The Sun.
London, England, 1850-02-08 00:00:00

truth. He believed that the measure was against the
feelings of the great body of the people, and against the
almost unanimous feeling of one sex in the country. He
also believed that the people of Scotland were de-
cidedly opposed to such a change as the measure con-
templated; and he might truly say that the women of
the empire were against it.—(Cries of " No, no.") The
principle of the measure was only carried last year by
a majority of 33; and there was a growing disinclination
to secular legislation upon the subject. As the measure
was so intimately connected with religion, the voice of
the ministers of religion should be heard upon the sub-
ject. The leading men connected with the Church had
already given their testimony against the proposition.
He believed that this measure involved a violation of the
law of the Church, which was equally objectionable to
the Greek, the Armenian, the Protestant, and the Roman
Catholic Church. Under such circumstances, he felt
himself called upon to resist the fur ther progress of the
measure by refusing leave to the Hon. and Learned
Member for the introduction of his Bill.
Mr. S. HERBERT thought that this question stood
upon much different grounds than it did last session. If
he had to deal with the measure simply as a member of
the Church of England, he should deprecate any such
alteration in tie law as was proposed; but having to
deal with it as applicable to persons of other commu-
nions, who did nct recognise the same ecclesiastical
law, the Roman Catholics, for instance, who by dis-
pensations recognised such marriages, he felt that it was
a subject that was entitled to their consideration. He
thought that the measure of last year was so object'on-
able he could not support it, because it was a direct pro-
posal to interfere with the discipline of the Church of
which he was a member. But in the measure which
the Honourable and Learned Member proposed to in-
troduce now, it was only contemplated to change the
civil law without attempting to touch the ecclesiastical
law. He, therefore, considered it would be an un-
gracious act towards those denominations that differed
from the Church of England upon this point, to refuse
their assent to the introduction of a measure which
effected so seriously their civil rights. In, however,
assenting to the introduction of the Bill, he wished to
guard himself against being pledged to vote for its
details. _ _

Mr. LAW thought no greater encouragement could
be given to the violation of the law than their assent to
the principle of the measure proposed to be introduced.
He objected to it because he was of opinion that it was
contrary, according to the principles of the Church of
England, to all Christian notions—contrary to the prac-
tice of the earliest times, and contrary to Jewish notions.
He rested his opposition on the fact that these mar•
riages were, for a great number of years which had
expirt 4, ♦oid ceremonies—a concubinage enters i into
by certain parties in violation of the existing law, and
that it was most improper to call upon Parliament now
to legalise them.
" Cujugium vocant hoc nomine texerunt culpam."
The parties that bad gone through that ceremony had
been guilty of an impudent fraud, by saying that there
was no impediment in the way of a marriage being con-
tracted between them; and he fur one could not sanction
the introduction of a measure that would render legal
so great a violation of the law.
Mr. MANGLES thought that the present state of
the law was a delusion and a snare to many honest and
well-meaning persona. It was absurd for the law of the
land to attempt to do that which could only be done by
the law of nature written upon their hearts—namely, to
make the relationship with a wife's sister as sacred as
that with a sister by blood.
Mr. GOULBURN entertained the same opinion on
this subject as he had heretofore expressed. But when
the Hon. and Learned Gentleman brought forward a
measure of this importance, which involved such serious
consequences, and declined to enter into the grounds of
it upon that occasion, he thought it was neither fair
nor right towards him at that late hour to enter into a
general discussion of the question. He (Mr. Goulburn)
would, therefore, reserve the expression of those opi-
nions which he still entertained upon the subject, until he
heard some new grounds stated for the introduction of
the Bill. He would advise the Hon. Gentleman to read

Leviticus before he spoke on the subject again, as he
seemed to be quite mistaken on the doctrines relating to
the matter.
The House then divided. The numbers were—
For the motion ... ... 149
Against it ... 65
Majority ••• ••• ••• —B4
Leave was then given to bring in the Bill.
On the motion of Sir J. PAKINGTON leave was
given to bring in a Bill for the further extension of sum-
mary jurisdiction in cases of larceny.
On the motion of Mr. PARKER leave was given to
bring in a Bill to repeal an Act of the 6th George IV.,
for encouraging the capture or destruction of piratical
ships and vessels.
On the motion of Mr. WOOD, there was ordered a
return, by the Masters of the Court of Chancery, of the
following particulars in causes and matters in their re-
spective offices :—Number of references ire causes and
matters between the 30th day of June, 1840, and the
30th day of June, 1849, in which no reports have been
made and no proceedings had since the 30th day of
June, 1844, names of the causes and matters in which
some proceeding has been had since the 30th day of
June, 1844, under references still pending with the date
of the order of reference; number of attendable warrants,
not including warrants to justify, had in each reference
in each cause or matter of which the name is given; the
date of the last of the warrants referred to.
On the motion of Mr. SCROPE, there were ordered
returns of the number of paupers on the relief lists of
the Kilrush Union from the beginning of December last,
both in-door and out-door; the periods for which out•
door relief was suspended and again renewed from that
date to the present time; of any alterations that were
made within the same period in the dietaries of the
union workhouse, the weekly number of deathr, and the
. .

