The Statesman.
London, England, 1820-11-08 00:00:00

'ATESMAN,

..,

.~

remain Queen to all intents and purposes.---(Hear,
hear, hear !).:—He thought it wonld be also necessary
to introduce I clause explanatory of the clause of de-
gradation. Amidst the difficulties which presented
themselves, he would recutumend the adoption de
some middle roam, which would not be attended with
the consequeisces which must evidently result from the
passing of the divorce clause. He would ask that
a clause should be instituted, less powerful in
its operation. Due that was sufficient to the
emergency of the case, yet free from the
objections to the Divorce Clause, which were of •
religious nature. Marriage was a religious contract
as well as civil--and he would ask that they should
annul the civil rights, but leave the religious one,
unaffected ; such a measure should have his support.
lie was too unacquainted with the forms of law to pros.
pose any specific measure himself; but as the Noble
Lord, at the head of the Treasury, had yesterday
thrown out that something of that nature was iu his
intention, he should leave it entirely to hint.
The Bishop of CHESTER spoke in explanation.
lie never meant to assert that adultery, according to
Scripture. was not considered as a ground of divorce.
But regarding the sanctity of the marriage union,
and the reciprocal obligations resulting from it, be
covld not consistently with his conscience vote for
the Divorce Clause.
Lord REDESDALE thought C:e marriage union
was rather to be considered as • religious vow than as
a civil contract. The character of a Queen Conseet
was not merely a personal, but a public character.
And that character could nut be taken away, except by
disTolying the civil coutrart.
The WILD CHANCELLOR, from his anxiety to
seek information upon this subject front those who
were better informed than himself, had, since the
adjournment, searched writers whose information was
likely to be the best. A Noble Lord (Liverpool) had
held out at the commencement of the proceedings,
that if there should be a general feeling
ag•inst the divorce it would not be presses!. He
(the Lord Chancellor) considered himself in honour
as a party to that promise ; and upon that ground his
own opinion should give way to the general wish
which prevailed. Although he thought the clause
were best retained, yet upon the ground he had men-
Boned, and upon the religions doubts which existed
in the winds of many, he should consent to its re-
jection. An intimation hail been given by a Reverend
Prelate that a middle course ought to be adopted. It
was impossible to leave the Bill without some other
enactments, if the Divorce Clause were left out. For
although by the clause degradation, the rights and
prerogatives of the Queen would be taken away, yet
the parties would still be bound to each other as before.
Hr would suggest as a Clause, that the separation
should be considered a legal separation, and should
exclude a liability on the part of the King to her
debts. 11 a suit were instituted in the Ecclesiastical
Court, for a restitutiou of conjugal rights, the hits-
baml might ansi-er the snit by shrwing that the wife
had committed adultery; and that would be a bar to
the snit. -fie threw this out for the consideration of
their Lordships, and concluded by commenting on the
duties of a conscious Minister.

