Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-09-26
From the New York Century.
MARRIAGE IN ENGLAND.

The indifference, and even contempt, with
which the marriage tie is too often treated in
the United States, is producing its natural
fruit. The manner in which it is protected in
England furnishes an example, in some re-
spects, which we might advantageously follow,
especially as it is relates to the rites of what is
absurdly called the Solemnization of marriage,
by our petty magistrates, without the POSSIBLE
ity of knowing whether the parties are not al
ready guilty of bigamy. Our popular jour
mails, which are fond of gathering up all the de-
tails of Grim. con-, divorce, and elopement,
bear a sad testimony to the little respect paid
to conjugal obligations. ''Wife murder is
now an established heading in the tragic col
umn Of our city papers.
The different modes of marriage allowed in
England and Wales are as follows:
l. According to the rites of the Established
Church.
2. In registered places of worship belonging
to the Dissenting bodies, Roman Catholics, &c.
3. In the District Registers office.
A. Among the Quakers and Jews, according
to their respective "usages."
Under each of these heads, there are certain
forms. In the Church of England, there may
be obtained: l. A special license, which can
be granted only by the Archbishop of Canter-
bury, and which permits the marriage sat any
convenient time and place" This costs a
heavy fee, and there is not more than an aver
age of eleven marriages under it in a year.
z. Inc common ecclesiastical license granted
by surrogate for marriage in the parish
church, or in some public chapel, within the
jurisdiction of which one of the parties must
have resided for at least fifteen days The
marriage may follow Immediately on the grant
ing of the license Without any previous no.
tice, the parties may apply, and be married
within the hour 3. For marriage after the
publication of banns, these must be proclaimed
on three Sundays in the parish church, and if
they reside i'll different parishes, in the church
of each.
Among Dissenters, marriage may be sol
emnized either by license or by certificate
both of which must be obtained from the Su-
perintendent Registrar. Notice in prescribed
form must be given to that officer, who records
it in ''notice book" which is open for inspec-
ton one whole day, after which the license is
granted. Either Of the parties may obtain it,
but one of them must have resided fifteen days
in the district. Notice in one district is suffi-
Gent where they have different residences.
The marriage may be solemnized at the usual
place of worship of one of the parties, outside
of the district, but within two miles of it, and
they may go into another district when there
is no registered place of worship in their own
The same freedom is allowed with respect to
marriages in dissenting chapels by certificate,
ed in the Registers office for twenty -one days
after the record of the particulars in the "No-
tice" marriage book and then the certificate
may issue. Only seven days residence is ne
cessary before giving notice of marriage with
out license.
Marriages are performed in the Registers
office on the production of the license or certi-
fcate. The presence of the Superintendent
Registrar, as well as that of Registrar of mar
riages, is requisite, and both officers must sign
the register.
No marriage by certificate can be solemniz-
ed in church or chapel, without the consent
of the officiating minister.
Jews may marry with or without license,
either in synagogue or private dwelling, and
at any hour of the day. The Quakers also
without license, in one of their meeting-houses,
between the hours of eight and twelve.
The reason why Quakers (and the same
probably with Jews) are exempted from the
legal forms required for other sects, is that
their own forms, which constitute part of
their religious system, and TO the observance
of which they are bound by conscientious scru-
pies, as well as by their internal discipline,
fully supply all the guards and requirements
of the law.