, -
average numbers in each week in the fever hospital and
infirmary. Of the number of coroner's inquests that
have been held within the union of Kilrush since the

Ist day of December last, with their dates and the
verdicts recorded. Copies of all correspondence be-
tween th• board of guardians or the inspector of the
Kilrush Union and the Poor-law Commissioners within

the same period. Returns of the total amount of rates
struck and collected in the union of Kilrush, in the se-
veral years ending the 29th day of September,lB47, 1848,
and 1849, stating their average poundage rate on the
valuation of the union; and likewise the total amount of
money expended on relief, and the sources from whence
the deficiency was made up. And of the number of
dwelling-houses that have been pulled down or unroofed
within the union in the last three years, and of the total
number of persons formerly inhabiting them, so far as
information can be attained.
Mr. BRIGHT said he understood the Right Hon.

Gentleman (Sir G. Grey) objected to granting the re-
turns which he (Mr. Bright) desired of the memorials,
addresser, and petitions received at the Home Office on
behalf of Margaret Hamilton, lately executed at Glasgow,
and Charlotte Harris, who had been sentenced to death
at Taunton. He would not, therefore, give the House
the trouble of dividing. His object was to show the ob-
jection of the people in the towns where executions took
place to the occurrence of those executions.
Sir G. GREY could not assent to :the returns—it
❑ever had been the practice to grant them, and it would
be attended with inconvenience to give them.
ROMAN CATHOLIC DISABILITIES.

Mr. ANSTEY moved for leave to bring in a Bill
for the repeal of penal Acts against the Roman Catholic
religion.
Sir R. INGLIS rose, not so much to reiterate his ob-
jection to the Bill, as to ask the Secretary of State for
the Home Department whether he was prepared on the
part of the Government to support or oppose the Bill?
The Right Hon. Gentleman could not plead ignorance
of the provisions of the measure, as the Hon. Member
had now stated that the Bill was in substance the same
as that of last year, with the exception of some
slight alterations which had then been aug.
gested in it.. It was advisable that the Right
Hon. Gentleman should indicate his course at once re-
specting the measure, so that Hon. Members, whether
opposing or supporting it, might not have the fruitless
labour of coming down there, Wednesday after Wed-
nesday, to discuss the matter.
Mr. LAW joined in the application of his Hon.
Friend to abate the nusance which had been experienced
for so many Wednesdays last session of Parliament—
(Laughter)—and hoped the House would not be put to
the torture of the Wednesday's speech from the Hon.
and Learned Gentleman.—(Laughter,)
Sir G. GREY said he was not opposed to the principle
of the Bill as regarded the repeal of obsolete statutes;
but he attached no particular importance to the measure,
and he did not find that any Roman Catholic Member
did so. He should therefore support the Bill as far as
that was concerned. He should not feel it his duty to
oppose any measure because of long speeches; but he
ould advise the Hon. Member not to press it, if there
was a majority against him.
The House then divided, when the numbers were—
For the motion ... . . 72
Against it... ... 77
Majority against the Bill ... —5
COUNTY CESS (IRELAND).
On the motion of Mr. MONSELL, the House went
into Committee on the County Cess (Ireland) Bill.
The HON. MEMBER ;stated briefly that the object of
the Bill was to relieve collectors from the obligation of
paying the amount of the sum on their warrant for which
they had given bonds in certain counties in Ireland, and
to refer their accounts to three of the grand jury of the
county to which the collector belonged. He mentioned
one county which contained 0,000 acres, of which at this
moment 3,000 were waste.

Mr. BROTHERTO24 moved the adjournment of the
Home.

Lord NAAS opposed the Bin.
Lord C. HAMILTON did the same.

Colonel DUNNE said the Bill had passed the second
reading by mistake.
Sir W. SOMERVILLE said, if the Bill passed at
all it was uscntial it should pass at once. Unless it
was intended to throw out the Bill, he hoped it would
be considered that the assizes were close at hand.
After a few words from Mr. A. STAFFORD and Sir G.
GaEy, the motion fur adjournment was withdrawn, and
the Bill went through Committee.
The House then adjourned at One o'clock.

THE LATE STORM.—It appears from Birmingham
letters that the midland district was also visited on
Tuesday last by a violent storm, accompanied by thunder
and lightning, and attended with considerable damage
to property. It commenced early in the evening, andcon-
tinned blowing quite a hurrricane until seven o'clock
on Wednesday morning, when the streets were found
strewed with tiles, bricks, &c. Several stacks of chim-
neys were blown down in Birmingham, and many fami-
lies narrowly escaped serious injury. At the Roman
Catholic Cathedral some beautiful stained glass on the'
left-hand side of the high altar was blown in and
smashed, and large quantities of glass was also destroyed
iu Tartuus public) buildings.