InMarch，1855，inthispresentsession，theSolicitorGeneralstated，thatabillonthesamesubjectwas\"nearlyprepared，\"andwouldbebroughtforward\"immediatelyaftertheEasterrecess。\"OnMay10th，beingpressedtonameatime，hestatedthatitwouldbeproposed\"assoonastheHousehadexpressedanopinionontheTestamentaryJurisdictionBill。\"Thattimehasnotarrived:andmeanwhile，——asonewhohasgrievouslysuffered，andisstillsuffering，underthepresentimperfectstateofthelaw，——IaddressyourMajestyonthesubject。
Page4
Idonotdosointhewayofappeal。Thevagueromanceof\"carryingmywrongstothefootofthethrone，\"formsnopartofmyintention:forIknowthethroneispowerlesstoredressthem。Iknowthosepleasanttalesofanearlierandsimplertime，whenoppressedsubjectstravelledtothepresenceofsomegloriousprinceorprincess，whoinstantlysettheiraffairstorightswithoutreferencetolaw，arequaintoldhistories，orfairyfables，fitonlyfortheamusementofchildren。
IconnectyourMajesty\'snamewiththesepagesfromadifferentmotive；fortworeasons:ofwhichone，indeed，isasequencetotheother。First，becauseIdesiretopointoutthegrotesqueanomalywhichordainsthatmarriedwomenshallbe\"non-existent\"
inacountrygovernedbyafemaleSovereign；andsecondly，because，whatevermeasureforthereformofthesestatutesmaybeproposed，itcannotbecome\"thelawoftheland\"withoutyourMajesty\'sassentandsignmanual。InEnglandthereisnoSaliquelaw。Iftherewere，——iftheprincipleswhichguidealllegislationfortheinferiorsexinthiscountry，werecarriedoutintheirintegrityasfarasthethrone，——yourMajestywouldbebybirthasubject，andHanoverandEnglandwouldbestillunderoneKing。
Page5
Itisnotso。YourMajestyisQueenofEngland；HeadoftheChurch；HeadoftheLaw；Rulerofmillionsofmen；andtheassembledSenatewhomeettodebateandframelegislativeenactmentsineachsucceedingyear，begintheirsessionallaboursbyreverentlylisteningtothatclearwoman\'svoice，——rebellionagainstwhosecommandistreason。
Intheyear1845，ontheoccasionoftheopeningofthenewHallofLincoln\'sInn，yourMajestyhonouredthatHallwithyourpresence:whenHisRoyalHighnessPrinceAlbertwasinvitedtobecomeaBarrister:\"thekeepingofhistermsandexercises，andthepaymentofallfeesandexpenses，beingdispensedwith。\"Itwasanoccasionofgreatpompandrejoicing。NoreigningsovereignhadvisitedtheInnsofCourtsinceCharlesII。，in1671。InthemagnificentlibraryofLincoln\'sInn，seatedonachairofstate(PrinceAlbertstanding)，yourMajestyheldalevee；andreceivedanaddressfromthebenchers，barristers，andstudents-at-law，whichwasreadbythetreasureronhisknee:thankingyourMajestyfortheproofgivenbyyourpresenceofyour\"graciousregardfortheprofessionofthelaw，\"——offeringcongratulations\"onthegreatamendmentsofthelaw，Page6
effectedsinceyourMajesty\'saccession；\"andaffirmingthat\"thepuregloryofthoselaboursmustbedeartoyourMajesty\'sheart。\"
TothataddressyourMajestywasgraciouslypleasedtoreturnasuitableanswer；adding，——\"Igladlytestifymyrespectfortheprofessionofthelaw；bywhichIamaidedinadministeringJUSTICE，andinmaintainingtheprerogativeoftheCrownandtherightsofmypeople。\"
Abanquetfollowed。Thehealthofthenewbarrister，thePrinceConsort，wasdrunkwithloudcheers。
HisRoyalHighnessputonastudent\'sgown，overhisFieldMarshal\'suniform，andsoworeitonreturningfromtheHall；andthenthatglitteringcourtlyvision——ofayoungbelovedqueen，withladiesinwaiting，andattendantofficersofstate，anddignitariesinrichdresses，meltedoutofthesolemnlibrary；andleftthedingylawcourtsoncemoretothedullquiet，whichhadbeenundisturbedbysuchaglorioussightfornearlytwohundredyears。
Only，onthegranddayofthefollowingTrinityterm，thenewBarrister，HisRoyalHighnessPrinceAlbert，dinedintheHallasaBencher，incomplimenttothosewhohadelectedhim。
Nowthiswasnotagreatmockery；butaPage7
