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    arid Mr . Hobsman , opposed the bill , on . the grounds that , if Mavnooth were destroyed , the Protestant Church in Ireland must be destroyed also ; that to rescind the grmit woald be unfair towards Roman Catholics ; that Ae whole state of our religions endowments in Ireland is an anomaly ; and that it is extremely ^ judicious to exdte angry feelings between Catholics and Protestants . —Me ItavrrBR also resisted the measure , and denied the * s 8 ertM » of Mr . Drummond that Liguori is implicitly- believed by every Roman Catholic . — Captain BHfcbBvr , referring to a former debate , asked Sir William Verrier -whether he still adhered to the statement he made , that' Bibles had been burned in the diocese of Dr . M'Hale , -when it was notorious that Dr . M'Hale got Bibles printed in Dublin . —Sir Wiujam Vekher said

    that he had not made any such statement . Mr : Spooner replied , and the House divided , when there appeared —For the amendment , 168 ; against , 174 . The question " that the bill be read a second time , " was then put from ^' the cb ' air , but opposed by Mr . Bowtek , who moved the adjournment of the debate . — Mr . Spoombr remonstrated against this procrastination . —Mr . Hkkrt Herbert , however , insisted upon the propriety of further discussidn , and protracted his remarks on this point until a quarter to six o ' clock , when the Speaker declared the . debate adjourned . - '• ¦

    The orders of the day having been disposed of , the House rose at ten minutes to six o ' clock . ^ Thursdayy June 26 th . GRAND JURY BILL . In the HotrsE op Lords , Lord Campbell , in moving the second readiag of this bill , explained that its object was to permit witnesses before the grand jury being sworn in the grand jury-room by the foreman , instead of by the crier in court as at present . —Lord Poetmah withdrew the amendment of which he had given notice . — The Lord Chancellor expressed his approval of the bill , -which , he considered would be of unmixed advantage . —After a conversational discussion , in which a general approval of the bill was intimated , it was read a second time .

    DIVORCE AND MATRIMONIAL CAUSES . Lord I / rNDHtTRST , in bringing up the report of this bill , stated that the great object the committee had in view was to obtain a separate tribunal for the decision Off matrimonial causes , and they came to the conclusion that it * ought to consist ' of the Lord Chancellor , the three Chief Justices of the courts of common law , and the Dean of the Arches . " . With " such a tribunal , from which , in . cases avinculo matrimonii , there would be an appeal to the House of Lords , in matters of law , but not" of fact , he thought , ' their Lordships and the public ought to be satisfied . The Dean of the Arches would have the . power to sit alone and decide cases , a mensd et thoro , but an appeal would lie from

    him to the larger court . As to the alterations in the existing law the committee had unanimously decided that where a wife was separated from her husband a mensd . et thoro , in consequence of his misconduct , ¦ w hatever property was acquired by her subsequent to the separation should be held for her own separate use . They also proposed to give her the right of sueing in her own name for any wrong done to her while living apart from her husband , which was denied to her at present , unless with the husband ' s consent . He ( Lord Xyndhurst ) had proposed to the committee to abolish the practice of bringing actions to recover damages in cases of adultery- ;—a practice which he conceived is of the most scandalous nature , and which excites the

    -wonder and disgust of continental nations , where no such thing ia known , and which , moreover , is extremely unfair to the woman , as she cannot be a party to the action , or in any way defend herself ; but the committee decided against him . They recommended , however , that the wife aliould have a right of divorce in cases of adultery with' cruelty , incestuous adultery , ' and bigamy . He still , however , adhered to the opinion that it is alike consistent with law , Scripture , and reason that , with respect to adultery , the wife should be put upon the same footing ' as the husband in all respects ; and he meant to submit a motion at a subsequent stage of the bill with the view to elicit their Lordships' opinion on the subject . ' . ' V

    The Marquis of Lansdowne supported the bill , and observed that he had long regarded the' position of "Women ia- 'this country "' equivalent to ' that which might be expected to prevail in the least civilised and most barbarous nations of the earth . ; Nothing could exceed the hardship of the existing law which " enablcs a worthless' and profligate husband to stop in from time to time , and deprive his wife , from whom "he is ' separated , of her means of subsistence . '• ¦ He would mention a case la point . ' The wife of a shoemaker was deserted by her

    ntuband , who , at the end of seven years , returned , selwid" all the profits of the womanV industry '; waited upon h « ir otutomers , and , collecting the bills which were due to hear , appropriated the proceeds to his own ' benefit . " In answer to cases such as these , " continued his Lordship , " wr « are told by some learned writers , 'Oh , that is the conajnon law of the , country , but there are remedies tc > be fojjnd In a court of equity . ' A court of equity ! WbjJ- 'i l ^ J ^ ords , to send the wife of a humble shoo-1 BlilM * r | fr ^ f a petty shopkeeper to seek her remedy in a txtart « f «* ialty against an injustice of this description ,

