§ LORD LYNDHURST moved the second reading of this Bill, which was founded on a great omission in the law of this country. There was no such defect in the law of Scotland. By that law a man could obtain a declaration as to the legitimacy of a marriage and of the issue. This Bill had been introduced to remedy the defect in the law of England, and it had met with the support of the most eminent lawyers in the other House of Parliament. He hoped under these circumstances that their Lordships would be of opinion that it should be read a second time. It was proposed that the matters dealt with by the Bill should be taken before the Court for Divorce and Matrimonal causes, which was presided over by that eminent Judge, Sir Cresswell Cresswell. The Court would have power to cite parties and to hear them, and no person was to be bound by the decision, except those who had been cited or had appeared. Every guard had been adopted to prevent injurious consequences from arising.
§ Bill read 2a (according to Order), and committed to a Committee of the whole House To-morrow.