or the Gipsy's Vengeance. Lucy Escott, Miss
Fanny Huddart, Mr. Augustus Braham, Mr. Henri Drayton, Mr.
Durand.

On Friday next another attempt will be made
to obtain tardy justice for many families, who,
although truly described as "of religious and
moral character," have been driven into opposition
against a tyrannical and oppressive law—one of
the last and most intolerable remnants of the
systematic attacks on the civil and religious liber-
ties of the subject. On that day the Earl of ST.
GERMAINS, who has displayed great zeal and
efficiency in hifs management of the important and
interesting subject, will bring forward the second
reading of the Marriage Law Amendment Bill, for
the purpose of legalising marriage with the sister or
nieceof a deceastd wifo. We need scarcely refer to the
number of times that measures of a similar cha-
racter havC, olkained the sanction of the represen-
tative branch of the Legislature, or how frequently
the well expectations of the parties in-
terested, have been defeated by the Fabian policy
resorted to by its bigoted opponents. We need
not explain how the advocates for restriction on
the most sacred and inestimable privilege of free-
men, have been driven step by step from the theo
logical grounds adopted in the first instance, and
how they have been compelled to acknowledge
that there is no express or inferential Scriptural
injunction against the practice recognised in every
Protestant country, and only requiring a dispen-
sation in Catholic States.
The question now stands on a doubtful and,
we may add, obsolete Canon of the Church of
Englaad—which is not assented to by a large
number of the most eminent and enlightened
Prelates and Clergy of the Establishment.
Flow then can the large and rapidly-increasing
body of Dissenters--who see no possible objection
to such connexions—be bound by what they ex-
pressly repudiate ? In other respects the demon
of intolerance has been banished from the Island.
man may now avow his religious convictions
without dread of penal consequences, and worship
his CREATOR in the manner which in his soul and
conscience he deems most suitable, withou
being subjected to any disability, save one—
and that of the most vexatious character,

He may be prevented from contracting a marriage
calculated to insure, his own happiness, and to
greatly benefit his orphan children ; and this,
Although satisfied that it. is not prohibited by
the law of GOD, and that, if he possesses
wealth sufficient to leave the country for a tem-
porary residence abroad, the matter on which his
heart is set, may be legally effected. It is a cruel, an
iniquitous law, and the more so, because it affects
the poorer classes, while their wealthier brethren
;an break through its paltry trammels. We trust
that justice may at length be rendered to these
long-suffering and much-wronged persons, and not
merely to them, but to their innocent children,
who may bo deprived of their rightful in-
heritances, by the infamous enactment. It
must be remembered that the advocates for
the-abolition of these unjustifiable restrictions du
not, seek to coerce the consciences of any man or
4)04 of men.. They merely demand that those

who see nothing wrong in these unions should

have permission to act in accordance with their

uwn conscientious views; and that demand.

being based on equity and justice, must ultimate!y
prevail.

The following is a brief abstract of the provi

ions- of the bill introduced by Lord Sr. GER-
\lams, and the second reading whereof will, we
-rust, be carried on Friday evening, viz.:-
1.--The first Clause repeals so much of any
Act or Acts of Parliament as prohibits such Mir-

Odges.

2.—The second Clause provides that no such
Marriage which has been, or shall hereafter be,
celebrated at any time or place, shall be void or
voidable by reason of the affinity of the parties ;
and that, for the future such Marriages may be
'awfully celebrated before a Registrar, under the
Act known as 6 and 7 William IV. cap. 85.
3.—The third Clause excepts a Marriage of
this description, contracted during the subsistence
of a previous Marriage of either of the parties ;
any such Marriage followed by a valid Marriage
of either of the parties during the life of the
other ; and any Marriage dissolved by sentence 01
a competent Court.
4.—The fourth Clause protects all rights which
have accrued under the existing state of the law,
up to the time of the passing of the Act.
.s.—The fifth clause confirms all judicial, ad-
ministrative, executory, and trust proceedings.
G.—The sixth Clause relates to the solemnisa-
tion of such Marriages by Clergymen of the
Church of England, and provides that they shall
not be required to solemnise such Marriages, nor
be exempt from ecclesiastical censure if they do.
7.—The seventh Clause provides that neither
of the PARTIES to such marriage shall be liable to
any censure or punishment.
B.—The eighth Clause excludes Scotland from
the operation of the Bill.

It is now certain that the Chancellor of the
Exchequer intends to give the go-by to the Cur-
rency question; and, if permitted to do so, to place
it on the shelf for the remainder of the session.
The Right Honourable Gentleman has apparently
taken a leaf front the book of one of his prede-
cesiors, and pursues the tactics of Sir CHARLES
WOOD immediately after the supensiou of the Bank
Charter Act in October, 1847. It is quite clear
that he will do nothing, unless the pressure from