The Sun.
London, England, 1866-05-02 00:00:00

MARRIAGE OF A DECEASED WIFE'S SISTER
BILL.

Mr. T. CHAMBERS, in moving the second reading of
this bill, said he had undertaken the duty of bringing for-
ward this bill from a sincere desire of doing all in his
power to obtain an alteration in the law, which was looked
upon by a large number of her Majesty's subjects as ex-
tremely desirable. He felt that the motion was one entirely
separate from party considerations, yet he had seen with
regret an advertisement stating that the bill was to be
opposed by the Conservative side of the House, and the
whole of the Scotch members. He had been given to
understand that that was not an accurate statement,
and had rejoiced at it, because all classes had con-
sidered this subject, and the general impression
was that tne • a
and ought to bo removed. He therefore had taken the
constitutional course of coming to that house and asking
it to give its assent to the abolition of a bad law. The
house had over and ovor again given its sanction to
a bill having the same object as that ho had now
the honour of submitting to Parliament. He could not
understand how such a determined opposition was raised
to this bill in some quarters, because all the authorities
were ou one side, viz., in favour of the bill; and he was
certain the hon. member who oppOsed him that day (Mr.
Hunt) could not put his finger on the name of any writer
of eminence who had expressed opinions contrary to the
object of the bill. The Jewish law of marriage was our
law of Marriago—it was the only marriage law, and was
binding on all. If it was decided that his proposition
was against God's law, there was an end of the question—
they could not discussit—(hear); but he and a great number
of gentlemen who agreed with him, thought it was not so
—(hear, hear)—and upon those grounds he asked the
house to enter into the subject. The honourable and
learned gentleman then proceeded to examine the authori-
ties oz the subject previous to the Reformation, and said
he could not deny that the reformers left this marriage
within the prohibited degree, but he believed that in doing
so they made a mistake, and the general opinion of
Christendom was of the same opinion—(no, no)—the bench
of bishops he knew was of that opinion, and it being so
the supporters of his bill were not to be pushed aside in
their endeavours to obtain an alteration in law which was
so largely demanded. He then referred to the number
of eminent persons who were favourable to the measure,
and concluded by moving the second reading of the bill.
Mr. HUNT opposed the motion, and moved as an amend-
ment that the bill be read a second time that day tiix
months.

Mr. KNATCHBULL-HUGESSEN thought that the
slate of the law as at present existing operated injuri-
ously upon society, and that its alteration would tend to
confer great and lasting benefits, and so thinking and so
believing he could come to no other conclusion than that
he ought to give a sincere and hearty support to the second
reading of the bill.

Mr. C. J. MONK thought the provisions of the bill at
variance with the best interests of society, and opposed to
those higher and purer principles of Christian morality
which were introduced under the Christian dispensation.
Entertaining these opinions, he concurred in the course
pursued by the hon. member for Northamptonshire (Mr.
Hunt), and hoped the house would pause before passing
this measure.

Sir G. GREY said he had expressed his opinions on this
subject before, and he would not now repeat them. He
thought the balance of opinion was against the existing
law. The Act of 1835 he held to be in itself indefensible
and contrary to what Lordtyndhurst himself proposed. He
trusted this now Parliament would settle the question, as,
owing to the present state of matters, parties were con-
tinually contracting illegal marriages in the hope that the
law would be repealed.
Sir W. lIEATHCOTE believed the great majority of
the people were in favour of the existing law, and expressed
his grief that the Secretary of State should have changed
his views on this question. Ho understood the right
hon. gentleman to state on the last occasion that it was
before the house that this was not a subject that ought to
be continually before Parliament, that on that occasion
he would vote for the bill, but that if it was unsuccessful
he would make up his mind to support its opposers.
Mr. CHARLES BUXTON said the fact of
1,000,000 signatures to the petitions in favour
su feeling
was sufficient to show that there was a
real reason why
wide-spread
in favour of an alteration of the Jan:. The ref thorn
eb beingi
bill
feeling against having the law there was so much oppositions:voafs,
Ile supported the bill on
the ground that it was an act of
with the canons of the Chu_
simple
t hb: c
laauns
iet t
ahte rvea
rwi
aans e
ea
justice to carry it.
they
was
coulda l allowable, anbolte ,
Helpan d
stop short at the point proposed.
Scotland, and Ireland ex-
Mr. B. HOPE said the sup)opsoerdte.rslonf
atbllethbeillpcio.outeldstnanott
countries iu
if they *pea 'es olvitirineis,ectehwe
eepted—marrEiilugdre°Pwtoei—ththoeusee
going further. If they did not do so they at once belied
their own assertion that they were practical men. What
guarantees had the house, if this bill were passed, that they
would
not be called on to accommodate themselves to the
condition of the other States of Europe, and not standalone
in an insular singularity.
Mr. PIM spoke against the bill.
Mr. LEAT LIAM maintained that by far tho larger-part
of the women of England disliked the idea of a marriage
with a deceased sister's husband, and that this was a suffi-
cient reason to make the house pause before altering the
law.
Sir W. JOLIFFE supported the bill, and held that it
was a poor man's question.
Mr. COLERIDGE said ho would vote for the amendment
of the hon. member for Northamptonshire.

