The Sun.
London, England, 1850-05-16 00:00:00

MAY

EVENING,

two years. The Bishop of London went a great deal
further both ways, both backwards and forwards ; he
introduced the clause, that six months should
not elapse with respect to the marriages
that had taken place, but be pronounced
valid at once and for ever ; and with respect
to those that should afterwards take place, not two,
❑or ten, nor twenty years were to sanction them, but
they were to be invalid altogether and for all time.—
(Hear, hear.) Lord Lyndhurst and his friends said,
altered as the Bill was, it would answer their purpose ;
they wanted to secure a certain individual ; they pro-
posed a certain thing that would have secured that
individual, and the Bill, even as altered, would secure
him. Very true ; it would sacrifice everybody else,
but they said, " never mind ; if we get our object for
the one, we will let the millions go"—(Cheers)—
and so they wrapped it up.— (Laughter.) Now, he
contended that was not Lord Lyndhurst's Bill, but the
Bishop of London's, to whom the Noncomformists were
under so many and great obligations.—(Hear.) In
the chapter of Leviticus, to which allusion had been
made, there were two things in that law, admitting,
for the sake of argument, that it was the marriage
law, which bore on the particular marriage in clues.
tion. One of those things had not been referred to
that night. In that law there was a clause forbidding
the marriage of a woman with the brother of her de-
ceased husband. Upon that their friends, on the
opposite side of the question, took their stand, and
said there was an express injunction forbidding those
marriages, sod, that being so, it was the same thing
for a woman to marry the brother of her deceased
husband as for a man to marry the sister of his ds-
ceased wife. If the one, said they, was forbidden,
then the other was forbidden. But it was said, in
the 18th verse of the 18th chapter of Leviticus,
" Neither shalt thou take a wifa to her sister, to vex
her, to uncover her nakedness, beside the other in
her lifetime." It might be said, properly, that did
not mean a sister, but, simply, a woman to a woman.
It was said the translators of the Bible showed

that the question admitted of a doubt, by
puting in the margin, oppposite that text,
the words, " a wife to a wife." Now he
could not go t into that delicate question in a
meeting like tha ; he could not give them his rea-
sons. It was one of the mischiefs of this law, and
this controversy, that it excited a great many ques-
tions which were better left alone. Without at-
tempting to give them his reasons, he thought those
reasons were sufficient. He thought those reasons
founded on the nature of the thing, and agreeable to
the Word of God. It was evident that the command

