HC Deb 25 August 1831 vol 6 cc588-9

The House went into Committee upon Lefevre's Divorce Bill, and heard evidence. After the Report had been brought up, and the House had resumed,

Mr. Hume

said, that if he saw a Cabinet Minister present, he would ask him if such farces as that they had just witnessed were to be continued? The public were at a great expense for the support of Law Officers, and a large establishment for administering the laws, and could not one be found to bring forward a Bill to remove this nuisance? As to justice, it was impossible that in this mode justice could be administered. He protested against it, and complained that Ministers did not do their duty.

Mr. Spring Rice

agreed in the opinion expressed by his hon. friend. The question of dissolving a marriage was peculiarly a judicial one, and the proceedings in that House were either a farce or something worse. He hoped the time might come when the wishes of the hon. member for Middlesex would be complied with.

Mr. John. Campbell

concurred with the hon. Members who had spoken on the subject, and said, that the present system was decidedly a disgrace to the country, and ought to be altogether changed. He did not conceive, however, that any blame could attach to the Judges for not proposing the change.

Mr. O'Connell

thought, that some of the Judges who were Members of the, Legislature ought to originate a measure for the reform of the present system, which was on all hands admitted to be disgraceful.

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