Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-03-02
MISCELLANEOUS READING.
CAUSES OF DIyORCEIN THESEVERAL
STATES.

More than thirty causes of divorce are ~.
cognized by the statues of the different
States In South Carolina not one has ever
been obtained; in Virginia there are tire"
causes, namely; natural and incurable I'M
potency at the time of the marriage. di""y
and bigamy: in Alabama, adultery, or tw"
years abandonment: in Rhode Island, in-
potency, adultery, extreme cruelty, wIltui
desertiOn for the space Of FIVE years, contlnu-
ed drunkenness, neglect of the husband to
provide necessaries for the subsistence Of the
wife, gross misbehavior and wickedness r.,
pugnant to the marriage contract; in New
Jersey divorce is granted for prior existing
marriage, adultery, and wilful absence for
FIVE years: in Vermont for homage, mental
incapacity, impotency, force or fraud, adul-
terry, confinement in the State prison for
three years or more, ntolerable severity, will
full desertion for three years, absence for
seven years unheard Of, and where tie
husband, being of ability, grossly and
wantonly neglects to provide for his wife;
in Maine, for adultery, impotency, desertion
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-a
marriage with an Indian or mulatto is void
and imprisonment for felony in the State
works divorce without any judicial proceed
ing; in Kentucky, for habitual drunkenness,
condemnation for felony, cruelty of the hus-
band. and for several other causes which We
forbear to omention; in Illinois, for impotency.
adultery, wilful desertion for two years, eX-
treme cruelty, habitual drunkenness for two
years; in Missouri, for adultery, wiliul deSer-
tion for two years conviction Of an Infamous
crime. habitual drunkenness for two years.
cruel treatment endangering life, intolerable
indignties, ragrancy Of the husband in
Iowa the same causes exist as in Missouri;
to which is superadded, when the parties
cannot live in peace and happiness, and their
welfare requires separations; the law oil Ar
kansas is the same as in Missouri, except
that one years absence is sufficient to free
the abandoned party from the bonds Of mari
age; in Tennessee and Mississippi the law is
nearly similar; while in Florida, to like en-.
actments are added, habiiuai Indulgence Ct'
riolent and ungoranable temple for one year,
or drunkenness or desertion for one year: IN
North Carolina, impotency and adultery,
abandonment, turning the wife out of doors,
cruelty or indignity on the part of the hus.
band or any other Just cause; in Texas impo-
tcncy excess, or cruel treatment, or outrsges,
or desertion for three years, the husband
may have divorce for the adultery Of the
wife, and the wife when the husband atan-
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 il cause of divorce: in GeOr.
gia the old English ecclesiastical law governs;
in New Hampshire ard Ohio similar laws t"
those in Vermont prevail; extreme cruelty
and absence for three years are causes for
divorce in Delaware, to which Pennsy lyania
has added intolerable indignities; Congress
has never conferred the power to grant d
vorce upon the courts in the District Of Col
umbia-N J. Tribune.