The Sun.
London, England, 1850-01-26 00:00:00

SENIOR

TAM WORTH LIBRARY.

THE QUEEN r. IiICHARD GUNN MAIION.
TO TRE .A7).17'0R OF THE SUN.
SIR,—In reference to the evidenc.:e given on this
trial, I beg to acquaint you that tliu defendant was
never a member nt the lirf,,rm Club.
I am, Sir, &c.,
W. U. BOND, Secretary. -
Reform Club, Jan. 25, 1850..

MARRIAGE OF A DECEASED.
WIFE'S SISTER.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SlR,—Many thanks -.are really due to you for
placing this subject so plainly before your readers.
You emphatically have "hit the right nail on the
head," so that those " who run may read." It seems
to me quite superfluous, as well as unjust, to envelope
this subject in a multiplicity of words. To make e
"book-:Waking" sort of affair on this great positive
wrong is to perpetrate a great injury; and what is
most wanted is a plain common-sense view of the
subject, when most assuredly will follow the repeal of
Lord Lyndhurst's Act, and the relief sought and
prayed fur by the thousands of petitioners.
In the columns of your widely-circulated journal
the history of this law has already been detailed ; and
the report of her Majesty's Camtnissioners has partly
been referred to. Will you permit me to refer to its
concluding part, and also to some of the evidence on
which it is founded, leaving " theological objections,"
" ecclesiastical objections," or " social objection'," to
the mere book-makers, who, for some reason or other,
decline fairly to take the " bull by the horns," sad
would avoid the only vulnerable part worth fighting.
at, viz., the " canons of the Church," which at this
time of day will presently fall by themselves, as the
real lumber and hypocrisy of expiring priesterat,
which is daily withering before an enlightened and
indignant people.
Talk of a man's marrying his wife's sister, indeed t
(and even if it is with the dying mother's last request,
to secure, as sbe hopes, a kind mother for her children)
as being contrary to the " canons of the Church
Granted, so it is; but we "Protestants" laugh at those
" canons." There is no fear of the Inquisition in our days;
otherwise what would become of the Bishop of London
himself? One " canon" is quite as good as another,
and it is written that priests'are not allowed to marry ;
but I will refer to the canon itself : "Ile wbo after

baptism has been wedded, in two marriages cannot be
a bishop, or a priest, or a deacon, or at all belong
to the sacerdotal catalogue." Now, then, Sir; I ant
a plain man and beg to ask a plain question. Has not
the Bishop of London been already " wedded in two
marriages ?" And then again, in the 18th Canon, it
is written that " he that marries a widow, or one that
is divorced, or an handmaiden, or an actress, cannot
be a bishop, or a priest, or a deacon, or at all belong
to the sacerdotal catalogue." And now then, Sir, for
" plain question" the second. Did not the good
Bishop of London himself marry a widow" for his
second wife ?

What says the old proverb? " What is sauce for the
goose is sauce also for the gander." At any rate,
however, let us bear no more speeches of the
Bishop of London in the House of 4:4"..1,1
on this subject, no more interference in4niillfstow;:is"
social happiness and freedom
ow n
stupid,sense, having
sense-
less,eitbecme forward ibis
dignified or decent for him to
except to gat rid or the
and
ul se himself
obsoletebrok ecnoNos
tanleo,
n'tffs,Bti
stiet
all,
people to deal vikb.
their losses and trials in the best way they can, fqr
happiness, and without any officious wed
their own
• of the priesthood, Which happily has now iaivi
simtaptuotretanotf qvuVe'isltliiaotnn altVa.,l
cluing
dormant for many hundred years. At any rate when
fully exercised by the Roman Catholics, a "dispensa-
tion could be purchased reasonably, without driving
a man to certain ruin in the' Ecclesiastical
Courts, or a delicate and conscientious minded woman
into a state of concubinage, which her very soul abhors;
and unless Lord Lyndhurst'. " Bill is repealed"—
to this complexion it must come at las', and, indeed,
is speedily approaching.
The report of the Commissioners concludes in this
remarkable manner :—" On a review of the subject in
all its different bearings and effects, we are con-
strained, not only to express our belief that the astute
5 and 6 of Wm. IV. has failed to attain its object,
Lut also to express our doubt whether any measure
of a prohibitory character would be effectual. These
marriages will take place when a concurrence of cir-

cumstances give rise to mutual attachment ; they are
not dependent on legislatior."
Certainly they are not, and it is a want of the
knowledge of human nature for a moment to think,
that our social affections can ever be regulated by the
canons of the Church, issued 1,500 years ago, or by
any Act of Parliament.—l am, Sir, your obliged and
obedient servant and suff,rer,
Regent's-park, Jan 24, 180.

