21 JULY 1860, Page 2

Otbate s net Vroretitingn inrarlionant.

PRINCIPAL BUSINESS OF THE WEER,

Horst or I.-ORDS. Monday, July 16. Sub-division of Dioceses Bill withdrawn ; ew Zealand Bill, third reading postponed—Nice and Savoy; Marquis of Clan- earde's Motion for papers agreed to—Ecclesiastical Commission Bill, lost on otion for committal—Metropolitan Building Act ; 1 eith Harbour and Docks ill; Blenching and Dyeing Works Bill, read a second time—Local Taxation Bill passed Committee—Jews' Act Amendment ; University and College Estates Bills read a third time and passed—Census (England and Ireland) Bills read a first time. Tuesday, July 17. Annuity Tax (Scotland) Bill read a second time—Burial Grounds (Ireland) Amendment Bill read a second time—Metropolitan Budding and Leith Harbour and Dock passed Committee—Tithes to Land (ScoDa,nd) Bill read a second tinte—Bleaching and Dyeing Works Bill, committee postponed—Law of Marriage (Scotland) Bill read a first time. Thursday, July 19. Labourers' Cottages (Scotland) Bill passed through Com- mittee—Land Clauses Consolidation Act read a second time—Annuity Tv (Scot- land) Bill passed through Committee—Earl of Derby's Motion on Parliamentary Business. , Friday, July 20. Local Taxation Returns ; Metropolitan Building Act Amend- Pent,and Annuity-tax Abolition Bills read a third time and passed—Tithe Com- putation, Burial-grounds (Ireland) Act Amendment, Registration of Births,, Are. Scotland), Queen's Bench Act Amendment, and Inelosure (No. 2) Bills, passed through Committee—Admiralty Court Jurisdiction, and Mines Regulation and In- spection Bills read a second time.

HOUSE CP COYDIONII. Monday, July 16. Party Processions in Ireland; Discus- sion—Committee of Supply, China War ; Report agreed to—Late Hours discussed —Committee of Ways and Means; Chancellor's Financial (Supplementary) Reso- lutions agreed to—Bankruptcy and Insolvency Bill postponed—llefreshment Houses and Wine Licences (Ireland) Bill, and Prisons (Scotland) Bill, passed Committee—Refreshment Houses and Wine Licences (Scotland). fill; order for second readin; discharged. Tuesday, July 17. Education Bill ; second reading rejectedHostilities in New Zealand ; Mr. Adderley's Question—National Education in Ireland ; Mr. Butt's

Motion for Address to the Crown rejected—Paper-duties Repeal Bill; Lord Fer- moy's Motion met by previous Question.

Wednesday, July 18. Coroners Bill postponed—Coroners (No. 3) Bill; second reading passed and committed pro formi—Agrieultural Servants and County Ex- penditure Bills; orders for secoml reading discharged—Metropolis Local Manage- ment Act Amendment BM; second reading passed and committed—Adulteration of Food or Drink Bill ; Lords Amendments agreed to—Tenure and Improvement of Land (Ireland) Bill; Amendments considered—Ways and Means; Cbanellor's Resolutions for Duties on Stamps agreed to—Medical Act Amendment Bill read a third time and passed. Thursday, July 19. Landlord and Tenant (Ireland) Bill in Committee, and Corporation pro- reported—Bankruptcy n—Conversation ; chageln n Business

— Greenwich Hospital ; Sir C. Napiees Motion on Report withdrawn—Committee of Supply ; Navy Estimates agreed to—Prisons (Scotland) and Herring Fisheries (Scotland) amendments reported, agreed to—Militia Ballot Bill read a second time — Tenure and Improvement of Land (Ireland) Bill read a third time and passed— Clearance Inwards and Lien for Freight Bill passed Committee.

Friday, July 20. Savings Bank Bill Committee, 1st clause lost—Refreshment Houses and Wine Licences Bill Committee adjourned—Explanations from Lord John Russell as to Syria and Export Duty on Rags ; and Sir Charles Wood as to Mr. Horsman's Attack—Maynooth College Bill reads second time.

THE PA.PER DUTIES RzeraL Brim.

