The Sun.
London, England, 1850-02-27 00:00:00

Divine prohibition, there were other consideratiocs
which ought to weigh vt ith tie House. Among the
heathens in ancient times the same prohibitions existed,
and although they had no revealed will of God,
end in proportion us the different nations
were distingniahed in morality, those prohibiting laws
brease more stringent. It wee related by Tacitus that
the Emperor Claudius was desirous of marrying his own
niece—a permission which was accorded by the Roman
Catholic Church, which it was said the Church of
England ought to imitate.—(Hear, hear.) The
Emperor, it appeared, hesitated for a long time
in asking permission, being afraid of the public
morals and the public feeling, but certain parasites
about him, who paved the way for a change, told him
that the old Roman morals might be cast aside, and he
went down to the senate and there adduced exactly
the same arguments as those which had been
brought forward by the Honourable Gen-
tleman who had introduced the present Bill.
The Hon. Gentleman then gave a quotation from
Tacitus, showing that although marriage with the
daughter of a brother was not permitted by their laws,
it was a custom solemnized among other nations,
and that the time was come when it should not
only be permitted among themselves, but that
it ought to become universal. Such was bite
example cited in effect by the Hon. Gentleman, and he
had never heard of a question of more deep interest.
They had question of pecuniary and political interest,
but the Hun. Gentleman now proposed to alter the moral
condition of every home in Engleud. Tnis was, then, a '
grave question.—(Hear, hear.) They should remember
teat he was only arguing on the law of marriage. He
had only been speaking of the social and moral position
of the homes of England.—(Hear, hear.) He had said
nothing of the religious question. If parties cleciose to
enter into a marriage, they themselves took the respon-
sibility.—(Hear, hear.) He was net one of those
who was disposed to find fault with our neighbours, and
to forget our own—(llear, hear)—but in the countries
which he had visited he must confess that he found a far
superior social condition in our own homes.—(Hear,
hear.) It should be remembered that previous to mar-
riage the young persons among us were permitted a
freedom of intercourse which was wholly unknown on
the continent, and this led them when they settled in
married life to adapt themselves to their new circum•
stances.—(Hear, hear.) The reverse of this took
place on the continent. The consequence was,
that a man had a much freer intercourse with
the sister of his wife than with any other
unmarried female.—(Hear, hear.) But only let them
break down this barrier, and they would inevitably
break down the greatest barrier to an immoral commu-
nion.—(Hear, hear.) He did not like to use any per-
sonal allusion, but they must all recollect that a gentle-
man high in station had entered into an improper inter-
course with his wife's sister. He, in common with many
others, deeply regretted that such a man had been
placed in such a position, and the deep moral
degradation to which the knowledge of that case had
led.-- (Hear, hear.) Then he was surprised to
hear that this case was rested on the condition of the
poor. Now he had known a district for twenty years in
which there was much district visiting, and he had
never heard cf a single instance of such an inter-
course or union as that which this Bill proposed to pro-
mote. In all the statistics which had been brought for-
ward, it was stated, that out of 1,300 instances of
marriages between a man and his deceased wife's
sister, there had only been forty-nine among the poor.
He believed if this case was to be supported by the wishes
of the poor it must be entirely given up ; for in all
inquiries he had made upon the subject
the poor were averse to it, and in the
parish in which they then were one man who
had married his wife's sister was detested in the
neighbourhood.—(Hear, hear.) The large body of the
women of England were most singularly interested in
this subject; they had got up a memorial to her Majesty
on the subject, and no counter one had been
got up.—(Hear, hear.) He thought that they ought to
continue that protection to females which had been
given to them for centuries.—(flear, hear.) He thought
that there had been a most unfair view taken upon this
question in a religious point cf view. It was said that
to uphold the system of marriage as it now, existed
was a Popish doctrine ; he looked upon it as
a strictly Protestant interpretation of the Divine law.
He was not disposed to interpret Scripture by the Tal-
'nudists, but by the Sermon on the Mount, which
taught them to extend and not to narrow their senti-
ments. Such marriages as those were never known in
the Christian Church until the time of the Romish
Church; and the first time that such a case did
occur it was denounced. But some Hon. Gentlemen
said that councils would denounce anything. But was
that any argument? Could the Hon. Gentleman show
any instance of such marriages being allowed before that
time? The first instance was when that monster Alex-
ander VI. granted a dispensation for such marriages.
The Gallican Church had always been opposed to these
marriages, and the Church of Scotland, which could not
be accused of Puseyism, had invariably condemned them.
He begged that the House would consider before it con-
sented to place their daughters and sisters in this con-
dition, that whatever marriages they contracted should
only be dubious.
Mr. STUART WORTLEY then said, as ho under-
stood that the Speaker's duties called him elsewhere, and
as there was no chance of the House coming to a divi-
sion to-night, he should agree that the House do adjourn.
the House then adjourned.

MORTALITY in the METROPOLIS.
NUMBER OF DEATHS FROM ALL CAUSES REGISTERED IN

TILE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, FEB. 23, 1850.
Epidemic, Endemic, and Contagious Diseases ... *169
Diseases of Uncertain Seat 57
Tubercular Diseases ... 138
Diseases of the Brain, Nerves, and Senses,.. ... 111
Diseases of the Heart and Blood-vessels ... 50
Diseases of the Lungs, and other Organs of
Respiration ... 167
Diseases of the Stomach, Liver, and other Organs
of Digestion... ... 49
Diseases of the Kidneys, &c. ••
Childbirth, Diseases of the Uterus, & ... 8
Diseases of the Joints, Bones, and Muscles ... 6
Diseases of the Skin, &c. 1
Malformations... ... 3

Premature Birth ... ... .. ... ... 22

Atropny ... ... ... ... ... ... 18
Old Age ... ... ... ... ... 45
Sudden ... ... ... ... ... ... 22.
Violence, Privation, Cold, and Intemperance ... 28
Causes no specified ... ... ... ... ... 3

DEATHS FROM ALL CAUSES

Population Deaths in corre- Deaths
Enumerated, spontling week in the
1841. of 1849. Week.
West Districts... 301,189 . . 159 ... 143
North D..,tricts.. 376,568 .. 206 ... 193
Central Districts 374,199 ... 185 ... 151
East Districts ... 393,067 ... 311 ... 182
south Districts .. 503,346 ... 330 ... 242

Totals... ..... 1,948,369 ... 1,191 ... 911
Males ... ... ... ... ... 467
Females ... ... ... ... ... 444