ALFRED.

TAMIVOaTIS, earn , JAN. 25.—This morning
aiirand general meeting of the Tam worth Library
was held at the institution, a small but compact and well-arr6nged building in Lichfield-street, -Tatnworth.
The meeting was more thin usually crowded, as it
had been announced for some time previously that
the chair would be filled by Sir IL Peel. On former
occasions when the Hon. Gentleman has occupied
this post ho has taken the opportunity of reviewing
the social condition of the town and neighbourhood,
and of touching upon matters which, though not im-
mediately connected with the institution,• yet bore
incidentally upon it, and, coming front the Right hoe.
thronet, were regardad with general interest. On
the present occasion, in the midst of tho agricultural
distress, and on the eve of the assembling ( f Parlia.*
ment, it was anticipated that Sir Robert would touch
upon some of the questionq which now so much en-
grois the public wind. It will be rear, however,
from the subjoined rerort that he contintd himself
rdin:,t exclusively to the lirtnediate obj,cts of the
meetiag.
Toe Right If )xl. Baronet, who appeared in excel'-
lent health and spirits, took- !le chair precis( ly at 12
oteloc k.

Mr. Straw, the honorary secretary read the annual
report, which was tf a most grat;fying eharaett.r. It
appeared, that during the year 6,000 volture3 had bef ni
put in circulation, upward; t f 5,232 of which had
been issued to third-class subscrib•rr, and .as the
inst►tution was founded principally wi•h the view of
assisting the working-classes, this fact - was dwelt
upon as being at once important and satisfactory. The
circulation had doubled that of 1847, and exhibited
an increase of nearly 2,000 rulumes upon that of last
year.

The report having been unanimously adopted, and
the office bearers for the ensuing year elected,
The Rev. J. MORSE, M.A., proposed a vote of
!hanks to the Right Hon. Chairman, for the great
nterest which he had taken in the affairs of the insti•
ution, and for presiding over them on that occasion.
The motion having been put and carried with ac-
clamation,
Sir R. PEEL then rose and spoke as follows :—I
am very much gratified that my conduct should have
Imet with your approbation. I have, as has been truly
observed by Mr. Morse, from the commencement of
this institution, and during the whole of its progress,
taken the warmest interest in its success.—(Cheers.)
I wish to take this opportunity—l could not do so
whilst in the chair—hut I wish to take this opportu-
nity of stating that I feel most grateful to the officers
of the institution for their continued attention to their
duties, for I am convinced that the manner in which
they have performed their functions has greatly con-
tributed to the success of the institution, and I look
forward with great satisfaction to the prospect of their
continuing to pet form those functions.—(Cheers.)
Now, the amount annually received from first-class
subscribers is 351. I must say Ido hope that those
who occupy the first station in this town would con-
sider what is the effect of subscribing 351. to this in-
stitution. The effect is to multiply its usefulness
among the lower classes of society, and is it possible
to conceive that the sum a 351. could be applied
with so much advantage to the moral and intellectual
improvement and virtuous conduct of the lower classes
as by giving them an opportunity of access to this in-
stitution ? I remember, when this institution started,
that there were all sorts of prophecies as to its suc-
cess and its tendency- to promote infidelity and
irreligion. Now, I ask every one here, whether lay-
man or clergyman, and belonging, as rejoice to see,
to different professions of religious faith, whether any
one single instance has occurred in which the " legi-
timate influence of religion" has been weakened by
access to this institution. (Hear, and cheers.)
Whilst I am anxious that the first class should
continue their subscriptions, and should not
lapse into second or third-class subscribers, -
it would be most desirable also to, encourage the
third class to increase theirs ; for it is in vain that we
have first-class subscribers only. It is much snore
satisfactory to see 150 third-class subscribers than to
have more than double that number of the first class.
It must be observed that third-class subscribers who
come here, paying their ss. per year, feel an indepen-
dence that they cannot feel if they come here eratuit-
ously.—(Hear.) It is of the greatest importance,
then, to increase the third class, because it is the
connecting link in the advancement cf knowledge.
At the same time I do hope that those who are asked
to contribute only 11. will well consider what is the
effect of the application of that 1/. It is not only. the
books which they individually may command—they
may have these books at home—bat it is the prin.
cipl.e. In the first place their action may operate as
an example ; and, in the second place, they must
consider that they are promoting to the poorer
classes the means of accumulating knowledge.—
(Hear, hear.) The Right Hon. Baronet concluded
his speech by again expressing his gratification that
his conduct had met with the approval of so large a
portion of his constituents.