to which be had referred applied to the marrying of
one sister during the lifetime of another who was
the wife of the party, but had no application at all
to the marrying of the sister after the death of the
wife.—(Hear, hear.) Now, as regarded the morals
of the community, it was well known that hun-
dreds had married, in spite of the law, and let
them think of the position in which the children
were placed by the operation of the law. But
there were others whose sentiments were not of so
elevated a character, and who, finding that a
marriage could not be contracted under the law,
agree to dispense with the ceremony which would
be useless, and live together as man and wife with-
out marriage. Such was the effect of this most
unjust law, and what right, he would ask,
had the Government to place any portion of
the people in such a position ?—(Hear, hear.)
There were a great number of marriages tolerated
which were far more objectionable than those with
a deceased wife's sister, such, for instance, as mar-
riages in which there was an actual blood relation-
ship.---(Hear, hear.) He thought marriages between
cousins were open to greater objections, both in a
physical and moral point of view.—(Cheers.) The
law of Leviticus, he contended, gave permission to a
man to marry his deceased wife's sister, and no
human legislators ought to interfere with hat right.
Tne resolution which he proposed said, that the pre-
sent law worked most injuriously to the happiness
and morals of the community. Now there could be
no doubt about that. He knew that many
persons of great respectability, education, re-
ligion, and high honour, were prevented marry-
ing, although they were satisfied in their own
consciences that their marriage would be perfectly
agreeable to the will of God, and though their affec-
tions were trammelled and interfered with, they were
so anxious not to break through the law of the
land, that they did not take the advantage of pro-
ceeding to other countries where they might have been
legally married. Many persons, however, of equally
high position had married in spite of the law, but
their children, who were considered illegitimate, were
branded with the name of bastards, and many a
gentle spirit was crushed by the ignominy which
perhaps awaited him. It was said the law ought to
be a terror to evil doers, but in this instance, it was
a terror to the good and virtuous.—(Cheers.) Ile
(Mr. Binney) and Dr. Cox had given two or three
pages of evidence before the Parliamentary Select
Committee, on the subject of these marriages,
but Mr. Roundell Palmer had undertook to
say, in the House of CommonF, that they did
not represent the sentiments of the Dissenters
of England.—(Great laughter.) Now, he VI as
astonished that a man like 111 r. Roundell Palmer,
who perhaps had never been in a Dissenting chapel in
his life, nor spoken to a Dissenter vis-a-vis, should have
the boldness to assert he knew the Dissenters better
than Dr. Cox or himself.—(Laughter.) It had beer,
said by their opponents that much immorality and
corruption would result from the passing of the Bill
now before the House of Commons, that women would
have an interest in looking forward to the death of
their married sisters ; but he protested, in the name
of the women of England, against so gross a libel oil
female delicacy, honour, and purity.—(Loud cheers.)
The Rev. Gentleman then concluded by proposing
the resolution as given above.
Mr. J. C. Evares seconded the motion, which was
unanimously agreed to.
The Rev. Mr. BURNET moved the next resolution,
and with much humour referred to the conduct of
Henry VIII., in the several marriages which he con-
tracted. Nothing, he said, was fixed on the subject
till the time cf Elizabeth, when, at her command,
Archbishop Parker drew up his table, regulating the
degrees of affinity within which marriage might be
contracted. The whole matter was, in fact, a job.
Henry wanted a little job effected, and he applied to
Archbishop Cramer; Elizabeth wanted a job done
also, and she applied to Archbishop Parker, and her
object was to secure her own succession, which she
feared might otherwise have been endangered.
Again, in 1835, a certain peer wanted a job completed,
and he got a very arch peer to undertake it—
(Laughter)—and so the country in that way got th.
Bill called Lord Lyndhurst's Bill. The Rev. Gentle-
tleman continued at great length, and concluded by
moving a resolution to the following effect :—" That
the strenuous support of this meeting be given to the
Bill for legalising marriage with a deceased wife's
sister, now in progress through Parliament, by peti-
tions to both Houses, praying them to pass such Bill
into law ; and that the petition to the Lords be pre-
sented by Lord Wharncliffe, and that to the Com-
mons by Samuel Morton Peto, Esq., M.P."
Mr. E. MIALL seconded the resolution. He had
great objections to the existing law, because the Act
of 1835 was carried under circumstances which did
not entitle it to respect. He had a further objection
to it on the ground of its inefficiency; the rich evaded
it, and the poor disregarded it.
The resolution having been agreed to,
The Rev. Mr. BROCK moved the last resolution,
" That a deputation should be requested to wait upon
Sir George Grey on behalf of the Nonconformists,
and to solicit the active concurrence of her Majesty's
Government in the effectuation of their desire."

Mr. J. Halms, M.P., seconded the resolution,
which was agreed to.
Thanks were then given to the Chairman, and the
meeting separated.
Towards the conclusion of the proceedings, a man
named Duncan, a Chartist, rushed into the meeting,
with the fury of a madman and shouting at the top
of his voice " I will speak, I will speak," leapt upon
the reporters' table, and thence bounded upon the
platform, where he began menacing and threatening
everybody there. He was immediately laid hold of
by several gentlemen on the platform, and a police-
man being on the spot, he was taken into custody,
and conveyed outside. The incident for some time
caused the greatest consternation, and was the means
of putting a somewhat abrupt termination to the pro-
ceedings.

