The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-02-18 00:00:00

IMPERIAL 'PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS—NoxpAr. Pas. 17.

Lord REDESDALK presented a petition front I
town of Witham against the Insolvent Debtors' Art

the value effect Coin the Town of Shepton
'Lordship observed, that although he felt it his duty to
pr”s-nt the peitioa, he could nut accede to the prayer
of it; becaase he was convinced tt.at the principle of the
cessio bouttrum uas a most salutary one.—The petition
was ordered to lie on the

The Noble MaryMs promoted another peti;iun to the
sone effect ti•utu ano her 'place.

51ARIt1AGB ACT.
• The Earl of TANKERVILLE presented a petition
from Stafford against th• Marriage Act.
Lord ELLENBOROUUII said he felt It necessary to
call the attention of the House to the subject of the'Aet
in question. He regretted that so much inconveniem•e
had arisen from that clause in the Art which altered the
mode of grranting licenses. He agreed with a Noble and
Learned Lord in what he hail said respecting this clause,
the rest nature of which no one but a Prcla•e could Fe
properly acquainted with, and he had to complain, that a,
the time when the clause was disenssed, no Prelate'attend-
ed in his place. If these Right Reverend Prel.tes were
nit present on such occasions he did not know how ques-
t:oils of this nature could be settled.
Lord STOtVELL s.tid he could not account for the ab-
sence of those individuals alluded to by the Noble Lord,
but lie believed it had been understorel by them that there
were Noble Lords in the Noose folly competent to give
information on the subject in question. He fully agreed
with the Noble Lord as to the propriety of restoring the
power of granting licenses to those who p.issessed it
before. _ _ _

The petition was then read and ordered to lie on the
.bl..

The Earl of SHAFTESBURY presented a petition
from Leicester against the Marriage Act.
Lord ELLENBOROUGH said he onderstoo•l that a
Noble and Learned Lord opposite did nut mean to
oppose the repeal of the clause respecting the granting
licenees.. _ _

Lord STOWELL said the long established usage in
such cases ought not to have been &parte I front.
The Earl oi LIVERPOOL said he wished to reserve
his opinion on this question until he knew on what
grounds the right ha I been taken away front those wt.()
exercise.l it.

Lord ELLENDOROUG3 replied that an ',lmmo- I
Aid jurisdiction had been taken away from certain ar-
des to whom it belonged, s i.tiout any allcited grounds.
Lord NF.DESiMIA could not conceive on wri:it
'ground a layman could exercise this jurisdiction. It had
110 origin excerpt since the Reformation, and he knew of no
law by which the right could be taken away.
The LORD CHANCIiLLOR thought the best mode
would be to appoint a (*Mutilate for inquiriat Into As
laws oh the subject of marriage* rurally. The present
Act took away the po ter of granting licenses from this*
who had exercised it before; sad yet usany of thumper-
sons! hot 10101 Vine the iiittettion that h.d beeu made in
the law, did continue to grant licences.
The Archbishop of CANTEllittiitY said he felt it
near ark w nplv to the charge that' had been made
acaithil the Risk itecereud Beach to which he holonged,
fur lisviitt keno absent daring/ the disebstion on certain
clauses of the nee/ Act. With regard to the prospective
clause, he relied on a Noble and tainted Friend of
who WAS fully competent to give an opinion upon it, and
therefore he dbi not COASititr his ptvetssee necessary,
With remit to the *Touting of lieeme., h- did not
think that the vested rights of individuals ought" to he
cat down.
Lord Oat/WELL agreed with his Noble and Learned
Relation that the hest nestle of proceeding would be bra
Gotninittec. He therefore noted tbist a I oomettoe be ithr
pointed to inquire lam the pestilent state of the law reapect-
tag soarriafes, and to robsider of the beet/node of shooing
and amending. the same.
Lord ELLI.:N RDROLTOH &la he felt peat +lemur*. in
seconding this motion, for he was convinced that a com-
plete settlement of the law respecting marriages wo be

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