The Sun.
London, England, 1858-07-24 00:00:00

Or God, so far from expressly forbidding these unions,
went far to (sanction them, bad been very severely
dealt with ; but what would those who attacked say
of the right reverend prelate now deceased, who
it appsared was the author of the clause in the ex-
isting law which provided that these marriages should
no longer be voidable t He had had the honour to pre-
sent a number of petitions in favour of this bill, bearing
the signatures, amongst others, of 500 clergymen, of a
great number of municipal authorities, of men of the
highest moral principle, who would never have supported
the bill if it contained anything contrary to the law of
God ; and it had been repeatedly sent up by large ma.,
jorities from the other house, which more immediately
represented the feelings of the people. A 3 to the social
question, if he consulted his own heart he could not find
any instinctive feeling against these unions, and he also
felt bound to support the bill; as he believed the exist-
ing law was producing a large amount of moral evil, and
inflicting the grossest injustice on a large class. He also
felt bound to say that the language of some right rev.
prelates that evening Lad been most injudicious and un-

wise.
The Bishop of LINCOLN wished to correct an iin•
preesion which seemed to prevail as to what took place
when the present law passed. It was first proposed
to enact that these marriages should be declared valid
if not voided within two years. The right rev. prelate
now deceased objected to give even such a legislative
sanction to these unions ; but when a clause declaring
them absolutely void for the future was introduced,
be assented to the rest of the bill confirming all past
marriages which bad not been voided. He had
beard the declaration cf his right rev. friend in favour of
these marriages with surprise and sorrow, although he
could not but respect his boldness in expressing his opi-
nions. Frotn his experience he did not think there was
much feeling in favour of this bill. It was easy to get up
petitions, and even the constant agitation of the question
had a tendency to lower the standard of moral feeling.
The opinion of the women of England was decidedly
against it, and in their name he implored their lordships
not to assent to the second reading.
Their lordships then divided—
Contents
Non contents .

~ 22

The bill was consequently lost. 1
The Police (Scotland) Act Amendment Bill and the
Lunatics (Scotland) Act Amendment Bill passed through
committee.
REFORMATORY SCHOOLS (IRELAND) BILL.
Lot d MONTEAGLE moved the second reading of this
bill, the object of which was to extend to Ireland the
provisions as to the establishment of reformatories now
in force in this country, with some variation rendered
necessary by difference of circumstances.
The Earl of CLANCARTY opposed the bill. He ad-
mitted the importance of these institutions, but consi-
dered the subject was one which ought to be dealt with
by the Government on their own responsibility, if at all.
The Earl of DERBY said it was true that this bill
had not been introduced into the other house on the re-
sponsibility of the Government, but by a private member.
In adopting it, however, the Government had duly con-
sidered what was the effect and purport of the measure.
His noble friend (the Earl of Clancarty) had admitted
that this was a matter of great importance ; but for some
special reason, which it was hard to understand, he
seemed to think that what was useful for the reform of
juvenile offenders in England would be quite the reverse
in Ireland. It was said there were excellent schools in
Ireland in the workhouses, and that now there would
be excellent schools in the reformatories, and that
there would be a tendency in the poor to instigate
their children to crime for the sake of an education which
they could not otherwise obtain. But the fact was that
Ireland was exceedingly well provided with schools. It
had then been objected that these schools would be vir-
tually under the control of the Roman Catholic clergy ;
but at the same time it was said that 9-10ths of the juve-
nile offenders were Roman Catholics. The objection,
therefore, was that the clergy and the offenders whom
they were to teach would be of the same religion. It
had also been said that there was no provision for inspec-
tion, but the fact was that it was provided for by the
very first these. He agreed that there might be an ad-
vantageous alteration made in the clause giving an ap-
peal, bat that was a matter of detail, whilst all they
were now discussing was the propriety of introducing
into Ireland a system which had been tound to answer in
England and Scotland. Without pledging himself to every
detail of the bill he would support the second reading.
The Earl of CARLISLE trusted that their lordships
would give a favourable reception to this bill. He con-
sidered that Ireland in reformatory institutions for adult
criminals bud much the start of England, but at present
it was quite unfurnished with reformatory schools. He
trusted that their lordships would remedy that evil. He
had witnessed the happy results of reformatories in Eng-
land and Scotland, and he trusted to see that system ex-
tended to Ireland.

Lord DUNGANNON thought the want of juvenile
reformatories was very severely felt in Ireland, but he re-
gretted that the matter was brought for ward at so late a
period of the session. Ho t,bj,cted to some matters of
detail, but he should be exceedingly sorry to throw any
impedimeLt in the way of this measure.

The bill wag then read a second time,
RAILWAY CHEAP TRAINS BILL.

The Earl of CLANCARTY objected to one clause, in
this bill.

