THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, in rising to move for leave to bring in a Bill to enable persons to establish legitimacy and the validity of marriages, and the right to be deemed natural-born subjects, said the measure was intended to remedy a very great defect in the law of England, of which complaint had often been made by persons of high authority. As the law now stood, unless some question of property had arisen, a man could not by any suit or judgment establish his legitimacy or the validity of a marriage. His parents might be living, having solemnized their marriage under circumstances capable of proof while they were alive, though not afterwards; but still there were no means by which he could then come before a court and prove his legitimacy. The object of the Bill was to enable any British subject thus circumstanced to institute a suit in the new Court of Divorce, giving due notice to the persons interested and to the Attorney General, in order to insure the bonâ fides of the proceeding, and prevent collusion; and then upon full inquiry, and after due proof, such individual might establish his legitimacy, and the judgment of the Court would remain upon the record and be available in all time to come. The Bill, by a somewhat analogous machinery, would enable a man to establish his status as a natural-born British subject.
Bill to enable persons to establish Legitimacy and the validity of Marriages, and the right to be 2157 deemed natural-born Subjects, ordered to be brought in by Mr. ATTORNEY GENERAL, Mr. MACAULAY, and Mr. BOVILL.
§ Bill presented, and read 1°.