Mr. Alderman Humphery paired off with Mr.
William Cubitt against Mr. Grantley Berkeley's motion for
a committee on the corn-laws.
POST-OFFICE NOTICE.—The Postmaster-General
of the. United States having announced that the Government
of that country is about to establish contract mail packets
between Liverpool and New York, all letters, &c., intended
to be forwarded by these vessels must, until further orders,
be specially addressed, " By United States' Packet from Liver-
pool." The postage will be the same as that charged upon let-
ters and newspapers conveyed by British packet, viz.: —One
shilling for a letter not exceeding half an ounce in weight,
and so on, and one penny for each newspaper. The former
may either be paid in advance or left unpaid, at the option of
the sender, but the postage upon newspapers must be paid,
or they will not be forwarded. No particulars have yet been
received with respect to the periods at which these packets
will leave this country.

ST. PAUL'S SCHOOL.—The Apposition yesterday
was well attended. Among the audience were the Bishops
of St. David's, St. Asaph's, Bangor, Manchester, Sir E
Inglis, and the principal members of the Mercers' Company.
A great many ladies were present. The proceedings were
begun with a Commemoration of Dean Colet, founder of the
school, spoken by the captain. Messrs. Lawrence and Cooper
then recited their poems—first and second prizes—on " The
Conquest of Peru." Both were much applauded. These and
the other prizes having been distributed, recitations from
Sophocles, Shakspeare, Terence, and Aristophanes, were
given by several of the scholars, one of whom (Lord) was
particularly happy in the spirit with which he delivered his
parts. An announcement that, at the request of the bishops,
eight days' additional holidays would be graated, terminated
the proceedings.

16, 1850.

THE QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY.
PUBLIC REJOICINGS.

Yesterday the bells of the various metropolitan
churches rung a merry peal from au early hour in the
morning, and the royal standard and union jack fluttered
in the breeze from many a spire. The vessels in the
Pool displayed their signal flags, and presented a gay
and animated appearance, whilst over Buckingham
Palace, Somerset House, and other national edifices,
the royal ensign unfolded its silken sides and displayed
the national emblems of royalty and power in honour
of the day which commemorated the birthday of her
Majesty. During the morning the metropolitan railway
stations were crowded with persons desirous of:availing
themselves of the recurrence of this national holiday to
enjoy a trip to the favourite resorts of Richmond,
Hampton Court, Windsor, and other places in the vi-
cinity of London. The day was observed as a holiday
at the Bank of England and other public establi.h•
menti, and the celebration of her Majesty's birthday in
1850 will long be associated in the minds of millions of
her subjects with pleasurable recollections and healthful
recreations. At ono o'clock the Palk and Tower guns
bred royal salutes, which were responded to by those at
Voolwich and Sheerness.

THE ARTILLERY COMPANY.—The Sun division of t' e
lion. Artillery Company assembled yesterday, at the
Artillery Ground, in Finsbury, under Captain Robinson,
at twelve o'clock, and fired a royal salute, in honour of
ser Majesty's birthday. There was a mot numerous
attendance upon the occasion, and the enthusiasm was, if
possible, increased by the celebrity attached to the corps
upon the appointment of his Royal Highness Prince
Albert as the heal of it. The Honourable Artillery
Company has been under a course of drill, by Ser•
14-emit-Major Campbell, of the Royal Artillery, Wool-
wich. We understand that Sergeant-Major Mills, of the
Scotch Fusilier Guards, has been appointed by his Royal
Highness Prince Albert, under the new regulation, with
a residence at the Armoury-house, to superintend the
drills. It will be in the remembrance of our readers that
the Hon. Artillery Company most promptly, and to a
man, were assembled on the 10th of April, 1848, to meet
the apprehended disturbance.
INSPECTION OF THE TROOPS AT WOOLWICH.—At
an early hour Woolwich presented an unusual appear-
ance from the number of persons from the metropolis
and other places, to witness the review of the artillery,
marines, and sappers and miners, stationed at this gar-
rison. The men having assembled with their three
bands, several most appropriate airs were played by
them in front of a numerous staff of general officers;
after which they formed a line, and were severally in-
spected. Having marched by the staff in slow and quick
time, the officers of the three corps were complimented
on the disciplined state of their men. The inspection
terminated about half-past eleven o'clock, when the
thousands present separated highly gratified.
STATE DINNERS.—The Marquis of Westminster,
Lord Steward of the Queen's Household, gave a state
dinner yesterday evening, at Grosvenor House, Upper
Grosvenor-street, in celebration of her Majesty's birth-
day.
The Marquis of Breadalbane, Lord Chamberlain of
the Queen's Household, gave a state dinner in celebration
of her Majesty's birthday last evening, at his residence
in Park-lane.