    appears to ma to be neither more nor less than a mockery—a mockery to which I hope in future no one will ever have occasion to have recourse . ( Sear , hear . ' ) I hope that this important subject will not be allowed to drop without some remedy being applied , and I earnestly trust , above all , that means will be found to put an end to actions for criminal conversation . ( Hear , hear . ) I have already said that the disgusting details which are dragged to light in the course of such actions act injuriously tipon public morals . Your Lordships know how many of these cases have been tried in our own time , and the deplorable consequences to which they have sometimes led . It is related of Charles II ., who "was induced to attend one of the earliest of them everv day while it lasted , that he said he found it quite

    as entertaining as a play . I humbly think that an action for criminal conversation is not an edifying subject of amusement either for sovereign or for people . " The Lord Chancellor said , the majority of the committee were of opinion that it would not be safe to abolish the action for criminal conversation , as in that case a rich man might i nflict a grievous injury on a poor man . By the present bill , a divorce might be obtained without previously such an action ; and he thought it would now be but seldom resorted to . For himself , he had no objection to the relief in cases of

    adultery being reciprocal ; but the public draws a distinction between the degree of guilt on the part of the husband and that on the part of the wife , aiid would not be likely to approve of giving an equal right of redress . —Lord Campbell eulogized the bill , but hoped that facilities would not be multiplied for obtaining divorce . Adultery on the part of the husband might be condoned ; that on the part of the wife never , as it dissolves the marriage tie . —Lord St . Germans supported the bill , but suggested an amendment , that no action be brought for criminal conversation unless the court to be constituted by the bill pronounce a divorce avinculo

    matrimonn . The Bishop of Oxford thought that those provisions in the bill which had reference to cases of cruelty perpetrated on married women would be productive of great good ; but , though there were objections to the action for criminal conversation , he could not consent to facilitating the dissolution of marriage a vinoilo , even for adultery . It had long been a disputed point among divines whether such was allowable by the law of God . St . Augustine , after weighing the evidence with great nicety , declined to decide ; but he ( the Bishop of Oxford ) had no doubt of its lawfulness . Still , he thought , the facilities were increased , " it would be impossible to prevent the spread of that master evil in such cases ,

    collusion , which would by degrees sap the morality of married life among the lower classes . On the other hand , if the law were not brought within the reach of the lowest class of society , the greatest dissatisfaction would prevail . Moreover , it would necessarily follow that man and woman must be placed on the same footing . Among the lower classes , who give no "indication of any wish for relaxation of the law , it is perfectly well known that a legal divorce is an impossibility , and to that circumstance might be traced that sacredness of the marriage tie among the lower orders of the English people which is do remarkable . Many unhappy terminations of marriages in . high life might have been avoided if it were as impossible in that class to obtain dissolution of the tie as it is at present among the poorer people of this land . " of

    with the Queen ' s answer to the address on the subject of Irish education . It was a re-echo of the resolution passed on Monday . . . THE LONDON CORPORATION BILL . Sir George Grey , replying to Mr . Hankey , ia reference to the course to be taken with the London Corporation Bill , stated , that , looking at the advanced period of the session , and the numerous suggestions which he had received for the amendment of the measure , he thought the better course would be to withdraw the bill , and reintroduce it in an improved form early next session . -

    FUNERALS BT DISSENTING MINISTERS IN IRELAND . Mr . Pollard Ubquhart asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland , whether the Government was aware that certain of the clergy of the Established Church in the diocese of Dublin have prohibited Presbyterian and Dissenting clergymen from holding any funeral service at the interment of their people in the consecrated burial ground , thereby compelling them , in some instances , to holJ . the funeral service on the highway , or wherever they best could . —Mr . Hobsman said he was only aware of one case of the kind . The Arclbishop had been desired to ask for an explanation , which had been given , and forwarded to the Lord Lieutenant . There was no power to go any farther .

