The Sun.
London, England, 1842-02-08 00:00:00

EVENING SUN

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS, Feb. 7.

The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Wool-
sack shortly before Five o'Clock.
The Marquis of NORMANBY brought in two
Bills ; one for the regulation of buildings, and the
other for the improvement of boroughs.
THE ADDRESS.
The LORD CHANCELLOR informed their Lord-
ships that they had attended her Majesty with the
Address, and her Majesty had been pleased to return
the following most gracious answer :•
..
" My Lords, this affectionate and loyal Address
gives me the fullest satisfaction. I thank you for it ;
and I can assure you, that your congratulations on the
birth of the• Prince of Wales are cordially received by
me. It is a proof of your attachment to my person
and Government. My wish is, and ever will be, to
promote the happiness of my people."
The Marquis of WINCHESTER brought up the
answer to their Lordship's Address to Prince Albert.
The Noble' Lord, when reading the Address, was
quite inaudible in the gallery.
The Duke of RICHMOND presented a peti-
tion from a person in Hereford, praying Por an
alteration in the Acts relating to weights and measures.
Viscount MELBOURNE presented a petition in
favour of an alteration:tin the Corn-laws.
THE EXCHEQUER BILL FRAUD.
The Duke of WELLINGTON observed that the
Noble Lord opposite (Lord Monteagle), had given
-notice of a motion for this day on this subject.
He (the Duke of Wellington) would suggest to the
Noble Lord the expediency of postponing his motion
to a future day. On Friday, when the Noile Lord
gave notice of his motion, it was suggested to him
(Lord Moateagle) to postpone it until certain papers
connected with the subject could be laid on the table
of the House. Those papers were now, he (the Duke
of Wellington) understood, laid on the table of
their Lordships' House, but yet he would sug-
gest to the Noble Lord to defer his motion
at present, as the paperA referred to were but
just now in the hands of their Lordships. It was de-
sirable, too, to ascertain what should be done on the
subject4n another place.
Lord MONTEAGLE—NobIe Lords seemed to
labour under a mistake with regard to his motion.
His notice was given for the 17th, and on that day
he proposed submitting his motion. He thought it
necessary to give that notice as early as possible,
even before the Report to which the Noble Duke
had referred, was either in his (Lord Monteagle's)
hands or anybody's else. When the proper time
came on he should court the full inquiry of the
House on that Motion ; but he had given notice for
this motion before he had seen the Report, for if
he had seen the report of the Commission first
his motion might appear as an appeal against
their Report. He felt that the Commission had
conducted its inquiry in a manner highly satis-
factory to the public, and it was very far from his
(Lord Mmteagle's) intention, to say anything
which might appear as detracting in any way
from the responsibility of those Commissioners.
There had been a great deal of personal • vi-
tuperation relative to this matter ; but he felt
that it behoved him not to enter into personal
controversy.on personal matters, but as soon as Parlia-
ment met to claim ant entreat of their Lordships—to
whom, in common with the other House of Parlia-
ment, his acts made him responsible —to
enter into the most minute investigation, to
find whether the late events had originated with
him, or through any neglect of his ; and to ask their
Lordships to use that power vested in them by law,
if they should find that these circumstances had oc-
curred through any neglect of his. Before he
sat down, he would say one more word regarding
the public securities. It had been stated
in one of the public papers of Saturday last, that the
present Assistant-Comptroller held his office by a
mere appointment from Mr. Eden, the late Assistant-
Comptroller. If that statement were true, not one
of the Exchequer bills signed by Mr. Percival would
be worth the paper on which it was written ;
but so fir from that being true, the right opposite
was the tl.et. The resignation of Mr. Eden took
place .hef)re the appointmont of Mr. Percival, and
Mr. Pen:qv:ll's appointment was confirmed by
the usual warrant, signed by the Lords of the
:Tea.-oury. In the course of a short time
he should, with the permission of the Noble Duke,
move for copies of the appointments of Mr. Eden
an l Mr. Percival ; also as to the mode of proceed-
ing adopted at the examination, together with the
instructions given, and the manner in which they
had been carried out.
The Marquis of LAN SDOWNE, in a low tone of
voice, made a motion which was understood to refer to
the state of the wool trade in the West of England.
Pit ESBYTERTAN MARRIAGES.

The 2,1-axcp.ii7i' of CLANIIICARDE presented a
petition relative to the Marriage Act in Ireland.
The Noble Lord had called the attention
of the lloase to the state of the marriage law in, Ire-
land. Their Lordships were pleased to reject the
Bill on many grounc. The only one which he thought
was just, was that it only touched upon a part of a
very important point. He did expect now that a ge-
nerti measure on the subject would meet with the
approval of their Lordships.—(hear, hear.) It was
supposed that the state of the law in Ireland was
the same as that in Scotland, and that a marriage
by a Presbyterian Clergyman, between a member of
his own congregation and another, though a
member of the Episcopal Church, was valid,
and was held to be so by the Courts
of Law in Ireland, as well as in this
country before the recent decision. . The question
had arisen in a trial for bigamy, and the course pursued
by the defendant's counsel was that the marriage was
not legal. A point was referred to the Judges, and
they declared in favour of the accused person, and de-
clared that the marriage was not valid. It
would he presumption in him if he were to attempt
to say that judgment was not sound in point of law,
but this he might say, that it was directly the reverse
of what was ruled when the case was mooted. Only
five years ago a person was convicted at Carrickfergus,
where the same point of law was raised ; notwithstand-
ing which the prisoner was transported, and was
now undergoing that punishment for an offence
which it appeared was no offence at all. In cases
of civil rights of maintenance between htisband and
wife, it had been ruled the marriage was good. It
had been ruled in this country, but the new doctrine