Lord John Russell, First Lord of the Treasury, gave
a full-dress dinner yesterday evening, at his private re-
sidence in Chesham-place, to celebrate the Queen's
birthday.
The Right Hon. Sir George Grey, her Majesty's
Principal Secretary of State for the Home Department,
gave a full-dress dinner last evening, in honour of the
Queen's birthday, at the Clarendon Hotel.
Earl Grey, her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State
for the Colonies, entertained a full-dress dinner-party in
honour of the Queen's birthday, at his residence on
Carlton-terrace.

The Right Hon. Sir Charles Wood, Chancellor of the
Exchequer, gave a state dinner to celebrate the Queen's
birthday, last evening, at his official residence in Down-
ing-street.
The Queen's Honourable Corps of Gentleman-at-Arms
dined together to celebrate the day last evening.
The Attorney-General gave a state banquet in cele-
bration of her Majesty's birthday, last evening, to the
leading members of the bar, at the Albion, Aldersgate-
street.

The annual dinner given in honour of her Majesty's
birthday by the Archbishop of York, was yesterday at-
tended by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishops of
London, Bangor, Carlizle, Gloucester and Bristol,
Ripon, Lichfield, Oxford, Worcester, St. Asaph, Man-
chester, Norwich, Cashel, Down, Limerick, Archdeacon
Musgrave, Rev. Thomas Fuller, &c.
ILLUMINATIONS.

The illuminations, yesterday evening, in honour of her
Majesty's birthday, were ♦ery general, several of them
being on a most magnificent and extensive scale. There
appeared to have been considerable ingenuity and taste
displayed in the selection of the devices, in which gene-
rally the introduction of gas bad a most brilliant effect.
The following were the displays at

THE CLUB HOUSES.

The Union, Cockspur-street—A large projecting im-
perial crown, encircled with a wreath of laurel, termi-
nated by a true lover's knot, with two stars of Brunswick,
in brilliant gas.
. . _

The United University, Pall-mall East—Large impe-
rial crown, with the royal initials V. R., in pure white
lamps, with stars, lozenge, and a most splendid transpa-
rency representing Britannia in a marine car drawn by
sea horses, and bearing a medallion portrait of her Ma-
jesty Queen Victoria, while Fame, in the distance, is pro-
claiming her glories to the world. This beautiful design
was finished by wreaths of laurel, and a true lover's knot,
in blue lamps.
The Junior United Service Club, Regent-street—This
establishment, as usual, exhibited an illumination on a
magnificent scale, which occupied the entire front of the
building. It consisted of a large projecting imperial
crown, with the Royal initial V., encircled by the Order
of the Garter, and bearing the motto, "lloni snit qui
[nal y pensr," two stars of Brunswick, military flags,
union•jacks, wreaths of laurel, scrolls, &c., in bril-