The Earl of HARDWICKE, however, explained that
it was intended to meet an evil wt.ich might arise from
railway companies buying up canals, and so becoming
masters of the whole water traffic in their district.
The bill was read a second
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA. BILL.

The Earl of DERBY proposed one or two verbal a'
terations in this bill, which were agreed to, and the bi
was read a third time.

Lord WROTTESLEY moved that the 10th clause
should be restored to the form in which it stood previ-
ous to the amendment of the Earl of Shaftesbury, pro•
Tiding that the 10 years' residence iu India imposed as
a qualification on nine members of the council should be
recent.

After a short conversation, the amendment was nega

tived.

The Earl of DERBY moved to insert after clause 62
a proviso enabling a newly-appointed Governor-General
to exercise his powers immediately after reaching India
and before taking his seat in the council at Calcutta.
Agreed to.
Some additional amendments, for the most part of a
routine character, having been adopted,
On the question that the bill do pass,
The Archbishop of CANTERBURY said he hoped he
might be allowed to say a few words on a subject which
formed no part of the bill itself, and to which very little
allusion had been made in the various discussions upon
it. He was aware that this was a bill, the object of
which was to provide the requisite machinery for the go-
vernment of India, and he had no objection to offer to
the principle which had been so often laid down that
India must be governed in India, and not from England.
At the same time the subject to which he had to allude
was one upon which strong conscientious convictions
were entertained by a very large part of the community,
relating as it did to the anomalous and responsible posi-
tion in which we were placed as a Christian nation ruling
over a vast population of idolaters. It could not be sup-
posed that those to whom he referred wished for any ac-
tive interference on the part of the government with the
religion of the Hindoos ; that they had the least desire
that the government should either overthrow that which
they knew to be false, or establish that which they knew
to be true. So far from that, they would think that
nothing was gained even by the conversion of the
whole peninsula if it were brought about by bribery
or compulsion. There was, however, a strong opinion
prevailing that the course which had hitherto been pur-
sued might safely and wisely be modified. He would
mention two or three particulars in which an alteration
was required. In the first place, he considered it most
desirable that all distinctions of caste should cease to
be recognised by the Government in the administration
of the affairs of India. In the next place, he was of
opinion that all the remaining connection betweec. the
Government and the rites and cut Mlle of an idolatrous
religion should be entirely abolished, even if the object
of such connection were simply the preservation of order ;
that those lands which had hitherto been employed for
idolatr ua purposes, and of which he believed the com-
pany had been trustees, should be made over entirely
to the natives themselves, so that this nation might be
altogether released from any participation in things
which were detestable in themselves, and scandalous to
the reputation of a Christian country. Again, ha would
express a hope that in all the schools whiek were under
the patronage of the Government the Bible might be
read. La,4tty, he trusted that the natives would in future
be admitted to any employments for which they were
fitted. If what be bad thus suggested were done, no one
could fairly charge the Gsvernment with any active in-
terference for the propagation of our religion in India.
It was possible to observe the greatest toleration for the
religion of the natives without eii,her concealing or cam-
prom'sing our own. In conclusion, he trusted that the
blessing of Almighty God would rest upon the efforts
which were being made for the benefit of Lad* and
that that vast country would not long remain one in
which falsehood prevailed over truth.
The Earl of DERBY said that whilst of coarse every-
thing that could be fairly done for the P r imotion of
e
Christianity ought to he done, he must on the other
hand say that it was eventialeo the interest, p d
the well being of India, if not to Governalen:arcfatoafticleindndlaiab
,
tn_
that the G..veenent should abstain, mostcst
stain, from adopting any rule of conduct than that
ofY an
indiscriminate and impartial protection of all sects,
creeds, and religons, for nothing would be more iridi"
eras t and dangerous than by any open and active system
of fraud or violence to attempt to convert men from their
religion. Gear.) He hoped that lie misunderstood the
most rev, pre'ate when he said the Government ought
tto Ole d;<tinct:on of ca.ter.. Certainly, if
the natives of India, vuiantaiily entered 1.1. c
vice, he did not think that the same punctilious defe-
rence to the prejudices cf caste should be given as had
been the case in late years ; but to soy that they should
not recognise caste at all was to say that they would not
recognise that which was sob only
interwoven with the
ear.)
prejudices, but with the daily life of the people. (Hear.)
There was another subject on which ho was disposed to
concur with the most rev. prelate. Wherever property
or land was assigned for purposes of worship he thought
that, however repugnant to their feelings those pur-
poses might be, the property should be maintained
strictly applicable to those purposes; but he thought it
desirable that, as far as possible, the Government offi-
cials should keep themselves separate from any active
interference in the management and application of the
property. (Hear, hear.) 'When at the bead of the Colo-
nial-office be acted on that principle in regard to Cey-
lon, and he hoped that, as had been the case in that
island, so with regard to India, this abstinence from any
interference in the management or control of the pre-