any injury to conscience, any force applied to unwilling minds. Why should not the same law be extended here.
Up to 1875 the law of Hongkong recognized marriages between Catholics as valid. During all these years there was no complaint whatever about Catholic marriages.
In 1875 under pretense of improving the registration of marriage the Marriage Ordinance was introduced against our protest. It had of course the full sanction of the Secretary of State, but it originated here, I am afraid, on sectarian bitterness, most of its provisions were insulting to Catholics.
We protest against it and we ask Your Excellency to take steps for its early repeal and for the substitution of the law in force in British India and in the Straits Settlements. The just requirements of the State in respect of the Marriage Contract will be better satisfied under the latter than under the former. The Registrar General's enquiry into the position and relationship of applicants for a Marriage license is a matter of form and useless. Our enquiry is conscientious and effective.
The Hongkong Ordinance violates our religious principles and hurts our cause and will be disregarded, and disobeyed whenever law and the dictates of our religion come in conflict. Why should this state of things be allowed to exist? Why should the best and most liberal and wisest Government the world has ever seen maintain this relic of barbarian penal Laws here, without any necessity, when it has done away with all similar laws in other portions of its wide Dominions, and recognised ...
any iijury
to conscience, any force. applied to unwilling minds. Why
should not the same law be ~
extended here.
Up to 18:75 the law of Stongking recognized marriages
1 good
Catholics as
all these
years
there
between hor
and valid.
valid. Suring
was 200
complaint
whatever about Catholic marriages.
In 1875 under presense of inipreving
the re
registration of marriagio
the
prevent Ordinance was introduced
A 11
a
forced
on Mo
against
orer
protest. It had of course the full sanction of the Secretary of State,
but it originated here, I am afraid, on, secarian bitterness, most of its simply a needless
provisions were s invult to Catholics.
the
nav
it and we ask
agani protest against Your Excellency to
taker steks for its early repeal and
for the eubstitution of the law in force
259
in British India and in the Straits
Settlements . The just requirements of the State in respect of the M.
Marriage
Contract will be better satisfied under the latter than under the former. The Registrar General's enquiry into the position and relationship of applicants. for a Marriage license is a matter of form and useless. Our enquiry. conscientiors and effective. The Horiguing.
Ordinance violates our reli,
religiaris
principles and hurts over caus
and will be
is
cience,
ded, and disbeyed
disregarded, a
whenever law and the dictates of our
religion
cave ari
conflict. Why should
this state of things be allowed to exist. Why should the best and most liberal and wisest Government, the world. has ever seen, manitain this relic of barbarian penal Laws here, without
away any necessity, when it has done an with all similar laws in other portion of its wide Dominions, and recognised
to
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