Star.
London, England, 1823-05-20 00:00:00

tors ; aliclatoo of Other persons, relative to Me lama marriage.
Ordered to report.—That the Committee, since
their former Report, have applied themselves to con-
sider the details of provisions which, in-their opinion,
it may be expedient to recommend to the House for
the future regulation of marriages.
The Committee, sensible of the inconveniences that
were experienced, and the dissatisfaction that was
generally expressed at the number and novelty of
forms and oaths that were introduced into the Act of
last year—the. $ Gco. IV. c. 75. for the purpose of
protecting the rights of parents in the., disposal of
their children (being minors) in marriage, have
deemed it expedient to propose to recur to loans of
a much simpler nature, in which the Public had been
instructed by the practice of 70 years, and to which
they were yet further reconciled by their conformity
to the still more ancient usages of the country.
They there recommend to the House to dismiss all
such forms as were introduced in last year's Bill that
were complained of, as dilatory, vexatious, and ex-
pensive; and particularly those that required a va-
riety of oaths to betaken by a variety of persons, as
necessary preliminaries to the solemnization of mar-
riage; together with the penal sanctions by which
they were enforced. The general reset kof their con-
sideration of this part of the subject has Ven, that in
doe opinion of the Committee it would Fseeiriedient
tcefacilitate the access to marriage by the adoption of
more easy and convenient forms of proceeding.
The Committee think it proper further torecom-
mend an adherence generally to the arrangement of
clauses in the Mt of the 26th of Get'. If. c. 33. deem-
ing it commodio• s in point of order, sufficiently com-
prehensive in point of matter,' and being that which
long usage had rendered familiar in construction to'
those whose business it was and would be to apply it.
• With respect to bans, they do not consider any ati
terations necessary, but have been induced, by theisia
creased and increasing number of Churches and Cha-
pels, to recommend it as a proper provision, to cm:
power the Bishops, with consent of the patrons and
incumbents of the mother churches, to authorise the
publication of bans, and solemnization of marriage;
either after bans or by license, in such new Churches
or Chapels where it may be deemed convenient, in
order to, prevent the necessity which has more than
once occurred, of invoking the interfesenee of the Le-
gislature to legalise marriages which had been erro-
neously solemnized in sacred edifices not possessing
such privilege: and they recommend it as necessa7y
to provide proper feorms for notifying and'recording,
in an authentic and public manner, the communica-
tion of the privilege.
With respect to the grant of licenses, which cer-
tainly in their origin were dispensations fronkbans, and
were then intended exclusively for the use of persons,
as the canon expresses it, "Clara ac illustris car diiionit
(persons of noble and illustrious quality)—the usage
of two centuries has extended them to the convenience
of other chmes of society. The Committee, there-
fore, recommend to the House, that they be suffered
to remain upon their present footing, with no altera-
tion, but the omission of the bond required to be taken
from the person applying for the license, which adds
greatly to the expense, and little or nothing to the se-
curity, hardly any instance being known in which
such bond has been actually put an force. With re-
spect to both bans and license, the Committee pro-
poses, that if not acted upon within three months, it
should be necessary to renew the bans or licenses,
previous to the solemnization of marriage. The Com-
mittee likewise think it prudent to recommend, that
provision be made against the improvident"grant of '
licenses, where caveats shall hare been entered ill'
the offices out of which they are to issue. ,
la the penal clause, respecting ,Clergy men elle.
brating matriages in any way violating the forint:l2o
'dispensable required by law (the se-enactment at
which the Committee recoMmenit), 'the Committee
are of opinion that a provi3ion shearldbe inserted sub-
jecting to similar penalties persons falsely pretending
to be in Holy Orders of the Church of England, and
solemnizing marriages in that character, a. practice
Which has too frequently occurred, and never with-
dut producing mucl private uneasiness, as well as
public inconveuiente.
The Committee are strongly impressed with a
sense of theuecessity of maintaining the rights ofra-
rental confsoul. over. the marriages of minors. It-ap-
pears to them that to withdraw all the legal sanctions
of those-parental iights, would be to withdraw -tht
*rots:colon that is indispensably due to the miners
gbgeisaglays, as well. as to aim' °gate just anciTecogr.ized
principles of the aecient,lales plow ofouQtry, . ,
IBy the
.11).ct ahove-ineiltionissi, those rights 4.y1
Cei•ed an additional *entity, ll' in enactment, rthr
I. the- otarfed parental 'eckliiitt,
51tooldlhoptotailli soil and voids • bat it oppeatitir
abkconOthittigle, too be;the sesse-elNdi*lnest in Wier
discWARISs-014 0:40 41.04- uf. Pitiliase co. 10-

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