Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1859-05-01

Causes Of Divorce II the United ssatss.
More than thirty cases of divorce
are recognized by the statutes OF the
different states. In South Carolina
not one has ever been obtained. In
Virginia there are three cases, name
ly Natural and incursble incOmpe-
tency at the time Of marriage, idiocy
aud bigamy. In Alabama, adultery or
two years abandonment. In Rhode
Island, impotency, adultery, extreme
cruelty, wilful desertion for the space
Of five years, continued drunkenness,
neglect of the husband to provide
necessaries for the substance of the
wife, gross mlsbehavior and wicked
ness repugnant to the marriage con-
tract. In New Jersey, divorce is grant
ed for prior existing marriage, adulte-
nv, and wilful absence for five years.
In Vermont, for non age, mental in
capacity, impotency, force or fraud,
adultery, confinement IN the State pris-
on for three years or more, intolerable
severity, wilful descrtion for three
years, absence for seven years unheard
Of, and where the husband, being of
ability, grossly and wantonly neglects
providing for his wife. In Maine, for
adultery, impotency, desert'on for five
years, joining the Shakers for five
years, confinement in the State prison
of any Of the United States for five
years, fraud in obtaining the consent of
the other party, habitual drunkenness
for three years marriage with an
Indian or mulatto is void, and impris-
onment for felony in the State, works
a divorce without any Judicial pro-
ceedings.
In the State OF Kentucky, for habit
nal drunkenness, condemnation for felo-
nv, cruelty Of the husband, and for
several other causes which we forbear
to mention. In Illinois. for impoten-
cy, adultery, wilful desertion for two
years, conviction of an infamous crime,
habitual drunkenness for two years, cruel
treatment endangering life, intolera-
bic indignities, vagrancy of the hus-
band. In Iowa, the same causes exist
as in Missouri, to which is superadded,
"whcn the parties cannot live in peace
and happiness, and their welfare re-
quires a separation" The law Of Ar
kansas is the same as in Missouri, ex-
cept that one years absence is suffi-
cient to free the abandoned party from
the bonds of marriage. In Tennessee
and Mississippi, the law is near y simi-
lar; while in Florida, to like enactments
are added habitual indulgence Of vio-
lent and uugoyernable temper for one
year, or drunkness for one year. In
North Carolina, impotency, adultery,
abandonment, turning the wife out OF
doors, cruelty or indlgnity on the part
Of the husband, or any other just cause.
In Texas, impotency, excess, or cruel
treatment, or outrages, or desertion
for three years the husband may have
q divorce for the adultery of the wife,
and the wife when the husband aban-
dons her and lives in adultery. In
Maryland, the law is the same as in
New York, except that abandonment
and three years absence from the
State is cause of divorce. In Geor-
gia, the old ecclesiastical law governs.
lu New Hampshire and Ohio, similar
laws to those Of Vermont prevail. Tx
treme cruelty and absence for three
years are causes for divorce in De.a-
ware, to which Pennsylvania has ad-
ded intollerable indignities. Congress
has never conferred the power to grant
divorces upon the Courts Of the Dis
trict Of Columbia.