The action of the House of Lords in rejecting this bill was again brought before the House of Commons on Tuesday. Lord FERMOY moved, "That the rejection by the House of Lords of the bill for the repeal of the Paper•duties is an encroachment on the rights and privileges of the House of Commons ; and it is therefore in- cumbent upon this House to adopt a practical measure for the vindica- tion of its rights and privileges.' He submitted that whatever might be the sentiment in that House there was a strong feeling of indignation out of doors at the conduct of the House of Lords. Public meetings had been held in fifty of the principal towns in the kingdom, at which reso- lutions had been carried protesting against the policy of inaction as trea- son to the Constitution. He recommended that the bill should be sent back to the 'Upper House for its acceptance. Lord PALMERSTON moved the "previous question." He said :—

" I should humbly submit to the House that, after the grave and serious discussion which took place on this great and important question on a former occasion, it is not desirable to stir in the matter at the present mo- ment. The House, I think, may be well content to rest on the resolutions it has adopted. I believe those resolutions sufficiently record our opinions as to our rights and privileges, and point out for the future the means to i which we may have recourse, f necessary, to assert and make good those privileges and rights."

Sir Jonir Tarzewxv attacked th'e Government for, as he said, "tamely acquiescing" in the greatest outrage which could have been inflicted upon the people of this country. He declared that he would rather the French were in occupation of Yorkshire than that so heavy a blow should be struck against the vitality of the Commons. The French would soon be dislodged from Yorkshire, but the humiliation and insult inflicted by the House of Lords would remain. Mr. CLAY objected to the motion. The people out of doors were not interested in the question and its further discussion tended to create dis- sension in the Liberal party. The Cnerream.on of the EXCHEQUER expressed his agreement with

Lord Palmerston. The present motion he maintained was only so many words, and did not advance the House to a practical solution. This was not the occasion for entering upon the merits of the question. Ile had on a former evening expressed in plain and strong language what he felt, but there was much more which might be said against the course taken by the other House.

MP. OSBORNE taunted Mr. Gladstone with being the first man to

call for action, and yet the only action he performed was that of "making time." In his speech the other night the Chancellor of the Exchequer had proved that at the time he moved the'repeal of that duty he was totally ignorant how the finances of the country stood. Mr. Disnamm, referring to Mr. Clay's speech, taunted the Liberal

party with being divided. He recommended the party to wash their po- litical dirty linen in some other place than the House of Commons. An- nual Parliaments, to be sure, were out of fashion, but perhaps, an annual meeting at Willis's ROOMS might be advisable. As to the case before them he thought it was very important. He supported the resolutions moved the other night by the Prime Minister as an adequate vindication of the privileges of the House of Commons. If we adopted the present resolution we should stultify all that was done before. What was it else than stultification if, to suit the convenience of opposing Members in the Cabinet, this House was to be asked to meet this question with a side wind, instead of a direct negative ? He hoped the House would take a manly and straightforward course, and not evade the motion with this shabbiest of all courses that could be taken. If the noble lord should alter his amendment to this effect he would give him a cordial support.

Sir G. GREY pointed out that if the House adopted the previous ques- tion, the purport of that step would be merely to assert the determination of the House not to reopen the controversy. Lord Faamov having replied,

Mr. EOM/MIME moved the adjournment of the debate, bill the proposal was negatived without a division. The House then divided on the pre- vious question—namely, "That the question be now put," Ayes, 138; Noes 177; Majority, 39.

The question was therefore not put. The numbers were received with loud cheers below the gangway.

THE CHINA WAR.