greatceremony。Itwasenteredintowiththeseriousloyaltyoffaithfulsubjects:withtheenthusiasmofattachedhearts:andIknownotwhatsightcouldbemoregracefulortouching，thanthehomageofthosevenerableandlearnedmentotheiryoungfemalesovereign。TheimageofLawfulPower，cominginsuchfragileperson，tomeetthemonthatvantagegroundofJustice，wherestudentsaretaught，bysublimetheories，howRightcanbedefendedagainstMight，thepooragainsttherich，theweakagainstthestrong，intheirlegalpractice；andhowentirelythecivilisedintelligenceofthenineteenthcenturyrejects，asbarbarous，thosebanditrulesofold，basedonthe\"simpleplan，\"
\"Thattheyshouldtake，whohavethepower，Andtheyshouldkeep，whocan。\"
Itwastheverypoetryofallegiance，whentheLordChancellorandtheothergreatlawofficersdidobeisanceinthatHalltotheirQueen；andtheTreasurerkneltatawoman\'sfeet，toreadoftheamendmentsinthatgreatsternsciencebywhichgovernmentsthemselvesaregoverned；whosethrallallnationssubmitto；whosevalueeventhesavageacknowledges，——andchecksbyPage8
itsmeansthewildlibertyheenjoys，withsomerudeformofpolityandorder。
Madam，——IwillnotdoyourMajestytheinjusticeofsupposing，thattheverydifferentaspectthelawwearsinEnglandforthefemalesovereignandthefemalesubject，mustrenderyouindifferenttowhatthosesubjectsmaysuffer；orwhatreformmaybeproposed，intherulesmoreimmediatelyaffectingthem。Ithereforesubmitabriefandfamiliarexpositionofthelawsrelatingtowomen，——astaughtandpractisedinthoseInnsofCourt，whereyourMajestyreceivedhomage，andPrinceAlbertwaselectedaBencher。
AmarriedwomaninEnglandhasnolegalexistence:herbeingisabsorbedinthatofherhusband。
Yearsofseparationofdesertioncannotalterthisposition。UnlessdivorcedbyspecialenactmentintheHouseofLords，thelegalfictionholdshertobe\"one\"withherhusband，eventhoughshemayneverseeorhearofhim。
Shehasnopossessions，unlessbyspecialsettlement；herpropertyishisproperty。LordEllenboroughmentionsacaseinwhichasailorbequeathed\"allhewasworth\"
toawomanhePage9
cohabitedwith；andafterwardsmarried，intheWestIndies，awomanofconsiderablefortune。Atthisman\'sdeathitwasheld，——notwithstandingthehardshipofthecase，——thatthewillsweptawayfromhiswidow，infavourofhismistress，everyshillingoftheproperty。Itisnowprovidedthatawillshallberevokedbymarriage:buttheclaimofthehusbandtoallthatishiswife\'sexistsinfullforce。AnEnglishwifehasnolegalrighteventoherclothesandornaments；herhusbandmaytakethemandsellthemifhepleases，eventhoughtheybethegiftsofrelativesorfriends，orboughtbeforemarriage。
AnEnglishwifecannotmakeawill。Shemayhavechildrenorkindredwhomshemayearnestlydesiretobenefit；——shemaybeseparatedfromherhusband，whomaybelivingwithamistress；nomatter:thelawgiveswhatshehastohim，andnowillshecouldmakewouldbevalid。
AnEnglishwifecannotlegallyclaimherownearnings。Whetherwagesformanuallabour，orpaymentforintellectualexertion，whethersheweedpotatoes，orkeepaschool，hersalaryisthehusband\'s；andhecouldcompelasecondpayment，andtreatthefirstasvoid，ifpaidtothewifewithouthissanction。
AnEnglishwifemaynotleaveherhusband\'sPage10
house。Notonlycanhesueherfor\"restitutionofconjugalrights，\"
buthehasarighttoenterthehouseofanyfriendorrelationwithwhomshemaytakerefuge，andwhomay\"harbourher，\"——asitistermed，——andcarryherawaybyforce，withorwithouttheaidofthepolice。
Ifthewifesueforseparationforcruelty，itmustbe\"crueltythatendangerslifeorlimb，\"andifshehasonceforgiven，or，inlegalphrase，\"condoned\"hisoffences，shecannotpleadthem；thoughherpastforgivenessonlyprovesthatsheenduredaslongasendurancewaspossible。
Ifherhusbandtakeproceedingsforadivorce，sheisnot，inthefirstinstance，allowedtodefendherself。