tient gas.
The United Service, Pall-mall—projecting imperial
crown, with a shield containing the rose, thistle, and
shamrock, encircled by the Order of the Garter, the
Royal initials, V. R., supported on either side by mili-
tary flags, three stars of Brunswick, and wreaths and
scrolls extending along the entire front of the building.
fbe whole in brilliant gas jet.
The Athermum, Pall-mall—The neatness of the dis-
play at this institution excited general admiration. It
consisted of the Royal initials V. R., each initial being
encircled by branches of oak, in gas.
The Carlton, Pall-mall—lmperial projecting crown,
the initials V. R., two stars, and wreaths of laurel,
in gas.
The Travellers', Pall-mall—A novel display of illumi-
nations, representing 10 Grecian lamps, formed by triple
circles of gas jets, placed on the tops of the ordinary
gaslight column, of great brilliancy.
The Reform, Pail-mall—A similar display to the
Travellers', consisting of 13 Grecian lamps, in brilliant
gas, extending the whole length of the building, the
effulgence of which was most dazzling.
The Erectlieurn, St. James's-square—The Royal ini
tials V. R., with wreaths of laurel in gas.
The Wyndham, St. James's-square—Large projecting
Imperial crown, with scrip V. 11., in brilliant gas.
The Army and Navy, St. Jaines's-square—Theßoyal
initials in scrip, projecting crown, stars, wreaths, &c.,
in gas,
The Oxford and Cambridge University, Pull-mall—A
large bulging imperial crown, and the Royal initials
V. R., in gas.
The Guards, Pall-mall—As usual at this club there
was a very brilliant display of illuminations, consisting
of the imperial crown, the Royal initials V. R., two stars,
in gas jets.
The Conservative, St. James's-street—Large project-
ing Imperial crown, beneath which was a wreath of
'mire], encircling the rose, thistle, and shamrock, and the
Royal initials V. R. in brilliant gas jets.
Arthur's, St. James's-street—lmperial crown, the
Royal initials, and wreaths of laurel, in brilliant gas.
Brookes's, St. James's-street—Large V. 8., and
crown, in gas.
Boodle's, St. James's-street—The Imperial crown, en-
circled by a wreath of laurel, the Royal initials V. R.,
with two stars of Brunswick, in gas.
White's, St. James's-street—Large Imperial crown,
richly coloured; the Royal initials in pure white lamps,
and wreaths of laurel, in coloured lamps.
c.
The Military, Naval, and County S
Crockford's), St. James's-street—This
lies tavbiclieshCmluil
niffcence rarely
night exhibited a blaze of light of
.n 2 g
er(llatseta
equalled, and might, indeed,
be
as nearly d sderewdhtohlee cerxotwenntinogf
attraction of the night,eoi
the
this large frontage was
n, surmounted by the British
covered with devices. A large
projecting imperial crow
lion, and supported on either_ side by flags, union jacks,
&c., the Roy al initials V. B, and a shield, on which was
displayed the national emblems of the rose, thistle, and
shamrock, with stars of Brunswick and a scroll work,
bearing 'the btf •
the inscription" Cor Unum—Via Una," with at
either extremity of Roman consular fasces.
The whole in brilliant gas.
The Alfred Club, Albemarle-street—lmperial :crown
and V.U., in gas.
The Oriental, Hanover-square Large imperial
crown, two stars of Brunswick, and wreaths of laurel,
in brilliant gas.

THE THEATREEL
Iler Majesty's Theatre, Ilaymarket—A splendid im-
perial crown, the jewels of which were beautifully de-
fined in variegated lamps, and the Royal initials
encircled by wreaths of laurel, interspersed with ruby-
coloured fruit, and the wreaths joined by a true lover's
knot, in variegated lamps. The Royal standard, of
large dimensions, also floated from the summit of the
building.
Tho Royal Italian Opera, Covent-garden—The Impe-
rial crown, the star of Brunswick, and the Royal initials
V. R., in gas.
The Haymarket—lmperial crown and V.,R., in gas.
Drury-lane Theatre—Large projecting Imperial
crown, and the Royal initials, in variegated lamps.
The Adelphi, Strand—Large star in brilliant gas.
The Lyceum, Wellington-street—Magnificent star,
with the Royal initial V. iu the centre, in brilliant gha•
The Princess's, Oxford-street—Large star, with the
word " Victoria," in brilliant gas.
Astley's Amphitheatre, Westminster-road—lmperial
crown and V. R. in gas.
St. James's Theatre—A star, and V.
IL in jets of gas.
The resiGence of the Duke of Nortelke(n Imperial
i)laster the,
Horse), St. James's-square—A.most
sPidid
velvet cushion, with
crown of large dimensions, on a
golden fringe and tassels, the jewelsre of the crown and
most tastefully displayed
the colour of the cushion being
in variegated lamps;
pure
white, and wreaths of laurel in emerald-coloured
lamps;
the whole terminated by a
true lover's knot.
_ .tui
ay t
er-General
the R yal initials V. R. in
(I, Inas
The residence of Earl LT'
and Vice-President of the Board of radq, 16, Bruton-
street, Berkalerequare—Largo
imperial
crown and
V. B r in Bo'