Mr. lIADFIELD supported the bill.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL thought it was propos-
terous to make a law as was proposed by this measure,
whereby all who had been breaking the law for the last 33
yeaj should be deemed to have been obeying it. (Laugh:
ter.) He maintained that if the bill passed it would no
longer be possible for a husband to treat his wife's sister as
his own.
Mr T. C.H4MBER.S having replied, the house divided
with the following result—
For the motion
For the amendment 174
Majority
—l9
The motion that the bill be " now" read a second timo
was accordingly negatived.
The other orders of the day were disposed of, and the
house adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS-LAST EVENING.
Mr. S. CAVE obtained leave to bring in a bill to amend
the law in England and Wales with reference to assess-
ment of mines to the relief of the poor, Mr. CoLvuax
stating that he should oppose it at every stage.
Mr. HOWES moved that a commission be appointed to
inquire into the recent corrupt practices at Lancaster elec-
tion, and it was agreed to without discussion.

considerlir. Y
AthßeTbe"st
m epostponedans o f advancing
motion
the for a
cause
of
educa-
tion in the metropolis until that day week.
Mr. FERRAND, adverting to the select committee which
was appointed on his motion a short time since, to inquire
into the genuineness of certain signatures to a petition in
favour of the Reform Bill hom the village of Harden, com-
plained that in the sentence referring to the duty to be un-
dertaken by the tribunal, viz., "and if not, by whom and
under what circumstances such signatures were affixed,'
the words "if not by whom" were omitted. He now
moved thut the order for the committee be discharged.
Mr. SMOLLETT doubted the policy of any inquiry be-
ing made at all on so trivial a point.

After some discussion,
Mr. FERRAN]) withdrew his proposition, and the topic
dropped.
On the motion of the ATTORNEY-GENERAL, leave was
given to bring in a bill to• extend the jurisdiction, alter
and amend the procedure and practice, and regulate the
establishment of the Court of Admiralty, Ireland ; and
also one to validate certain orders made by the Lord-Lieu-
tenant in Council under the Church Temporalities Acts in
Ireland.

In committee 021 the Grand Juries Presentment (Ire-
land) Bill the House was counted out.

ELECTION COMMITTEES—This Day.

HARTVIQH. • The committee reassembled this morning at 11 o'clock,
and proceeded with the case of the petitions by certain
electors of the borough against the return of the sitting
members, Captain Jervis and Mr. Kell{, on the ground of
illegal practices.
The first petition was decided yesterday in favour of
Captain Jervis, the committee being of opinion that the
situations he held did not render him ineligible for a seat.
in Parliament.

Mr. Sergeant Ballantine, who appeared in support of the
present petition, said that the case he would submit to the
committee on behalf of his client did not rest upon specific
acts of bribery, but would turn upon the question as to
whether or not the sitting members had contravened the
statute of George the Third, namely, that which related to
the prevention of corrupt practices at elections. It
was a common coincidence that ten Sears ago a
member for Harwich was unseated on the ground some-
what simlar to those upon which the petitioners now
relied. There were only 370 voters out of the whole
population of Harwich, and this population was poor and
chiefly engaged in shipping or other labour. Capt. Jervis
had been deputy-chairman of the Great Eastern Railway,
which had a branch line into the port of Harwich, and he
was at the present time a director of the company. The
company considered it advisable to establish a steam-
packet communication between Harwich and Rotterdam,
of which Captain Jervis was appointed sole manager.
In consequence of his position Captain Jervis necessarily
had considerable influence with the labouring population
of Harwich, and no less than 62 of the voters were em-
ployed by the company. Captain Jervis had two very
active partisans in tradesmen, named Daniells and Groom,
who occupied an influential position in the borough.
When the Continental communication was decided on they
were appointed agents of the company, and it would be
proved in evidence that they were also electioneering
agents of Captain Jervis at a previous election,
.and of both
the sitting members at the last election. The Continental
Steampacket Screw Company not proving so successful
as was expected, the company determined to make certain
alterations in reference to its management, and amongst -
others to appoint a paid officer of their own in the place
of Messrs. Daniells and Groom. This alarmed Captain.
Jervis, and Mr. Kelk wrote to Mr. Bidder, one of the di-
rectors, remonstrating with him for entering into any ar-
rangement on,the eve of the election, which was calculated
to interfere with his return. Captain Jervis interfered,
and the arrangement of the directors was not carried out.
The learned counsel then proceeded to state that he would
be able to satisfy the committee with documentary and oral
evidence, that Captain Jervis consented to use the in-
fluence he possessed on behalf of Mr. Kelk, provided the
expenses of his (Captain Jervis's) election were defrayed
_