In Committee of Ways and Means on Monday, the CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER. moved resolutions for making provision for the vote for China. "In February, 850,000/. was charged on the finances a the past year, and a sum of about double that amouill on the finances of this year, making 2,550,000/. for the expedition to China, and before it was known that war- like operations would be necessary. The sum actually required was still 2,250,0001., although the vote in supply was unusually large, as that vote included 500,000/., which had previously been taken, and 400,0001. which had been expended on the former war. The whole sum required for the China war was 5,400,0001. The whole expense of the first China war was • only 3,500,0001., to which a sum borne by the East India Company was to be added, making the cost 4,500,000/., so that the difference between that and the estimate for the present was only 1,200,000l. The whole of the 850,000/. which had already been exuded, had been paid out of the ordi- nary revenue of last year, of which there was a surplus of 1,000,000!.; but a portion of that was applied to the reduction of the debt of the country, It was not now proposed to charge the ordinary revenue with more than 500,0001. of the charge for the China expedition. The question was, how the remaining portion of the charge of 3,300,000/. was to be met ? There was no reason to doubt the estimated revenue of- the year as made in Fe- bruary, but it would be unsafe to calculate on its exact fulfilment. The surplus of 464,0001. which had been estimated in February was not alto- gether disposed of. But the calculation of the expense of the collection of the revenue was erroneous by 200,000/., and the charges on smaller items had been reduced by a sum which left the real surplus 64,000/. instead of 464,0001.; but circumstances connected with the keeping on of the Paper- duty till the 1st of August, had increased the surplus to 260,000/. To this might now be added the sum which the rejection of the Paper-duty Bill had caused to be payable, which would amount to about 700,0001., which would be available. The three sums of 500,0001., 260,0001., and 700,000/., would provide 1,460,000/. for the China vote. For the sum of 2,360,000/. still re- quired, it was proposed to raise it in part by taxation, and in part by other resources. It was proposed to raise 1,050,000L by an increase of the duty on ardent spirits ; that is, to make an additional charge of Is. Ild a gallon on all spirits, whether under the customs or excise ; the duty to be then 10s. a gallon on British, 108. 2d. on colonial, and 10s. 5d. on foreign spirits. It was proposed to provide the remaining 1,286,0001. of the 2,360,000/. from the balances in the Exchequer, which on the 30th of June were 6,924,0001., and they would be better at the end of September."

NATIONAL EDUCATION IN IRELAND.

This question was brought before the House of Commons of Tuesday by Mr. Burr. 'He moved "That an humble address be presented to her Majesty, representing that this House has learned with regret that many of her Majesty's subjects in Ireland are prevented by conscientious ob- jections from availing themselves of the benefit of the funds voted by this House for the promotion of National education in Ireland ; and praying her Majesty to direct inquiries to be made whether such changes might not be made in the rules under which that grant is distributed, as would enable all classes in Ireland to enjoy the advantages which that grant is intended to secure to the Irish people." He complained that of the large sum voted for National education, a large portion both of Roman Catholics and of Protestants, declined to avail themselves. In point of fact, the education was not "mixed." Protestants attended the Protes- tant schools, and Roman Catholics attended the Roman Catholic schools. His plan of remedy was that the Government should lend its support to all schools, whether founded on Roman Catholic or Protestant principles, that would undertake to give a secular education and submit to the visit of a national inspector of education. Mr. Wurrssins supported the motion, speaking on behalf of the clergy of the Established Church. He objected to all restrictions on religious teaching. In some national schools, neither clergyman nor schoolmaster was permitted so much as to quote or refer to the Bible, or to mention the name of God during the hours when the children were assembled for combined instruction. He contended that the Government ought either to relax their rules for the parish schools of the Establishment as they had done for the Presbyterians and the monks, or that they should con- fine themselves to giving a good secular education, and leave religion in the hands of the patrons of each school. Mr. CARDWELL opposed the motion. He quoted ample statistics to show that the National Education system was successful and steadily progressive :—

In 1833 there were 789 schools, with 1007 pupils. In 1842 the number had risen to 2912 schools, with 355,000 scholars. In ten years more, namely, in 1853, the number of schools had increased to 5023, with 550,000 scholars. Since 1853 it had frequently been said that it was impossible, after the decrees of the Synod of 'rhurles, that the system could continue to flourish, but that it must wither and decay. Yet from the last report of the Commissioners it appeared that there were 5496 schools, containing a total of 670,000 scholars. He might be told the system was partial in its opera- tion; but in order to test that assertion he would ask, what was the distribu- tion of the system in the four provinces of Ireland ? In Ulster there were now 189,000 pupils; in Leinster, 142,000; in Minister, 154,000; and in n

Conaught, 84,000, showing that the benefits of the system, widely as they were spread throughout Ireland, were at the same time generally diffused. If he took the pupils according to religion, he found that in the Roman Catholic schools there were no fewer than 478,000 pupils in the year that had just expired ; in the Presbyterian schools the number was 52,000; in the schools of the Established Church, 29,000; and in the schools of the Dissenters, 25,000. Conspicuous as had been the growth and progress of the system before that time, there had been nothing since that period to discourage the efforts of those who were its advocates. The increase since the last report a the commieaion had been—of Roman Catholic pupils, 54,000; Presbyterian, 19,000; and Church of England, 4400. As to its value as a system of united education the mixed schools had of course been most successful where the population was most mixed. In Ulster, where the mixture of population was greatest, 84 per cent of the schools were mixed; in Leinster the mixed schools were 41 per cent ; in Munster, 34 per cent ; and in Connaught, 39 per cent. With regard to the Roman Catholic monks, for a long time past the Board had determined that the rule which prohibited clergymen of the Church of England and Presbyterian clergymen from being teachers in the schools shall be applied to monks. Mr. Cardwell then proceeded to de- fend the principle of the National system, compared with denominational eduction, as furnishing the only means of securing the advantage of mixed instruction, and insisted that it had been one cause, and not the least, of the material prosperity and the social improvement of Ireland.

