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    Xhe Committee To Whom The Application To...

    _ifcrffegal consequences were considered , essentially civil $ —that the marriages of Dissenters celebrated in _ihe face of their congregations , were Valid in the Courts of I # aw ; ( see Hutchinson and Wife - * . Brooksbank , 3 Levinz 376 , Wigniore ' s case , Salkeld 43 _& _*> -r 4 _hafc-the Marriage Act was meant only to accomplish a civil purpose , the policy and utility of which it was by no

    means intended to impugn ;—that though by the- operation of the Act an essential abridgment of the _liberty- ' of _^ Dissenters from the doctrine and discipline of the Church was effected , it was clear that such a result was not the intent of the _Legi _$ _Utfare , as _appeared by its _exemption of the Jews and Quakers .

    Parties seeking exemption from the operation of taws , devised far the general welfare of the community , would naturally turn their _attention to devising a method of relief , which they could submit with confidence , as evincing no wish to relieve themselves from the essential and wholesome civil _regulations of their country , while they requested attention _*<> _tfee _limits

    of conscience in matters purely religious . They saw and pel fc the _desirableness of interfering as little as possible with existing institutions , th , e civil benefits of-which _wew equally advantageous to all _; and it appeared therefore * o them at first , that the simplest and most satisfactory plan was . to allow , in the case

    of parties _^ _cruphng the _performance of the present services that the minister might use only such part of it as was necessary to the _formation of a solemn contract , omitting _u _\ l to which the parties ( as differing either in doctrine or _discipline ) could object .

    On this principle a very short Bill was framed * and _passed _U of its stages in the _Hougfe of Commons , which provided that where the parties should _Oliver a written declaration that fhejr _were-Dissenters from the Church ' of England , the minister _aUoultl be ajlowe _^ d to _solemnise tire _Jiiar-^^ _ge by using onl y suc h part of the s ervice as begins with the words , " I require and charge you both / ' andr _^ pd _« _wife the wl > rd 8 _> _" And tlw _^ eto I give thee my _troths" A reference to the Bill printed below will shew t _| ie _aimplitfity of _thto _plaa , and the words _vyhich _woiud form the under it are _subiiotoed for _couvenleace of _refcreiioe _. tkrou _^ so me service useable

    To thi _^ plaa it _xws , _howeTOr , _sopp _underBtood _tlial _iaeuperabte _oltfiec _* tion 3 \ y _^ re entertain _^ ; a which it became the petitioners to fmjr the _greftt _^ est _tyferencq _* _WJiile t _^ ey wer _^ considering _Htfizrt ot _& er course _should b _© _udopte _^ !» _GinilMm of _^ _m v _'^ _nw CI > _jv _StojdWw _^ _whow _uoliiicul _ctttd _3 $ _jggAQu _* principles furnisli _su _^ icient _^ afegu _^ rd hli _^ hB _^ nt _,, th _^ t c _^ vii iipguj _^ _rity _W w _^ _U _wHbe'i b _^ _ftMly CQn _^ _idprqd , very _pplitejy < h ? _$ yr up- _« n _^ ppe _^ i : _^} to him coast _^ l _^ a _^ le . This wm _^ _ulye _^ t to _aoinc alterations ; _uqunpatent in pj Fej _^ c _^ ed by the Houae of Lord _« . ring _wji _^ t _oUier course _should _3 _toddttrt > , _whom _poliiicftl stud d to _th _^ _fiiendii of the Eata _^ _; i 3 _atewj » ts > of _tfce Cburch _wOKibl _ar MU ; _umw tfce _pkm _# _bkb r adopted foy _priacipk , and the Bill _jwt

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• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), June 12, 1823, page 4, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/smrp_12061823/page/4/