The Sun.
London, England, 1835-03-20 00:00:00

CATHOLIC MARRIAGES.

Mr. LYNCH moved for leave to bring in a " Bill to re-
peal so much of the Act 19 Geo. IL, c. 13 (Irish), as annuls
and makes void all marriages celebrated by any Popish Priest.
between Protestant and Catholic."
Colonel PER CE VAL was aware that it might be consi-
dered an ungracious act to interpose a strong dissent on the
first reading of this Bill, to which he had expressed his disap-
probation on more occasions than one. He could not consent
to give the Roman Catholic Clergymen a privilege not pos-
sessed by Clergymen of the Church of England. To adopt
the provisions of this Bill, would be to issue letters of marque,
authorising a Roman Catholic Clergyman to go into a family,
having had no publication of bans, nor having obtained a
license, to celebrate a marrige without moral or legal respon-
sibility. He trusted that the day was not far distant when all
the laws relating to marriage would be consolidated ; but
these piecemeal measures, this system of gaining one bit
this session and another bit another, he could not but severely
reprehend.

'Sir. J. CAMPBELL would be delighted to see a measure
brought in, embracing England, Scotland, and Irelpd, a law
uniform for those who belonged to the Establishment, and for
those who-dissented from it; but until such a law was brought
in the present he thought a step in advance. All over Europe,
as had been alluded to the other night, according to the Canon
Law, the contract of marriage could be- performed without
the intervention of the Priest,•and he should like such a law
here.

Mr. GOULB URN thought if Hon. Members were to for-
bear any further discussion, and postpone it, as it had been
understood, it would be not only an accommodation to those
who were not prepared, but an act of fairness to the Hon.
Gentleman who proposed the Bill.
After some further conversation between Mr. C. Fergusson,
Mr. Goulburn, and Mr. Lynch, the Bill was read a first time.
Mr. G OULBURN declared that his consent to this step
was not to be considered as an assent to the principle of the
measure.

Mr. O'LOGHLEN postponed until Thursday, the 26th
inst., his motion for leave to bring in a Bill for " the appoint-
ment of convenient places for the holding of Assizes in Ire-
land."

Mr. SHE IL postponed his motion " for return of anfrules
respecting Orange Societies made by the Provost and Senior
Fellows of Trinity College, Dublin, and of any means taken
for the purpose of suppressing such societies in Trinity Col-
lege ;" and moved " for copies of the addresses of the Orange
Brotherhood Club, and of the Orange Stradbally Lodge, and
of the answers thereto ;" which was agreed to.
Colonel VERNER, in the absence of Lord Viscount Man-
deville, obtained leave to postpone his motion "for the chief
constable's report of the outrages which were perpetrated at
the Armagh races in October last ; the dying declaration. of a
man named M'Whinney ; the committals of the persons charged
with the assaults on the M'Whinneys ; the various bail bonds,
with their several dates, and amount of bail ; the date of
M‘Whinney's arrest, and the cause ; copy (if any) of the recog-
nizance entered into by M‘Whinney previous to admitting the
offenders to bail ; copies of any declarations or depositions
taken by Mr. Jones, the Stipendiary Magistrate, of men wounded
by musket-shots about that time; the numbers, names, and re-
ligious belief of all men wounded by musket-shots, or other-
wise, at or about that time ; copy of the reports from the Sti-
pendiary Magistrate, and of the reply to the Right Hon. Se-
cretary for Ireland respecting the Portreeve of Charlemont ;
a list of the Magistrates summoned by the Lord Lieutenant to
the county of Armagh, at the investigation held in the town of
Armagh, in February last." The Hon. Member then moved
" for a copy of the report of the investigation at Portadown
into the conduct of chief constable of police Brennan, in April
last, and the result."
Mr. G 0 UL BURN had no objection to give the answers as
well as the addresses, provided he knew where to find them.—
(Laughter.)—Motion agreed to.
MISSION TO PERSIA.

Mr. HUME moved for a return of the estimate of the ex-
pense to be incurred by the East India Company and the Bri-
tish Government for the diplomatic mission to Persia; also an