After a short discussion, principally continued by Irish Members of minor note, the motion was negatived by 196 to 62.

THE Bust:Yeas OP PARLIAMENT.

In the House of Lords, on Thursday, the Earl of Derby drew atten- tion to the mode of transacting business in Parliament. He began by asserting that nineteen out of every twenty bills of each session required to be originated in the other House of Parliament, not only on account of the privileges of the House of Commons, but because that House was, generally speaking, the best fitted for discussing measures in the first in- stance which were afterwards to be subjected to their lordships' revision. The consequence of this was, however, that the Government in the be- gAnning of the session were greatly obstructed in their legislation. The Government had not even two days at their disposal, for on every occasion of going into Committee it was open to any Member to move en amendment, because the consideration of grievances must alwiys take precedence of the question of supply, and in the discussion of such amendments the whole of the Government night was very often wasted. Such a state of things could not go on. Their lordships had during the session sent down 22 or 23 bills, which were of great importance—at least many of them were so, and these included the bills for the consoli-

dation of the criminal law, a bill for regulating the Divorce Court and many other bills. It was not very satisfactory or encouraging to the Members of that House, when they saw the little progress which those measures had made in the Commons. He had examined the Commons' votes, and there were three of the twenty-two bills which he was unable to trace' of the remainder not one had passed through that formidable stage of Committee in the Commons. " If he turned to the state of business in the Commons it would appear still more embarrassing. There were in that House three bills waiting for a third reading, eight waiting to be considered after being amended in Com- mittee, and there were no less than forty-one set down for Committee—in- cluiled in that number were the ten sent down from that House—and there were twenty-five (including the nine sent down by their lordships) waiting for a second reading in the Commons, and all these would have to come up to their lordships, and have to receive such consideration as their lordships could give to them. There were six notices on the Conscious' papers for leave to introduce bills which, if granted, would have to go through all these stages whice he had pointed out. For instance, there were the Mili- tia Ballot Expenses Bill, the Medical Relief 13111, the Volunteers (Ireland) Bill, the Indian Civil Service Appointments Bill, and the East India Judi- cature Bill, and some of these were Government measures, and yet the business of the session had been such as to prevent the Government having the opportunity of asking leave to introduce these hills at an earlier period. Again, there were measures for the House of Commons to consider, which would require their going into Committee in order to pass resolutions which would be the groundwork of bills, and which bills would have to pass through all their stages in both Houses before they could introduce the Ap- propriation Bill for the supplies of the year. "There, were, however, a large number of very important measures to be considered, and amongst them the Highways Bill, the Ecclesiastical Bill, the Organization of European Forces in India Bill, the Poor-law Con- tinuance Bill, and the London Corporation Bill, which had for years, to his knowledge, been on the notice paper ot the Commons. Then there were the Roman Catholic Charities Bill, which Parliament was pledged to pass this seaslon ; the Landed Property (Ireland) Bill, and many others ; but Ile had only selected a certain number of bills which had not yet passed through Com- mittee in the other House. Altogether there were 77 unfinished bills be- fore the Lower House, and even deducting 19 which had conic from that House, there were 58, very few of which had passed through Counnittee. He had been informed that, according to the best calculation which could be made, the supply votes would require eight or nine sitting nights, ..nd as the Government hail only two or at best three at their command, he would ask what prospect the 58 bills would have for serious consideration if they deducted nine nights from the remainder of the session ? It was not cre- ditable to Parliament that they should pass these bills in such a manner, and yet they were bills which the country had for years required, and af- fecting questions which everybody agreed should bo settled. These bills would, he feared, fall to the ground, and the result would be that the legis- lation of the country would be found to be at a stand-still."

