The Sun.
London, England, 1826-05-30 00:00:00

[MORNING HERALD.]

The evils arising from the present law of marriage
in Scotland call aloud for the interference of the Le-
gislature. Scarcely a week passes but instances occur
of ill-sorted matches, and of respectable families being
thrown into the utmost distress by the unprincipled
and heartless conduct of avaricious and designing
knaves. By far the greater number of these marriages
take their rise from a love of gain, and perhaps not
one in ten horn upright motives. If the Scotch
thought such a law good for themselves, let them
enjoy it ; but we see no reason why it should be
binding on the English. The General Assembly,
it would appear, have appointed a Committee to
make inquiry. We are afraid, however, • no deci-
sion of that Church Court can go to the root of
the evil, or protect the English against the mis-
chiefs of such a system. The Presbyteries, or Kirk
Sessions, may impose fines on those within their
parishes that consummate clandestine marriages--
they may depose the officiating clergyman—and the
Civil Courts, as has occasionally happened, may
banish hint from Scotland—yet all this will be quite
ineffectual, so long as the law remains the same. Ac-
cording to the Scotch law no Priest is necessary to
perform the ceremony. If a roan, in presence of two
witnesses, offer marriage to a woman, and she assent,
and the parties afterwards live as man and wife, the I
marriage in the eye of the law, is as 'valid as when
celebrated according to the strictest forms and rules
of the Church. This may be good in some rare in-
stances,----such ati in the case of parents refusing their
consent to to marriage to which they have taken some
unjust and groundless prejlidice. Such a prejudite, how-
ever, in most instances, may be removed by the dutiful
and proper conduct of the parties interested, and if
that occasionally should not be successful, the evils
that wonld arise from it would be much fewer than
those of the present system. What, for instance, can
be more preposterous than that a man without charac-
ter or property---a man that probably ought to be
banished .from civilized society, should be allowed, with
impunity, to carry off a simple, innocent girl, and, to
gratify his own selfish purposes, destroy the peace of
her family for ever ? His age may be the double of
her's, there may be no community of sentiment, and
from being but little or not at all acquainted previous
to the elopement, they can have no knowletke of
their respective habits or temper ; they probably ;ifter-
wards lead the most iiii,,crable life, and the unfortu-
nate girl may repent to the day of her death the, rush
act Which blasted her liiture prospects,'and estranged
her for ever front those whom she ought" to have
cherished and obeyed. Sonic Aeration in the law is
impeiiously called for. The law in England is per-
haps too strict, and in Scotland it is far too looae. It

is destitute of all those checks and safeguards which
ought to accompany an engagement for life. If the
Articles of Union prohibit all change in the Scotch
law, this can be no reason for allowing its baneful
effects to extend to England. What should prevent
the British Parliament from passing a law, declaring
null and void all Marriages celebrated between Eng-
lish-born subjects, unless the parties are of age, or
have the consent of their parents or guardians ?. Such
a law would have the effect of destroying the prospects
of a worthless class of men, and would prevent the
recurrence of those plots which disturb so often the
peace and happiness of respectable families.

EXTRAORDINARY OUTRAGE AT TOBAGO.

(From the Barbadoes Colonist, March 15.)
LETTKIL IN TIIE TOBAGO GAZETTE‘_

"On the night oi Saturday last, the 18th of Feb-
ruary, being in bed in my own house at midnight, I
heard a knock at my door, which being repeated, I
was induced to get out of bed and open it, when I
discovered two persons at the door, one of whom
I immediately recognised to be Mr. Frederick Robin-
son, the son of his Exeellency Sir F. P. Robinson.
Some conversation comMenced between us, which was
interrupted by the circmhstance of a dog entering the
house, and which Mr. Robinson claimed as his, and
to whom I made a remark that my house was no place
fur dogs, and gave it a kick with my foot, upon
which Mr. Robinson immediately said--' Kick my
dog, Sir, kick me ;' and at the same time seized me
by the collar with ono hand, and with the other raised
a large stick and aimed a blow at my head. A scuffle
ensued, as a matter of course, and I lost footing and
fell on my back. He then with his knees on my chest
with one hand grappled- my throat, and with the other
tried to release the stick from the hold. I had taken of
it to prevent his using it, in which I was assisted by a
female who had come to my assistance ; but finding
he could not effect his purpose with the stick, he
called, out to the nther person accompanying him--7-
Grant, give him the pistol in his face ;' on which
Grant immediately presented a pistol at me, but the
same person who had assisted in holding the stick
prevented my receiving, the contents , by pushing the
barrel of it in another direction, when it, was instan-
taneously discharged. Grant then said---' Robinson,
have you another ball ?' to which Robinson answered
—‘ Yes, look in my pocket for it.' Grant then put
his hand in the pocket, and took out a ball and re-
loaded the pistol ; but dreading, as I imagine, the
arrival of a neighbour, whom my servant had gone to
call to my assistance, they took to their heels. Find-
ing myself at liberty, I immediately started to my
bed-room, seized my sword, and pursued them to
the gate, but, before I could get up to them, they
effected their escape through some..broken rails of the
gate.
" Such arc the brief particulars of the case, Sir,
and however much. your readers may think such con-
duct justifiable or reprehensible, how much more so
will be considered that of another party, when I state,
that on the ensuing morning I repaired to Govern-
ment-house to state the circumstance and sue for pro-'
tection at the hands of his Excellency, as chief magis-
trate of the colony, and was actually addressed in Lan-
guage too plain to be misunderstood, that, in place of
redress, I might expect a repetition of the injury.

- -
* *
" T am, Sir, your very obedient servant,
"BARCLAY WILSON."
" Harmony Hall, Tobago, Feb. 24,.1826."._

In consequence of the complaint of Mr. Wilson to
the sitting magistrates, Mr. Robinson and Mr. Grant
were summoned to appear before them, when they
were bound over, each in the sum of 2001. and two
sureties each of 1501. to keep the peace in the mean
time towards all his Majesty subjects, and particu-
larly towards Mr. Wilson, and to appear and answer
to the charge at the next Court of Grand Sessions,
Mr. Wilson was also at the same time bound over in
the like sum and sureties to prosecute..