The Sun.
London, England, 1842-03-15 00:00:00

PRESBYTERIAN• MARRIAGES

Lord STRAFFORI) presented. a petition from
some place in the County of Donegal, praying for
an alteration in the law relating to Presbyterian mixed
marriages.
Lord HAWARDEN presented petitions to the same
effect from places in the counties of Down, Tyrone, An-
rim, and Longford.

PRESBYTERIAN MARRIAGE BILL.
The LORD CHANCELLOR said that he had to pre-
sent to their Lordships a Report from the select Com-
mittee appointed to consider the Bill for amending the
laws relating to Marriages in Ireland, which Committee
had been directed to report to their Lordships from
time to time as to them might seem fit. The Committee
had accordingly thought it right to report to their Lord-
ships the following resolution : "Resolved, unanimously,
that his the opinion of this Committee that all further
proceedings in regard to this Bill be postponed until after
the return of the Judges from Circuit." He (the Lord
Chancellor) thought it right to state to the House
that a case of a nature precisely similar to the one
which had given rise to the Bill in question had re-
cently come before - one of the-Judges on the circuit,
in Ireland, and in order to give an opportunity for a
further consideration of the question, the jury had. at
the suggestion of the Judge, returned a special verdict,
so as to bring the case before the Court of
Queen's Bench in Ireland,., and ultimately the matter
would. probably be . brought before their Lordships.
Their Lordships would allow.him to suggest that in con-
sequence of the public notification now given, he appre-
hended no inconvenience would result from the postpone-
ment of the Bill. He begged to mention also that the Com-
mittee would proceed, notwithstanding what he had now
stated, to the other matters referred to their determination.

Lord BROUGLIAM said he hoped, after public notice
had been given to the. statement of his Noble Friend,
and the question being before the Committee, no persons
in Ireland would risk the miserable consequences that
may ensue if they acted on the possibility that, the mar-
riages being invalid, they may contract a new one.
Whoever so acted must be understood toedo so at his or
her high peril.
Lord CAMPBELL concurred in what had fallen from
his Noble Friend, and more especially as he received a
letter from one of the Judges in Ireland, stating that a
second special verdict had been given on the subject,
at the Carrickfergus Assizes, before Judge
Judge Crampton, a person of great talents and learning,
also directed, a similar special verdict at the Armagh
Assizes. Both cases would probably come before their
Lordships, and they would have an opportunity of de-
tiding on the subject.
LEICESTER ROADS' IMPROVEMENT BILL.

A message from the Commons brought up the Leiees-
tor Roads Repair and Improvement Bill.

CORN-LAWS.-1-10 IT I t.—(lla LAND.)
The Martinis of CLANRICARDE presented tt peti-
tion from a hotly of operative Irish millers against the
importation of Flour into Ireland.

BAPTIST AFFIRMATION BILL.
Lord DENMAN presented a petition in favour of the
Baptist Affirmation Bill.

INSTRUCTIONS TO THE ENGLISH AMBASSA-
DOR AT MADRID.
The Marquis of CLANRICA RDE said, when a differ-
ence arose between the French and Spanish Governments,
as to the reception to be given to the French Ambas-
sador, it was understood that the Noble Earl intended
our Minister'at Madrid to support the same view of the
question as was taken by the French Government. But
the Spanish Minister had stated in the Senate of 'Ma-
drid that the English Government had subsequently
thought fit to change its opinion pn this sub-
ject. This statement having been made, both in the
French and Spanish Chambers, as to the views of this
Government, there was no reason why the two Houses
of Parliament should not be equally well informed as
those chambers. He would, tnerefore, ask the Noble
Earl, if he had any objection to lay on the table of the
House, any instructions he may have given to the
minister at Madrid, or if there had been any alteration
in the views of her Majesty's Government on this
subject.
Lord ABERDEEN said he had no objection to an-
swer the question of the Noble Marquis, although on
pr
aoertei e onen
result, curiosity
whateverthan
one
es
tslulabtj subjeuld ct it
might be the opinion of Her Majesty's Government, or
however it might be expressed, it was not communicated
wase adPetr ohalys
to the Spanish Government till some time after the
French Ambassador had left Madrid, 'and there-
fore could hair() had no bearing at all on the
conduct of the Ambassador. There had been
a serious attempt to overthrow the present Go-
vernment of Spain, and when that was put down,
much acrimony of feeling against the French Govern-
ment, and against those parties who were supposed,
whether truly or not, to have been connected with that
amount. It appeared, therefore, most important that a
friendly feeling should be retained ; and her Majesty's
Government looked with great anxiety to a renewal of
the good understanding which before subsisted, There-