Shehasnomeansofprovingthefalsehoodofhisallegations。Sheisnotrepresentedbyattorney，norpermittedtobeconsideredapartytothesuitbetweenhimandhersupposedlover，for\"damages。\"LordBroughamaffirmedintheHouseofLords:\"inthatactionthecharacterofthewomanwasatimmediateissue，althoughshewasnotprosecuted。Theconsequencenotunfrequentlywas，thatthecharacterofawomanwasswornaway；instanceswereknowninwhich，bycollusionbetweenthehusbandandapretendedparamour，thecharacterofthewifehasbeendestroyed。AllthiscouldtakePage11
place，andyetthewifehadnodefence；shewasexcludedfromWestminster-hall，andbehindherback，bytheprinciplesofourjurisprudence，hercharacterwastriedbetweenherhusbandandthemancalledherparamour。\"
IfanEnglishwifebeguiltyofinfidelity，herhusbandcandivorcehersoastomarryagain；
butshecannotdivorcethehusbandavinculo，howeverprofligatehemaybe。NolawcourtcandivorceinEngland。AspecialActofParliamentannullingthemarriage，ispassedforeachcase。TheHouseofLordsgrantsthisalmostasamatterofcoursetothehusband，butnottothewife。
Inonlyfourinstances(twoofwhichwerecasesofincest)，hasthewifeobtainedadivorcetomarryagain。
Shecannotprosecuteforalibel。Herhusbandmustprosecute；andincasesofenmityandseparation，ofcoursesheiswithoutaremedy。
Shecannotsignalease，ortransactresponsiblebusiness。
Shecannotclaimsupport，asamatterofpersonalright，fromherhusband。Thegeneralbeliefandnominalruleis，thatherhusbandis\"boundtomaintainher。\"Thatisnotthelaw。Heisnotboundtoher。HeisboundtohisPage12
country；boundtoseethatshedoesnotcumbertheparishinwhichsheresides。Ifitbeprovedthatmeanssufficientareatherdisposal，fromrelativesorfriends，herhusbandisquitofhisobligation，andneednotcontributeafarthing:evenifhehavedesertedher；orbeinreceiptofmoneywhichishersbyinheritance。
Shecannotbindherhusbandbyanyagreement，exceptthroughathirdparty。Acontractformallydrawnoutbyalawyer，——witnessed，andsignedbyherhusband，——isvoidinlaw；andhecanevadepaymentofanincomesoassured，bythelegalquibblethat\"amancannotcontractwithhisownwife。\"
Separationfromherhusbandbyconsent，orforhisillusage，doesnotaltertheirmutualrelation。
Heretainstherighttodivorceherafterseparation，——asbefore，——thoughhehimselfbeunfaithful。
Herbeing，ontheotherhand，ofspotlesscharacter，andwithoutreproach，giveshernoadvantageinlaw。Shemayhavewithdrawnfromhisroofknowingthatheliveswith\"hisfaithfulhousekeeper\":havingsufferedpersonalviolenceathishands；
having\"condoned\"much，andbeingabletoproveitbyunimpeachabletestimony:
orhemayhaveshutthedoorsPage13
ofherhouseagainsther:allthisisquiteimmaterial:thelawtakesnocognisanceofwhichistoblame。Asherhusband，hehasarighttoallthatishers:ashiswife，shehasnorighttoanythingthatishis。Asherhusband，hemaydivorceher(iftruthorfalseswearingcandoit):ashiswife，theutmost\"divorce\"shecouldobtain，ispermissiontoresidealone，——marriedtohisname。Themarriageceremonyisacivilbondforhim，——andanindissolublesacramentforher；andtherightsofmutualpropertywhichthatceremonyisignorantlysupposedtoconfer，aremadeabsoluteforhim，andnullforher。
Ofcourseanoppositepicturemaybedrawn。Therearebad，wanton，irreclaimablewomen，astherearevicious，profligate，tyrannicalmen:butthedifferenceisthis:thattopunishandrestrainbadwives，therearelaws，andveryseverelaws(tosaynothingofsocialcondemnation)；whiletopunishorrestrainbadhusbands，thereis，inEngland，noadequatelawwhatever。Indeed，theEnglishlawholdsoutasortofpremiumoninfidelity；forthereisnodoubtthatthewomanwhoisdivorcedforaloverandmarrieshim，suffersless(exceptinconscience)thanthewomanwhodoesnotdeservetosufferatall——thewifeofabadhusband，whocaninflictwhathePage14
pleases，whethersheremaininherhome，orattempttoleaveit。
Such，however，is\"thelaw\":
andifanythingcouldaddtotheridicule，confusion，andinjusticeofitsprovisions，itwouldbethefact，thatthoughitislawfortherich，itisnotlawforthepoor；andthoughitisthelawinEngland，itisnotthelawinScotland!
