§ SIR R. H. INGLISwished to ask his right hon. and learned Friend the Member for the county of Bute, when the Bill for legalising the marriage of a widower with his late wife's sister, which Bill he had unhappily obtained the leave of the House to introduce, would be delivered to Members? That leave was given on the 7th instant, and the Bill was read the same night; and short as the Bill was—one sheet only—it had not yet been printed.
MR. S. WORTLBYsaid, he was responsible for the delay, being desirous of introducing a clause of great importance, similar to the one proposed last Session by the hon. and learned Member for Plymouth.
§ SIR R. H. INGLISmust now appeal to the Speaker. His right hon. Friend said, in substance, that the printing of the Bill had been delayed because he wished to frame a clause in concurrence with the views of the hon. and learned Member for Devonport. He had very great respect for that hon. and learned Gentleman, and he knew by experience the value of his support; but he contended that, though any Member, having obtained leave of the House to prepare and bring in a Bill on any subject, might take days, weeks, or months for the purpose, he could not, when once he had brought up such Bill, and when the House had received and read it, make any alteration whatever in it. It was no longer his property, any more than that of any other individual Member, and could not be altered by any one. The House alone could then deal with it.
§ MR. SPEAKERsaid, it was not competent for an hon. Member to make any other than a clerical alteration in a Bill which had once been introduced and read La first time.
§ MR. S. WORTLEYsaid, that the Bill was substantially the same as that of last Session, and that the alteration he had made did not affect the principle. He should very shortly have an opportunity of laying it before the House.
§ SIR R. H. INGLIShoped that his right hon. Friend would now let the Bill be printed and distributed as it had been read and ordered by the House to be printed.