husband ;if I can alsa slew, amongst the var;ons Thr,.llarsne,;:i L1Ns1)011'x}„, felt it impossible
texts of Scripture, a EIrICTOR denunciation from to suffer this question to go to a division without offer-
the Lord against putting away, I shall at least ing a few observations, although he had not takes an
slew, what is in itself a sufficient ground to induce . Wive part in the Commt•ttee respecting the other
me to rote against the Divorce Clause ; which will branches of the Bill. On the part of the Con,titution,
have the iinniediate object, and in fact, release the on the part of the people of this Country, be protested
King from the marriage contract, and leave him at against the recognition of a principle, which would de-
liberty to marry again. My Lords, the truth of this dare that a woman multi be the Consort of the King,
and yet not the Queen of this country. Peeling the
lady having been put away. can he next deduced Irons
nwnetighntsosfibtlhestjetchtiiosn
etoessulchniansrriiriple, he cool,'
the le:ter of her husband ; and for the saleinn denun-
ciation of the Lord, I would refer to the second chap- Such
pa 342:1i0n as lit had mig:iitiontal wa's"l'ortialllrvintrn-•
ter of the Book of the Prophet Malachi, where fur known to the Constitution. It was a situation which
unlawfully putting away, " the face of the Lord was rendered it impossible for its object to answer the ends
turned away front the people, in so much that he re- ' which were naturally espeetesi from the wife of the So-
garded nut their offerings. The halls of the Temple, vereign. By omitting this Clause they would proclaim
aloud that the Queen had col ttttt Wet! adoltery ; that she
even to the Altars were filled with the lamentations of
was unworthy to be the Queen of this country, and yet
women, suPPlirating Heaven to shower down yen- • worthy to be the wife of its King Such was the sub-
geance on their heads. Take herd, said the Lord, , stance the
. ff,", nay, the letter of such an omission.
of Israel, and let none deal treacherously with the Conhl it he supposed that this circumstance was a twat.
wife of his youth, for the Lord hateth putting away." : ter of indifference to the rontitry, to a country, which
My Lords, I stand before you a most unwilling Judge had always considered the marriage of it, Kings, as
in this case, and I candidly confess that nothing but certain public measures to answer the convenience of the
essi
p.O blis? sisch oiission woul in fact he
.to force, nothing nothing but the heavy penalty, annexed to your
Y° ate the h anang fromn conti nuingd the succonW whirch
Lorukhip's resolution wonld have induced me to attend Parliament and the Conntry haul a right tut expect would
in this place, during the present iiires'igation. I hecon•inned in the per- onoithe King: Ile bcs.:eclied the m
bare been brought here by compulsion, forced away ; to pause before the: rejected this clause, to pause be-
from most important duties, which no man on earth, hut lore haying agreed that the preamble of the Bill
myself, is entitled to perform, and which duties have . had been proved, they rejected a clause which was an
been suspended 'or the last three months, in conse- 1 inherent part of the Bill. It was, he considered, a ne-
garner of my absence. But having been so forced, I : cessary consequence of the clause of degradation. If
bare paid every attention in my power, to the evidence i they left out this clause they would declare that a no-
on both sides, produced at the liar of this House, to the man who had been Princess of iVales, haul committed
able statements of the Counsel both in snpport of the adultery in that situation, and had afterwards become
Bill, and in defence of her Majeaty the Queen, and also Queen, in whirl' character it did not appear she hail
to the eloglis.nt speeches of Noble Liirds, on the merits and committed adultery, was unfit to he Queen of England,
dem:Tits of this case. My Lords, I have attended and vet waspertecily fit to be the King's wife. They
every day, every ( hour, and almost every minute, I would record as an adulteress a person who would con-
' tinue the wife of the King, and might afterwards become
and I have voted for the second reading of this Bill,
the Queen regnant. To all those inconveniences they
because I conceived there was no other course before were subjecting themselves ; and he contended that
the House, whereby I could give my opinion, that a they were bound in justice to the coantry, and for the
dear, satisfactory, and irresistible case of guilt, haul promotion of public utility, to admit the substance of
been made out against the Queen. liut, to this Di-' this clause. lie would ask them to observe 'that would
Yorce Clause, I never can consent to reconcile it to . be the situation of the Queen if this clause were rejected.
my wind, and should it go out of this C ttee, as
She would be stripped of all the rights and advantages
' of a Queen, and the protection due f a husband, and
a part of this Bill, I cannot, in conscience, vote for would be left exposed to allthe disabilities of a wife. The
the third reading of this Bill. For, I would rasher adultery, if proved, drew after it as a necessary, an irre-
a thousand times, that the cnnulnct of the Queen should sistible consequence, the Clause of' Divorce; and with-
go undegraded, than that I should vote fur the Divorce out such a Clanse' the Bill would appear still more
Clause. anomalous than it did at present. To prevent such an
The Bishop of PETERBOROUDH had never in anomaly he should oppose the rejection of the Clause of
nailed I Divorce.
.
his life entered into the considetation of any Lord KING said that upon the present question there
oppressed with so many difficulties, as the considers- , appeared universal confusio-. There was confusion
lion of whether a divorce should be granted in this i among the bishops, confusion among the lawyers,
case, or not. It had always been his wish, if possible, and confusion among the ministers. He thought
to leave out the clause, but at the same time a divorce it very unfortunate for the Noble and Learned Lord on
was fully warranted both by the laws of Clod and man, I the Woolsack, who had relied so ninth upon the opt-
when a case of adultery bad been made out.—He was ' nion of the Bishops, that he should find so great a
anal ,ns that the Divorce Clause should not he enume- want of uniformity among thine Right It eeeee mi
' rated among the Pains and Penalties which the Bill ' Fathers of the Church, and upon which uniformity
contained, but he hoped for the admission of MOOI they had always hitherto prided thenuselns.—(.l
other clause which world tend to relieve, the diffieul- , laugh.)--With a choice of evils before him. lie should
ties which you'd attend its rejection. He was unable to! endeavour to make the proceeding somewhat less
comprehend bow her Majesty could remain the wife 1 absurd than it would appear without the Clause of
of the Kin', and not also remain as Queen. And Divorce, and be therefore should oppose the rejec-
he was equally enable to comprehend how, ceseist. lion of that clause. In such aOW as the present,
ently with the clause of a°llll64l°°, the aim'', It was loirossible to divest the mind of the numerous
clause mid be left eat, Without it bee Majesty smut reports which were in circt:stion. He bad heard that I
1