28
the Empire; and I hope, and I have no doubt that as time goes on there will be some means devised of having one law of marriage throughout the whole Empire. I take the view of my friend, Mr. Thorburn, from Newfoundland, that it is a matter that has been so thoroughly discussed and thrashed out in both Houses of the Imperial Parliament that it is scarcely wise on our part to try and bring pressure to bear upon them, as they are not likely to be very much influenced by what we say. And, besides, the people of the United Kingdom are in exactly the same position as the people of any Colony which has refused to pass this law. We have urged upon the Imperial Government to assent to this law, and I do not think that it well becomes us to turn round and say, “You sanctioned the law, and, therefore, now you must alter your law to suit it.” I have no doubt that it would be a great gratification to the people of those Colonies where the law prevails that a man may marry his deceased wife’s sister, to have the law of inheritance in England altered; but I think that we must be content to await the decision of the Imperial Parliament with respect to that.
