The Sun.
London, England, 1857-08-13 00:00:00

DING RACES.—(This Day.)

(BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.)
CAVERSHA.M STEKES.

Rotterdam

Ma,gnoia
Draruat:st

Ten ran.

IMPERIAL

PAR LIAMP.ET.

HOUSE OF COPECiONS—(This Day.)
The SPEAKER took the chair at 12 o'clock.

PRIVATE BUSINESS.
Shepherd's Disabilities Removal Bid was read a third
time and passed.
Lord Rivers' Estate Bill was read a second time and
ordered to be committed.

LAMBETH MANUFACTORIES.
Mr. ESTCOUItT required of the Chief Commissioner
of Works if he had received any answer from the autho-
rities of Lambeth relative to the cennnuoication be had
made to him ie. reference to the noxious trades carried on
in that parish on the banks of the Thames, a hich
affected the atmosphere in the neighbourhood of the
Hems: s of Parliament ?
Sir 13. HALL sail that the matter was one for serious
consideration, in consequence of tto course the Vestry
of Leinboth had thought it right to pursue in reference
to this subject. To strew the house what a hops less case
it was of any remedy In leg adopted by the parish autho-
rities, he read a letter sent tram the officer of works, on
the 30th July, to the Vestry of Lambeth, complaining of
the nuisance, and the answer he had received from that
body, dated 10th August. The latter stated that the
subject was submitted to a meeting of the vestry held
on the 6:h inst., but they were not prepered to take legal
proceedings against th - parties. The house would there-
fore see how unfortunate it was that the bill of 1855 was
passed without a clause imposing a penalty on parish
authorities for neglect of their duties. If such a clause
bad been introduced into that act any person could have
proceeded against a 1)01 body that neglected to do
ice duty towards the public and themselves. It was
t o I ote this session to introduce a bill to remedy that
defect, but he hoped next session the house would
pass a bill that would compel parish authorities to ore-
cute.the powers vested in them under the powers of
the act of 1855.
The subject then dropped. "
DIVO RC NI AND MATRIMONIAL CAUSES BILL.
The committee on this bill was resumed.
On clause 25 giving divorce for cruelty -and desertion,
Lord J. MANEB.S moved the introduction of the
words "or adultery committed within the conjugal re-
sidence."
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL opposed the amend-
ment, on the ground that the bill was only to consolidate
and not make any change in the present law.
Mr GLADSTONE said that the learned Attorney-
General appeared by his remarks to be wrong, both in
fact and principle, with reference to the effeel-, of this
bill. The fui :ler they advanced in its discussion the
more obvious it became that that house should subject
the measure to a greater examination and -strutiny than
it bad been subjected to in the House of Lords or by her
Majesty's Government, who were responsible for its pro-
duction. The change which this bill proposed in the law
was patent, and when the Attorney-General stated
the contrary it only showed the crudity and precipitancy
with which the bill had been introduced, and the scarcely
decent haste it had been determined on and was attempted
to be forced through the house. If divorce was to be
given to the poor for cruelty, the same power should be
given to the rich in the shape proposed by the amend-
ment, because there could be no greater cruelty inflicted
on a woman than to know that her husband was living
in adulterous intercourse in the conjugal residence.
There was no such cruelty in the higher classes as
was known in the lower classes, but the scandal
attaching to the fact of a man in the higher
classes outraging his wile's feel no by converting his
house into a scene of infamy, whilst observing all the
external demands of society, was the greatest cruelty
that could be inflicted on a woman, It should be the
object of this bill to meet such cases.
Mr. DRUMMOND supported the amendment. He
contended that the woman and man should be put on
an equality in the process of obtaining divorce ; and the
man who turned his house into a brothel, ought not to
go scatheless.
Mr. lIUGGESSEN also supported the amendment.
He said that woman sinned from her weakness—man
from the strength of his passions. If, therefore, the
latter was entitled to relief, the first was more so. The
amendment grappled with great social evil, and believing
the amendment would tend to remedy it, he should
vote against the government, although he had supported
the second reading of the bill.
Mr. AYRTON said that as the committee were con-
sidering the law of divorce with a view to its amend-
ment, it was their duty to consider everything in re-
ference to it, and take care that the principle they laid
down was such as would promote morality and give
relief to the greatest and grossest form of injustice.
(Rear, bear.) Where a man brought home a concu-
bine, the wife ought to have power to sue for a divorce.
Air. HENLEY- spoke in favour of the amendment,
urging that the woman had equal rights with man,
The LORD ADVOCATE said that the law of
Scotland, with reference to divorce, proceeded on the
principle that the two sexes were on a footing of equal-
ity—(hear, hear) —and he thought it well-founded both
on principle aed social experience. (Hear, hear.)
The wife used the-remedy as two to five, proving
clearly that the remedy was not extrrvagantly made