Evidence was then called to support the narrative of the
learned counsel.

CHELTENHAM.
Additional evidence was adduced this morning iu sup-
port of the petition, and specific acts of bribery deposed to.

HUDDERSFIELD.
The evidence in this case was resumed this mornin,

DROGHEDA AND CALLOW.
The petitions in the cases of these elections have been
withdrawn.

The Fenian Muddle.

Fenian affairs still continue in a wonderful state
of complexity. If the grand expedition has sailed,
there are no further statements of its destination.
It is certain that O'AlmioNEY has not sailed with it,
as the head-quarters of that chieftain are open,
and the business of selling Fenian bonds has, on
the strength of the reports, been resumed to a lively
extent. °MAHONEY, with admirable financial tact,
says nothing, but pockets all the money that is
brought him. He increases the furore by publish-
ing a statement that STEPHENS is in Paris, having
left Ireland on important business connected with
the nationhood (" nationhood " is good) and " not
because he had been forced by the enemy." He is
also to go to the United States "for the purpose
of restoring harmonious counsel and well-concerted
action among all true friends of Ireland," &c., &c.
He will " make a last appeal for his suffering coun-
try," &c., which means that he will ask for more
money. On. the other hand, the ROBERTS and
SWEENEY party pronounced the " expedition" a
hoax, " ant out of the whole cloth." But they say
that KILLIAN, with a corporal's guard, has gone to
some point on the Canadian frontier, to distract the
organisation by startling despatches, " full of
sound and fury, signifying nothing."
A certain Captain JAMES F. MONTAGUE, who
claims to be an original, unadulterated, and
freshly imported I. R. 8., just from the very atmos-
pherethe New York journals with the utmost virulenceses
the eminent Head Centre of deception;
of the mysterious STEPHENS, denounces in
the
says he
never sent one hundred rifles
to Ireland ; that he
the O'MAHONEY faction of the Fenians. He accuses
of Erin, and discharged
the shores
pilots to conduct a moon-
the means to get home.
them while abroad wit
pshrienteendfleedettotesend twelveeut
He says that 0
vAlAuorrEr never
oeverf
theint tremendous
amount ended to fight,
and asks what has
of money contributed to that chieftain.
These
assertions and insinuations are bad enough,
in
but there is one matter el
apuom MONTAGUE'S
letter which showstshabtetchoemFenian game in Ireland
people do in Ireland
is lost. lie says:—" I should like to know what
the suspension of the Habeas
undisciplinedsand soldiers, and a strong mili-
tacwcaoirntyrhpaeponeosti
jusncaieaxreirtmiretcadhef,otiuenr
time for fighting in
it there now would
every part Of the country. The
Ibreelaisylaulglashtegronaendbyt.he
ruin of our race. There are more than enough of
sorrowing women and children there at the pre-
sent."

This is a candid confession, and it is sufficient
to show that the British Government has been
too much for the I. R. B. But Captain MONTAGUE,
whilst making this exposure, lauds the Canadian
invasion plan of ROiEkrs and SWEENEY as much as
he deprecates the strategy of their rivals. He says :
—" Your only way to obtain satisfaction, hostages,
and the redemption of yo m' country,both
hyour houses."—
is Canada
first and Ireland afterwards." The time must
come when some other MONTAGUE will exclaim as
MERCUTIO did, ~ A plague o
Anglo-American Times.

THE CANNON-STREET MURDER.—The adjourned
inquest • was resumed this day, when, after the
examination of several witnesses, the jury returned a ver-
dict of " Wilful Murder " against William Smith, and the
Coroner math, OW, hi§ c9mmittal to Newgate.