The Trinity journal., 1856-11-22
Divorces in San Francisco.

NOfCc Suits lnStllulcu WIN lNclr CuuSCS.--
Marriage is 4 compact held so sacred among
all civilized people, that dissolution of it,
when once entered into, is not generally con-
sidcred eXcuSablc unless there is more than
ordinary provocaton. Those whom God
has Joined together no man shall sunder,' is
an admitted doctrine in all social systems,
and one which should be carried out to the
fullest extent, unless under circumstances
which render cancellation impossible. This
principle is essential to the preservation of
moral feeling-to the cohesion of those hui
man ties and sympathcs without which So
ciety itself could not exist, aud government
would be a myth, void and without form
Marriage is the most sacred of all ties-it
is intended to last with life If, then, its
dissolution can be effected, upon light con-
siderationS, what security is there for good
faith in any transaction between man and
man. The principle of mutual dependence,
which alone holds society together, is at once
dissolved for when faith ceases, there can
be no union.
In the older States, among more settled
communities, applications for divorce are so
unfrequent, that when they occur society is
aStounded-mcn and women look at one an
other with horror as though some dreadful
and unprecedented calamity had occurred
1t is different with US it is not so in San
Francisco. The divorces which are grant
ed here will exceed in tenfold ratio the
number in any other part of the Union Of
equal population, yet they have been hithcr-
to passed over as things of ordinary occur
renee, unworthy Of more than passing no.
ticc III a newspaper, and only used even
then when other matter is deficient Yet
how pregnant with consequences to the tu
ture well-bcing Of our youthful statc%' Is calm
and deliberate investigation into the causes
which produce these haSty diSsolutionS Of
the marriage contract. Upon an eXamna-
tiOu Of our Court records, we find that since
March lst, 1858 the unparalleled number
of one hundred and flty-one applications
for divorce have been made in this city. OF
these suits, one hundred and nineteen were
commenced by wives and thirty-two by hus-
bands. Now, the question IS, to what eau
SeS can this condition of things be ascrbcd
We answer First, to lengthy separation,
almost amounting to descrton, between hus-
bands who have cmigrated to this country
and wives on the Atlantic side Secondly,
to the condition of our social system, conse-
qucnt, in a great measure, upon this Separa-
/ ton, and the extraordinary temptations that
exist in our midst. Last though not least
to the unusual facility with which divorces
are obtained in San FranciscO-a facility
which makes them mcrclya means Of an or
! dinary business nature to the conSummaton
Of unworthy purposes. Divorce suits should
be tried in public 1t is false deicacy
that panders to the desire of either party by
legalizing an act of separation without a
public trial. If the defendant be guilty of
any violation of the laws Of God or man,
let him or her suffer the penalty which is at
tached to it. If the plaintiff is honest, and
matters have come to such straight that a
separation must be had, he or she need not
fear publicity. Honesty does not skulk in
tegrlty Of purpose need never fear the light
of day or the opinion Of the world. We
are opposed to these references in divorce
cases ; Wcbceyc them to be prolific source
of vice and immortality In the hundred
and lilty-onc suits alluded to above, we could
hear of but two that were publicly tried /;
the remainder were referred to referees, who
heard the evidence in private rooms, and re
ported judgments to the Court, which were
in most cases endorsed. SiXty-fvc dccrccs
of divorce were grantcd-only six applca-
tions denied, and the balance still remain un-
decided, except few that have been with
drawn. Here we see that the dissolution
of the marriage contract becomes reduced to
a mere pleasant business arrangement The
attorney Of the applicant appears in Court,
asks for rcicrencc-it is granted in some
secluded room the matter is amicaby set
tied the referee reports fayorably to a di-
vorcc-and it is granted. What an outrage
on soIemnty-w an encouragement to
immortality ! Husbands who have a slight
difference with their wives can now break
their VOWS, plightcd before God and man,
and have the dcsecration legalized. The
law, moulded for purpose, indirectly sane
tions a great crime How should it be
The investigation into suits Of this char
acter should be the most rigorous-the scru-
tiny the closest, and the impartiality most
exact Of any class Of cases that come before
our Courts. Public trials in applications
for divorce would have a most powerful ten
dency to reduce the evil.
Another and important check would be
found in the building up Of hcarths and
homcs--the organization Of our social sys-
TEN by becoming homogeneous and settled
Let those who have families at the East
bring them to California. We have good
schools, and have recently achieved politi-
cal reform that has given to society an en-
tirely new tOnc-mOre OF that settled prin-
ciple that we have seen in older States
Build up homes let California be no lon
ger a transient dwclling-placc, but perma-
nent abode.
In closing this article we will offer one
more suggestion, which, if carried out, would
materially lessen the evil we have complain
ed Of DO not contract marriages too young
Let the mind be formed and the principles fix
ed so that both parties in taking upon them