W. W. Champneys

“ So far as my parochial experience extends, the prohibition of Marriage with a deceased Wife's Sister, operates far more to the promotion than to the prevention of crime. Among the lower classes, cohabitation without marriage is almost invariably the result, while the few conscientious persons who are deterred by the law from forming such a connection, are precisely those to whom it would be a benefit. ”

“ This, however, must necessarily be less likely to arise when the second Wife is sister of the former, than in any other almost conceivable instance. Who can look at the motherless children so tenderly as the sister of their departed mother? Who so likely to bear with their little waywardness; because she loves them as the sister of that one who is no more, and who saw those children when they were under that mother's care? ”

“ If they are aware of the illegality, they escape from the difficulty by dispensing with the Marriage Ceremony; and if they are ignorant of the illegality, they violate the Law, and the object of the Legislature is equally defeated. In short, I am decidedly of opinion, that the Repeal of the present Law, while it may partially, and very partially affect the habits of Society among the upper classes, will remove a barrier to marriage which now exists, but which I do not believe God ever set up. ”

“ The number of persons probably affected in a whole generation among the upper classes, is comparatively inconsiderable — the number of persons, I mean, who would marry a Sister-in-law, but for a prohibiting Law.
But lower down, it affects tens of thousands of Widowers. It is almost always desirable, that the man left with a young family, there, should marry again. Very often he must have a female in the house before his wife is buried, to take charge of the youngest children. Upon whom can he reckon often but a Sister-in-law, in an hour like that? ”

“ A kind sister-in-law perhaps will come and live with us, and we can give her such accommodation as she wants. He has not room in his house for any female but a wife: none but an aunt can be expected to take charge of the children without pay, and the law says peremptorily and arbitrarily that the aunt must not be the wife. ”

“ That, in many instances, no person is so well qualified to discharge the duties of the deceased mother towards her surviving children as the sister, who is already endeared to them by the ties of affection and kindred, who, in most instances, has acquired, as their aunt, a certain degree of influence over them and who can, therefore, exercise the necessary control of a step-mother, without incurring the odium, or exciting the jealousy, which her authority, however leniently exercised by a stranger, usually creates. ”

“ That among the poorer classes a prohibition so much at variance with natural impulses has a direct immoral tendency, by inducing some parties to cohabit together without marriage, and leaving it in the power of others, who go through the ceremony of marriage, to deny its validity when it suits their purpose.
Your petitioners, therefore, humbly pray that your Lordships will take the subject of the existing law relating to marriage into your early consideration, with a view to such an alteration thereof as to your Lordships shall seem meet. ”

“ When she has got almost a Mother's place in the affections of the children, it seems cruel to turn her away. — Yet she cannot stay with comfort or propriety, when things have resumed their usual course, except as the second wife. ”

“ Looking at the policy of such connexions, it has always struck me, that there is one decisive argument against legislation on the subject, and that is this: — from the habits of society, and the domestic arrangements of different classes of the community, the rich and the poor, in this matter, do not stand at all on the same ground. ”

“ Now, as it is quite clear the Legislature cannot make one law for the rich and another for the poor, and the policy of such a measure is essentially different with reference to the two classes, it seems to me almost a self-evident proposition, that it must just let the matter alone. It does not concern Parliament, nor fall within their province. Many persons have a strong feeling against such unions, but they have no right to impose a yoke upon their neighbours ”

“ That it seems to your petitioners natural for a widower, who finds in his wife's sister congenial habits, feelings, and temper, to regard her as the most fitting substitute for the wife whom he has lost. ”

“ There is so much of sensitiveness in a great many minds upon points of that sort, that the step, which would seem the most natural in the world, might be declined, or taken with hesitation and reluctance, provided an opening were given for ill-natured comment, or a want of entire propriety were hinted by prudish friends. ”

“ This hardship on the poor, I think, wants pressing particularly. Almost every body to whom you talk on the subject, in society, has in his mind the case which may be his own. The habits and feelings of gentlemen and ladies are the things referred to. ”