upset ail these decisions, and had spread the greatest
dismay throughout Ireland. He could not doubt for
a moment that the Government were preparing a Bill
which would remedy the evils of that decision,
because it would be a case of the greatest iniquity to
allow innocent persons to be affected by such a de-
cision.—(dear, hear.) But they ought to be re-
lieved by enactment, and not by interpretation of the
existing law, and he was sure the Noble" Duke would
inform him whether, as it was the intention of the
Government to introduce a Bill on the subject, it
was to be prospective, as well as retrospective, and
whether a general Marriage Act was in contemplation?
The Duke of WELLINGTON said that it was
the intention of Government to introduce a Bill to
remedy the inconveniences resulting from the
late decision alluded to by the Noble Marciais
opposite.—(Hear, hear.) Other measures were also
in contemplation for the purpose of applying
a remedy to the anomalous state of the law as it
existed in Ireland. But he could net say more at
present than that the subject was under the conside-
ration of Government, and would be brought before
Parliament.
Their Lordships then adjourned.

ROUSE OF COMMONS, Feb. 7.
The SPEAKBR took the Chair shortly before Four
o'Clock.

Sir It. BULYELEY took the oaths and his seat for
Flint.

Mr. THORNELY presented a petition from Li-
verpool, signed by upwards of 36,000 persons, praying
for the total and immediate repeal of the Corn-laws.
The Hon. Member also presented petitions from Li-.
verpool from the Society of Fiends, and from Ha-
nover Chapel to the same effect.
Mr. BUSFIELD presented forty petitions from
Blackburn and its neighbourhood, praying for the total
repeal of the Corn-laws.

Sir GEORGE STRICKLAND presented a peti-
tion from Queen's Head, in Halifax, praying for a
repeal of the Corn-laws. Also four other petitions
from Bradford and Halifax to the same effect.
Mr. JOHNSTONE presented thirteen petitions to
the same effect from various places.
Mr. T, M. GIBSON presented several petitions
From Drury-lane, St. Pancras, and various other
places in the metropolis, praying for a repeal of the
Corn-laws.

Mr. J. oicoNNF
New Ross, prayi ..LL presented a petition from
Lfor a-repeal of the Union.
Colonel COS presented a petition from the
praying the House to be re-
llDeisvesdentferrosmofthLeielnee.tgeldaecision of the twelve Judges,
pronouncing the ffesaVemnised between Pro-
testa is and Dissenters
maybe Minister to be
illegal, and that a law m - passed to legalise them.
Mr. WAKLEY presented a
for
petition from various
operatives in Finsbury, praying a
.reduction of
the
import duties, the abolition of all
trlenecures and
useless offices, and for a total repeal of
Dr. BOWRING presented twenty-eight
tions, signed by persons of all conditions, for
a repeal
of the Corn-laws.
Mr. BROTHERTON presented a petition from
place in the county of Lancaster, praying for a
a total
abolition of the Corn-laws, which the petition termed
an unjust and inhuman Act of Parliament.
Sir R. BATESON presented a petition from a
place in Ireland for a measure legalisino• Presbyterian
and Catholic marriages.
Sir GEORGE STAUNTON presented two pe-
titions •
PraYmg for a total repeal of the present Corn-
laws

Mr. T. B. MACAULAY presented a petition from
Edinburgh for a modification of the present laws
affecting the importation of corn.
Sir CHARLES NAPIER presented a petition
praying for the removal of the gunpowder stored in
the Tower.
Petitions, praying for a repeal of filo Corn-laws,
were presented by Sir John C. Hobhouse and Mr.
Craven Berkeley.
Mr. EMERSON TENNENT presented a petition
from Mayo, in Ireland, praying for a measure, both
perspective and retrospective, for legalising Presby-
terian and Catholic marrlages.
Mr. EWART presented five petitions from Dum-
fries, Berwick, and other places m Scotland, pray-
ing for the abolition of the Corn-laws.
Mr. GROGAN presented two petitions from con-
gregations in the City of Dublin, praying for a mea-
sure to legalise Presbyterian and Catholic marriages.
Mr. T. DUNCOMBE presented a petition from
Knaresborough, signed by the majority of the electors
of the borough, praying for the total abolition of the
Corn-laws.

Mr. HASTIE presented a petition to the same effect.
Mr. DIVETT presented a petition from Devon
against the Corn and Provision-laws.
• QUARANTINE.

Dr. BOWRING gave notice, that on Tuesday, the
17th inst., he would move a resolution to the effect that
an humble Address be presented to her Majesty, praying
that she will be pleased to continue her inquiries respect-
ing the quarantine system, and that she would carry out
such regulations as may e consistent with the public
safety; and also he should move for the return of the
correspondence which had taken place between her
Majesty's Government and Foreign Powers since the
last return.