Itisnotlawforthepoor。
SincethedaysofKingHenryVIII。，forwhosepassionsitwascontrived，ourmethodofdivorcehasremainedanindulgencesacredtothearistocracyofEngland。Thepoorerclasseshavenoformofdivorceamongstthem。Therichmanmakesanewmarriage，havingdivorcedhiswifeintheHouseofLords:hisnewmarriageislegal；
hischildrenarelegitimate；hisbrideoccupies，inallrespects，thesamesocialpositionasifhehadneverpreviouslybeenwedded。Thepoormanmakesanewmarriage，nothavingdivorcedhiswifeintheHouseofLords；hisnewmarriageisnull；hischildrenarebastards；andhehimselfisliabletobeputonhistrialforbigamy:theallottedpunishmentforwhichcrime，atonetimewashanging，andisnowimprisonment。Notalwaysoffendingknowingly，——fornothingcanexceedtheignoranceofthepoorPage15
onthissubject；theybelieveaMagistratecandivorcethem；thatanabsenceofsevenyearsconstitutesanullityofthemarriagetie；orthattheycangiveeachotherreciprocalpermissiontodivorce:andamongsomeofourruralpopulations，thegrosserbeliefprevails，thatamanmaylegallysellhiswife，andsobreakthebondofunion!Theybelieveanything，——ratherthanwhatisthefact，——viz。，thattheycannotdolegally，thatwhichtheyknowisdonelegallyintheclassesabovethem；thatthecomfortoftherichman\'shome，ortheindulgenceoftherichman\'spassions，receivesaconsiderationinEnglandwhichthepoorneednotexpecttoobtain。
ItisnotthelawofScotland。
InyourMajesty\'skingdom，nothingbut\"TherapidrunningofthesilverTweed\"dividesthatportionoftherealmwherewomenareprotectedbylaw，——fromthatportionwheretheyareunprotected，thoughlivingunderthesameSovereignandthesamegovernment!
When，inQueenAnne\'sreign，thelegislativeunionofScotlandwascompleted，thelawsrelatingtotrade，customs，andexcise，wereassimilatedtothoseofEngland；butotherlawsPage16
remaineduntouched；andinnothingistherealargerdifferencethaninallmattersrelatingtomarriage，divorce，andlegitimationofchildren。
InScotland，thewifeaccusedofinfidelitydefendsherselfasamatterofcourse，andasafirstprocess，——insteadofsufferingbytheinfamousEnglishactionfor\"damages，\"wheresheisnotallowedtointerfere，thoughtheresultmaybetoruinher。
InScotland，thepropertyofthewifeisprotected；rulesaremadeforher\"aliment\"orsupport；
andherclothesand\"paraphernalia\"cannotbeseizedbyherhusband。
InScotland，aboveall，thelawhaspowertodivorceavinculo，soastoenableeitherpartytomarryagain；andtherightofthewifetoapplyforsuchdivorceisequalwiththerightofthehusband；thatlicenseforinconstancy，takenoutundertheEnglishlawbytheEnglishhusband，——asoneofthemasculinegender，——beingutterlyunknowntotheScottishcourts。
ThisconditionoftheEnglishlaw；itsanomalies，itsinjustice，itsactionsfordamagesandcrim。con。，anditsperpetualcontradictions，havelongmarkeditoutforreform。AtvariousPage17
times，andonvariousoccasions，ithasbeenpronounced，——notbywailing，angry，andcomplainingwomen，butbymen，——senatorsandjudges，——tobe\"barbarous\"——\"indecent\"——\"oppressive\"——\"anomalousandpreposterous\"——\"utterlydisgraceful。\"WhentheMarriageReformBillwasbroughtin，thelateLordBeaumontstigmatisedtheexaminationsbeforetheHouseofLordsindivorcecases，as\"disgustinganddemoralising。\"
LordCampbellspokeofpassingBillsofDivorcethroughthetwoHousesofParliamentasa\"scandalouspractice。\"LordSt。Leonards，whileheaffirmedthatnomeasurewouldbesatisfactory，thatdidnotreconciletheconflictofourjurisprudencewiththeScottishlaw，declaredthepresentEnglishactionfor\"damages\"tobea\"disgracetothecountry\"——\"astigmaonthelawofEngland\"——\"anactionwhichshockedone\'ssenseofwhatwasright。\"
LordBrougham，——solongassixteenyearsago，——spokeofthelawasregardsawoman\'searningsinthismostforciblelanguage，——\"Couldanythingbemoreharshorcruel，\"hesaid，\"thanthatthewife\'sgoodsandchattelsshouldbeatthemercyofthehusband，andthatshemightworkandtoilforanunkindfathertosupporthisfamilyandchildren，whilethePage18
husbandrepaidherwithharshnessandbrutality，heallthetimeriotingandrevellinginextravaganceanddissipation，andsquanderinginthecompanyofguiltyparamourstheproduceofherindustry?Thelawwassilenttothecomplaintsofsuchawoman。\"
Inshort，thegentlemenofEngland——membersofbothHouses——haveseverallydenouncedinthemostunmeasuredterms，thepresentlawsforwomen；andunanimouslyagreedthattheyoughttobereformed。Commissionerswereaccordingly\"orderedtoreport，\"