He had called attention to this subject twelve years ago, and at that time proposed a measure which obtained the concurrence of their lord- ships, which would have enabled the Houses of Parliament in certain cases to take up, at the commencement of a future session, those bills which could not be passed the year before. He felt perfectly satisfied that if it were wished to find a remedy for the present system of trans- acting business they must come to the agreement of some such mode. The House of Commons would receive the bill as an amended bill, and then they would save the time lost in asking for leave to introduce it again. Of course, it would be perfectly competent to either House to decline taking a bill of that sort into consideration, and it might be dropped if thought fit, but if it were not, the business of the country would be advanced, and that would be a great advantage. He would not wish that the plan he proposed should be adopted in the event of a dis- solution, but when the House was simply prorogued he could not Pm' why such a course should not be followed.

Ile concluded by making a formal motion for a select committee to* inquire into the subject. Earl GRANVILLE said that at present there was not sufficient time to consider the subject before giving a definite answer. It was most de- sirable that some inquiry should be instituted in order, and if possible una- nimously, that a decision might be arrived at which would give relief. He believed there had not been a joint Committee of both Houses for some time, but he-saw no reason why there should not be one, and he believed that in that ease some remedy might be devised. At the same time it would be better not to take any active steps this year' not only on account of the lateness of the session, but because questions heel recently arisen between the two Houses which had created a little soreness of feel- ing on the part of the House of Commons, and it was advisable that any measure that might be proposed should be adopted with as much unani- mity as possible by both Houses of Parliament.

Lord BROUGHAM said that their lordships ought to be aware that Par- liamentary Government was upon its trial, and never until this session— not in his opinion, but in the opinion of other countries and other people —had it shown itself so incompetent to discharge its functions. He, thought, by the appointment of a Conference or a-joint Committee, the greater part of the mischief now complained of could be remedied. Lord EEDF.SDALE objected to the proposed change. Then their lord- ships ought to be very cautious how they altered the proceedings of Par-, liament. At present they worked very well, and he did not know' whether they could be made to work better. At present, all the legisla- tion that was desirable was accomplished, and in some years considerably' more than was necessary. He believed that if Parliament had a desire to pass any particular measure it possessed a power of legislation which would enable it to do it.

THE 43 1.VOY QUESTION.

The Marquis of CLANILICARDE, in moving for papers bearing on the question on the military frontier of Savoy, denounced the annexation , and urged on the Government the propriety of demanding in the Con- ference full guarantees for the security of Switzerland.

Lord Wonenouse in reply intimated that England had agreed tn the Conference at the wish of Switzerland. It did not follow that, by at- tending the Conference, her Majesty's Government would necessarily ratify the treaty of annexation, but they might by their attendance, ob- tain such conditions as would secure the independence of Switzerland, and allay the present disquiet of the public mind.

BANKRUPTCY ANT) INSOLVENCY BILL WITHRAWN.

On Thursds.y evening, the Arroesey-GiessaAL informed the House that the Government had decided to abandon this measure. The clause

which abolished the distinction between traders and non-traders was likely to produce so much controversy that it had become hopeless to ex- pect that the House could give the measure the consideration it required, and send it up to the House of Lords in time to receive their sanction in the present session. He hoped and trusted that the time that had been spent upon its discussion would be found not to have been thrown away. He had gained considerable experience from these discussions, and he should hope, if he retained office,—and if not that the task would fall on some one more able,—to present a bill in another session with more deli- cate proportions—not so gigantic, not so formidable in appearance ; con- taining all the principles of the present bill in a more condensed form.

Complaints were made by Sir JOHN PAKINGTON and some other Mem- bers that the Government ought to have withdrawn the bill earlier if they had intended to do so. Lord P-ALMERSTON said the Government had only come to that determination the day before.

SIR C. WOOD AND Mn. HORSMAN.

Mr. HORSMAN recurred to the subject of a former debate, which arose on a motion for certain papers connected with the European Forces in India Bill. The Secretary for India and the Home Secretary had said they had not got papers. It now turned out to be the fact that these papers had been for months in the office of the Secretary for India :—

He was sorry to state that when they had to deal with the Secretary of State for India they were not met—he would not say with courtesy, but with that fairness and plain dealing which they had a right to expect from a gentleman and a Minister of the Crown. Upon those matters Members were obliged to get information in an indirect way, for the purpose of cor- recting the information received by them from the Secretary of State for India. He charged that right honourable gentleman with withholding information, misleading the House, and endeavouring to press bills through the House at a time when the House was not in possession of sufficient in- formation.