use of. The law was applicable to the whole of Scot-
land, and from a return he had bad made, be found that
out of 174 cases, 73 only were at the suit of the wife,
and about 103 or 104 at the suit of the husband,
which he thought woe not a large amount, in a popula-
tion of 3,000,000. During the last year there were 17
cases of divorce in Scotland, seven of which were at the
suit of the wife, and the remainder that of the
husband. Ile entirely concurred in the amendment
believing it ought to be the principle on which divorce
should proceed.
- Lord J. MANNERS addressed the committee at con-
sslerable leneth in support of his amendment.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said that the bill was
confided to him on the principle which he distinctly
again stated, that of embodying the existing law in
regard to divorce. It was true two years desertion
and cruelty did now give a claim to divorce,
but with that exception his statement was substantially
true, and he complained of the language that had been
used against bins in reference to the bill. The amend-
ment would be most opposite if the committee were dis-
cussing the foundation of the marriage law, but that
was not the cace, and on the terms on which the
bill had been committed to his care he could not en-
enter on the larger question. He approved of the
equality contended for, but the committee was limited
to the embodying of the present law. ([Tear, hear.)
Legislation need not stop with this bill, but be pro-
c tried within a future session of Parliament. (Cheers.)
He replied to the censures that had been passed
upon him by those who appeared to have suddenly
awakened the woman's wrongs. He asked how the
country could place any faith in those who on the
second reading of this bill opposed the dissolubility
of
marriage, but were row the hellow advocates of the
enlargement of the thw of divorce by introducing
other crimes for a divorce a vincuio. The
hon, and learned gentleman then referred to what
he termed the gilde I propo-itions of hon. members, in
which no one could con!d believe they were sincere.
Mr. GLADSTONE said that the remarks of the right
hon, and learned gentleman would not deter him from
doing his duty in regard to this measure, which was
now beginning to show it was not a fit sub-
ject for discussion in that home. He complained
of the r marks of the Attorney-General in reference to
the sincerity of hon. members, and said that that learned
gentleman very newly if be had not in fact crossed the
line, when he ought to havd been called to order by
the Chairman as a disorderly member, who bad
abused the liberty of of speech. (Rear, and laughter.)
It was net usual for one member to challenge the sin-
cerity of other members in the propositions they advanced.
The statement of the Attorney-General, in reference to
this measure, showed that he did not appear as an inde-
pendent English gentleman in the debate, but the official
organ of another, and that the observations he had
made did not emanate in his own breast and conscience,
but that they were delivered as the pure organ of a
commander, who sent his command from above. The
Attorney-General had, however, given tongue in refe-
rence to the bill, and whilst admitting the equality
of man and woman, he was determined to precipitately
pass a measure that would place women in an inferior
and unjust position.
Lord PALMERSTON defended the conduct of
of the Attorney-General, and said that if those who
voted against the second reading of the bill new voted
for the amendment, they
would be making, in effect,
a recantation of their previously expressed opinion of
the indissolubility of marriage. (Cries of " No, no.") lie
however, repeated the assertion, and proceeded to
say that he was opposed to the equality of man
and woman, in reference to divorce, from a be-
lief that there was a difference in the nature
of the social offence of adultery. He approved
thelamendrnent from P. belief that it would give rise
to opportunity of collusion between the parties,
and much assist the husband and wife who wished
to get rid of each other by a legal process,
more easy under the ame`nilment than the bill as it now
stood. He agreed With the Attorney-General that it
would be better to pass the bill as it at present
stood, but being arxious to pass the bill he would
not press the question to a division, but give way,
protesting however against his giving way being made a
precedent in more objectionable cases.
[LEFT BITTING.]

CABINET COUNCIL. A Cabinet Council was held
yesterday, at ,the official residence of the First Lord of
the Treasury, in Downing-street.
The steamer Atlantic has brought 72,800/. in specie
from New York, a portion of which is probably on
Franch accouni.
Of the specie hi ought from Now York by the Vander-
bilt, about 49,000/. yesterday reached London, of which
a p, rtion consists of Mexican dollars. The gold will
probably be sent to the Continent.
The following vessels have been taken for the con-
veyance of troops to the East :—The Rydaspes steamer
for Ceylon, the Scotia steamer and the Matilda
Athelite for Bombay, and the Alipore and Athlete for
Kurrachee.
The deanery of her Majesty's Chapels R iyal, ren-
dered vacant by the death of Bishop Blomfield, will Le
I conferred upon Dr. Tait, Bishop of London.
The chaplaincy of the general cemetery at Keneal-
green has been conferred upon the Rev. C. Stuart,
M.A., late curate of East Guildford, Sussex. •