The Sun.
London, England, 1868-09-17 00:00:00

REPEAL OF ACTS.

If these recommendations are adopted, we
further recommend that the enactments necessary
to give effect to them should be embodied in
single statute ; and that all the existing statutes
of the United Kingdom, and of Scotland and Ire-
land, upon the subject of marriage, should be re-
pealed. Care should, of course, be taken not 0
revive, by such repeal, any canon or other law OR
the subject of marriage, which has been expressly
or virtually repealed by former legislation.
CONCLUDING REMARKS ON THE PRINCIPLES OF VIS

FOREGOING RECOMMENDATIONS.
IVe feel encouraged by the general spirit of
much of the testimony with which we have been
favoured from persons whose opinions are entitled
to the greatest weight to believe that the foregoing
recommendations will be found to approach more
nearly than any other practicable scheme to a so'
lution of the difficulties of this very important
subject.
If we turn to Roman Catholic testimony, it will
be found that we give no more than a reasonable
development to the principle laid down by the
English Roman Catholic prelates, that it is
desirable " to constitute the Catholic clergy the
legal witnesses .of the marriages celebrated hY
them ;" and to the declarations of Bishop Leah'',
that the State " possesses au unquestionable right
to require proof of the marriages of its subjects,
and to take care that they are properly registered i
and of Bishop Moriarty, that " the State has 3
right to see that the marriage is registered."
We derive equal encouragement from the views
expressed by some of the most authoritative esl3°'
nents of Protestant opinion in Ireland. The late
Bishop of Derry considered it " not only un-
objectionable, but highly desirable, that the minis-
ters of religion should as far as possible be the
persons empowered by the State for this purposes
adding—
ti As, however, it seems desirable that the liberty
of parties about to marry should not be needlessly
interfered with, I should be inclined to extefid this
privilege to all ministers, of whatever denomination,
who may be willing to comply with the require-
meats of the State, as to time, places, &c., of Per;
formauce, and likewise as to registration. Thes
requirements should be, in my opinion, as far es
s
possible identical as regards the various religi°
bodies."
Dr. Bryce (of the Irish United Presbyterians)
also said, " I would allow a Roman Catholic clergy
man to celebrate mixed marriages, just as I Cl'aa
that I should be at liberty to do the same thing
but I would insist upon his being subject to t"
same rules with regard to time, place, notice, and
registration that all Protestant clergymen of ail de'
nominations are subject to."
Sir Joseph Napier, Dr. Ball, and others a13e16/
exactly in the same sense. of
In England, so far as marriages by the clergy
the Established Church are concerned, the tendency
h
of some of the most important suggestions Which
we have received has also been in changes Which
we recommend. The Bishop of Oxford is favour;
able to making all the parochial clergy, in effect,
Surrogates; ; and the committee of the Lower house
of Convocation of the Province of Canterbury Pro'
pose to allow all persons who wish to avoid the 135 b
lication of banns to be married upon the certificate
'
of their own parochial clergyman after twenty-01_8
days' notice, upon terms almost identical with We°
which we have advised.
In Scotland our recommendations are in harmony
with the principles of all those who are attached to
. eci
the present system of regular marriage as praetiso,
in that country, and who would make the mairlie
the
ante of that system, in its essential characters' ,
condition of any interference with the law of irrego
lar marriage.
It is true that by some other witnesses (a'les,
whom we may mention the late Bishop of Re°
ter, the Dean of Chichester, Mr. Porter, Dr. Staiefo
.and the Registrar-General for, England) viewevor
favourable to the employment of a clerical agu to
for the fulfilment of what may be described °Bed,
civil conditions of marriage have been exPree.,,tio
But we are strongly impressed with the conofere
that it is in the last degree important to inti.eabito
no further with the general sentiments and fu o-
of the people, nor even (in any matter et sibo
stance) with the existing provisions °'
y,ar.
law, than is absolutely necessary for the ;jags
pose of constructing a safe and consistent n3nrciero ;
code for the whole people of the United I(ing side-
and, under the influence of this paramount o°lloo
ration, we have deemed it right to fereg° been
minor advantages, which might doubtless has:001
obtained by a nearer approach to the Contlntoir
system. Should our recommendations, in.ect of
general substance, become law, the great le log
uniformity will have been accomplished; t .43fit
will be simplified and consolidated ; the hi° oct
practical security for the facility, ceriaintl..,ittr
safety of marriage will have been attained, ;or
out any infringement of religious liberty, 0 lb°
gonism between the authority of the State an too
influence of religion ; and, at the same tilne'itoli
will be no sensible interference with the Prev.toorto
accustomed course of regular marriage, 55 Ireland'
solemnised, in England, in Scotland, or in ioriere
The report is signed by all the Conarairciatiee
except Lord Mayo (Naas), whose officia"
prevented attendance at the later meetings.
0)(
DISSENT AS TO DIVORCE. BY THE RIGHT HON. V•
AND THE HON. MR. JUSTICE O'HAGAS• ve, the
In appending our names to this report, to/isiion,
undersigned members of your,Majesty'sCein dation°,
are compelled to dissent from the recomroe°
contained in page 26, which affect the isif
, be'
divorce and the jurisdiction of Divorce C°11....r ts
do
cause we believe that the marriage tie is in ,0 the
üble, and that divorce a vinculo is contra l:1'005
law of God.—WILLIAM MONSELL (L.S.),
OTAGAN (L.s.)—July, 1868. to
ents iOO
The Lord Justice-General also do s
much of the report as proposes to do 31151 wth
consensual marriages in Scotland.

CESARINI—On the 13thBinirett.,hast.Genzano, sear 11°131°' the
Duchess Sporza Cesarini, of a son
NORRIS—On the 15th inst., at 9, Buckingham"lfil C'sli°9t°:
the wife of John F. Norris, barristert-at c' 60, t-6
SUDLEY—On the 14th inst., at Br cket 118/11 ilert
Viscountess Sudley, of a son °
ENl‘tilriLs*:—TTurunnortrin,ooßl—dne, On the 16th. inst., at St°")lo°ecibrici;°
Marriages.
v
FIVLNiticno—IinCtLEAYTON
Church, Edmund,
Turnor. 10
ners-atreet andn,..v. PO
Eforo,' ,'11"'
_ssetoel dedeoasntut,dgshsootnenr 000fff the
T3lhr .oEsa.6nricill tf..:c1131:0:60411:
of Ber"
Clifton-road, St.
Catherine,only tool
daughter of George E. Clay
e 16th inst., at
Seville, Spain. job-vulrelie:•64.,
of

CROSSLEY—On the 14thDeinastth,s'at Broomfield'. tall ifa3%t
Yorkshire, Joseph Crossley, J.P., aged 55• lesl3°'
TIOPKI.NSON—On the 15th inst., at The Oaks, Al3lll
Benjamin Hopkinson, Esq., aged 59. rd,
.acifo
~,,
MEADEN—On the 15th inet., at 3, Albert-terrace, voltoY
James Meaden, late of Culverton souse, ARO/It '''
shire, aged 72.

. _
~.....77-•_.'_-'—..- e...;10,
• - - 11)11P j2+
London : Printed and Published by VirtLLIA.V: A, No ~
of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at THB SUN OAC3t 6 witi
Strand, in the Precinct of the Se voy, in the - -
LtilileseL—_:Thursday, September 17, VOL

1
AV
bolt
able
'or

Pro
'sett
Goi
deli
tire

fog
/hi
tlot
tro
blg

hi
.04
for
else

tolc
feet
Si .
.t 11'

lkiP
tett
Ita,
IN

~
t.
it,
44