Sir G. GREY defended his absent friend. He said Mr. Horsman had made an attack upon the Secretary for India, couched in terms that the House was not in the habit of hearing addressed to any of its Members. Sir Charles Wood had taken the opportunity of stating, at the earliest moment, how the facts stood ; and the House was satisfied with the statement he then made.

The conversation was prolonged by Mr. Waniso, Lord Joils RUSSELL, and Mr. DISRAEL/, and the subject was then allowed to drop.

SUPPLY.

The House went into Committee of Supply upon the Navy Estimates.

On the vote for the new plan of naval retirements, Sir C. NAPIER objected to the vote, on the ground of the unfair manner in which the Government proposed to deal with naval officers in reference to the re- tired list. Sir J. ELPH/NSTONE opposed the vote. He thought the whole question of retirement ought tc be referred to a Commission, as there was scarcely a single instance in which the greatest satisfaction did not at present exist. Sir M. SEYMOUR also hoped that this would be done. Sir J. PAKM/TON said he would next Tuesday move for a Com- mission to inquire into the whole subject. Lord C. PAGET said that no scheme could be introduced with a view of benefiting the ,Navy with which faults could not be found, and which would not le?. to individual cases of hardship. He admitted that the one propo,t,d did not go far enough, and if any one could induce the Chancellor of the Exchequer to give a larger sum, the Admiralty would be ..ble to produce a better scheme, and provide a larger amount of pay. The discussion was prolonged for some time, but eventually the vote was agreed to, as was also the next vote, 35,0001, to defray the charges for Cita lalov;rar. cos of officers, seamen, and naval operations in China.

LATE HWURS LN PARLIAMENT. OR Monday, Mr. NEWDEGATE objected to the late hours to which recent sittings of the House of Commons had ex- tended. He read an account of the sittings held between Thursday, the 116th of June, and Thursday, the 12th of July instant :—

Adjourned. Length of sitting.

Thursday. June 23, ... No morning sitting ... 21 a. in. .... 101 hours.

Friday. June 29 Morning sitting 2 a. in. .... 12 „ Monday, July 0 No morning sitting ... 21 a. m. 101 „ Tuesday, July 3 Morning sitting 81 p. „ Wednesday, July 4.... Morning sitting Thursday. July 5 No morning sitting ... 2f a. in. .... 101 „ Friday, July 6 Morning sitting 3 a. m. .... 13 „

Monday, July 9 No morninc, sitting ... 2 a. m. 101 „ Tuesday, July 10 Morning sitting 1 a. m. 11/ „

Wednesday, July 11 .. Morning sitting Thursday, July 12 Morning sitting 4 a. m. .... 14

He moved that no opposed notice or order should be proceeded with after one o'clock in the morning. In a discussion which ensued, both Lord PAL- MERSTON and Mr. Disits.m objected to the proposed change, and Mr. NEW- DEGATE withdrew his proposal.

VOLUNTEERS ron IRELAND. On Tuesday, Colonel French moved for leave to bring in a bill to extend to Ireland all power to make rules and regulations for the enrolment and organization of Volunteer corps which are now by law applicable to Great Britain. The gallant Member stated that there were a large number of pencils in Ireland (probably not less than 8000 or 9000) who were anxious to take their share in the defence of their country, if the Government would permit their enrolment.

Viscount PALMERSTON opposed the motion. It was not from any distrust of the Irish people that the Government took this course ; neither was it because they doubted the perfect readiness of Irish Volunteers to fight. The fear was rather that in the absence of an external enemy they might indulge themselves in encounters which would not be exactly sham fights. The de- bate was cut short by the adjournment of the House. The proposed bill is therefore lost.

LAW Or MARRIAGE IN SCOTLAND. The LORD CHANCELLOR has intro- duced a bill to amend the Marriage-law of Scotland, and to assimilate it with that of England. The Scotch Courts had all along had the power of dissolving marriages for adultery. This anomaly had also existed, that *Hat the marriage was legally dissolved in Scotland, and the parties might

y again, when their children would be legitimate, the moment they crossed the border they were liable to be prosecuted for bigamy, and their children were bastards. It happened that marriage, which bad formerly been indisaolhble in England, might now be dissolved for adultery' and the object of the bill was, first, to prevent collusive divorces in Scotland, and, secondly, to enact that the divorce of the Scotch courts should be of force all over the kingdom.