§ Order of the Day for the Second Reading read.
LORD HOUGHTONsaid, although he had every disposition to challenge a decision of their Lordships' House on this question, as long as there was a possibility of confirming the opinion the House of Commons had arrived at by Resolution in favour of this measure, and which they had also repeatedly expressed on previous occasions, he did not now think it right to occupy the time of their Lordships after the statement that had been made regarding Public Business. He deeply regretted that to the disappointment which had been caused to his clients in this matter must be added those other various disappointments caused by the concurrent action of the Opposition and Her Majesty's Government.
THE DUKE OF ARGYLL, who had a Notice on the Paper, "That the Bill be read a second time that day three months," said, he was glad that the noble Lord had withdrawn his Motion; because, after all, it was possible that he would have been reduced to that position if he had proposed to go on with the Bill. He (the Duke of Argyll) wished to say, with regard to a measure of this character, proposing to make a very great alteration in the Law of Marriage, which had been the subject of controversy, contest, and various results in the two Houses of Parliament for no less than 40 years, to introduce it so late as the 10th June was not a course that ought to be adopted in connection with so grave a subject. If the noble Lord would introduce a Bill in another Session, he hoped it would be 655 introduced at a much earlier period in order that it might receive the calm consideration which a proposal of such great importance deserved.
§ Order discharged; and Bill (by leave of the House) withdrawn.