    WILLS AND ADMINISTRATIONS BILL . The Solicitor-General , in moving the second reading of this bill , explained the principal changes he proposed to make . One main object being to abolish the necessity of all resort to the ecclesiastical courts , a tribunal will be substituted , exercising all the powers of law and equity , and applying them in the simplest manner , in accordance with common lair rules . This tribunal is to determine all questions relative to testacy and intestacy , and the rights of parties under wills . It will administer estates during the continuance of litigation . It will also have the power of constituting a real representative in the case of real property , and of furnishing certificates of testacy and intestacy . From the decisions of this court , an appeal will lie to the Lords Justices . With the view of facilitating the proving of wills and correcting of informalities , it was proposed to establish

    a Testamentary-office in London , consisting of able and experienced officers . This Testamentary-office is to have the power of directing wills , which have received probate , to be printed , and copies to be supplied in an authentic shape . District offices , -with defined powers , will be established in each of the county court circuits . Other arrangements relate to the establishment of a place of deposit for wills in London , and for a register ; also for rural registries , where printed copies of wills will be deposited . Compensation , upon a scale of great liberality , '" will be given to officers , and proctors , and all others entitled thereto—the money to be derived from the fee fund of the new court . The annual amount of compensation will be about 160 , 000 ^ ., liable to deductions from death . From the fee fund , 181 , 000 / . is expected to be realized ; so that a margin of 21 , 000 / . will exist to cover contingencies .

    Sir Fitzroy Kelly supported the bill , which he warmly eulogized . — Sir James Okaham reserved bis opinion on several points to a future stage . —Mr . Collier alsogave only a conditional support to the measure , which he thought was not improved by the right of appeal to the Lords Justices . —Mr . Malins opposed the bill , conceiving that reform of the ecclesiastical courts , and not abolition , should be the principle on which the House ought to act . —Mr . John Phillimore supported he second reading of the bill , although ho was very far from thinking it in all respects perfect . —Sir Euskine Perry , Mr . Robert Phillimoiuc , and Mr . Bowyer , suggested some objections to tiie details of the- bill , without opposing it in the main . — Mr . "Watson having briefly expressed hia approval of tho measure , the bill was road a second time , and it was proposed to go into committee , for discussion , on tho ensuing Thursday .

    The Duke of Argyll pointed out the inconsistency the Bishop of Oxford in admitting that divorce for adultery is permitted by the law of God , yet desiring to render that permission nugatory . —Lord Rbdesdale was disinclined to give greater facilities for divorce , and he felt bound to oppose the bill . —Lord Campbell could state as a matter of fact that the lower classes complain most bitterly of the injustice done them . There had been no petitions , because there had beon no public meetings of those whose wives have been unfaithful to them . —The Bishop of St . David ' s opposed the measure , and Lord Dungannon asked for more time for consideration ; but the House went into committee , when the various clauses were agreed to , and , on the motion of the Bishop of Oxford , which was carried , on a division , by nine to seven , it was ordered to be reported on Thursday

    Tho Registration of Voters ( Scotland ) Bill and the CAMBitiDOE University liii . t , wore respectively read a third time , and passed . Tho Drainage ( Ireland ) Bili , passed through committeo .

    next . The Transfer of Works ( Ireland ) Bill was read a third time , and passed .

    MAYNOOTII . On tho order for resuming tho ' debate upon the second reading of the Maynooth College Bill , Mr . Spoonku moved that the order bo discharged , observing that ho was satisfied with tho position of tho question , having had five divisions in hia favour . But it wub hia iirni intention to renew tho motion next session . Mr . IIicnry IIerdekt was perfectly satisfied with the courao taken by Mr . Spoonor . As long as ho ( Mr-Herbert ) bad u seat in that House , he would take every of mien

    THE AUSTRALIAN MAILS . In tho House of Commons , at the morning sitting , Mr . Wilson , in answer to Sir John Paicinoton , mentioned that a contract for five years has been accepted for tho conveyance of mails between England and Australia , vid Suez and tho Red Soa , in veflBols of at least 2 , 200 tons , with the exception of two vessels of 1 , 800 . Tho first vessels will start from Southampton vid tho Capo in October , returning from Melbourne to Suez on the l 3 t of January . Tho service will then bo monthly . A limit of fifty days is fixed for tho passage between London to Australia , with a penalty of 60 / . a day for any delay which may occur . Tho Parochial Schools ( Scotland ) Bill having beon considered in committee , tho House adjourned till eix o ' clock . „ " .

    opportunity which itn forms nfrordfid opposing » bill as this , until ho wua called to order by the ( Speaker . Mr . - Patrick O'Bhien bad heard Unit the Htep tuken to-night by Mr . Spooner wan attributable to hi * beintf converted by tho speech' of the * hon . member for !> ' »» - garvon . — Mr . Nkwdkoatic complained of tho non . member for having yesterday , in order to defeat tho intention of tho Houhc , tulked an amount of uncoiwccteu nonsenso . The tactics resorted to by t lie opponents oi tho measure would only excito tho indignation o » tlll ! country . . Tho order for tho second rcndln / r wan then diflchargou .

    IRISH KDUOATION . At the evening sitting , Lord ' DRUMLANRia , tho Comptroller of tho Koyal * Household , appeared at the bar

    Untitled Article

    0 ^ TjHU-IEABIB , [ No . 327 * Saotrda * ,

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), June 28, 1856, page 604, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2147/page/4/