Lord J. Russellwished to put a question to the noble Lord, the Secretary for Ireland, relative to the Marriages (Ireland) Bill. That bill had been sent to the other House, and he had not heard of it since. He wished to know whether, if it were 938 stopped, it was the intention of the Government to introduce any declaratory bill ou the subject?
§ Sir R. Peelbelieved he could undertake to answer the question put by the noble Lord. Since the bill alluded to had left that House, a question had arisen, not upon a criminal case, but involving a civil right, which enabled the parties concerned to appeal in the first instance to the decision of the judges in Ireland, and after wards to carry that decision, whatever it might be, in the last resort to the House of Lords. This, he rather thought, had caused some suspension of proceedings with respect to the bill; whether that objection to proceed with it was final or not, he could not undertake to say. He believed the general feeling in the other House was, that it would be desirable to have the decision of the House of Lords upon the question of the validity of the Presbyterian marriages in Ireland before proceeding with the bill. If he were wrong, he should take the opportunity of correcting the misapprehension to-morrow.