Daily gazette and comet. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1856-186?, 1860-06-28
Tus MARRIAGE QUESTION m NEw YoRK.

THB MARRIAGE QUESTION m NEw YoRk.
The N. o. Bulletin says, n singular cor
respondence has taken place between the
New York City Inspector, Mr.. Delavsn,
aud Bishop Hughes, In regard TO n require
ment Of law on The subject OF The tegistfa-
ton Of marriages. The statutes require
that clergymen, magistrates, and others
who perform the marriage ceremony in
the city Of New York, shall keep q regis
try of the same, giving the names, ETC., Of
the parties married. The penalty for ne
glect TO comply with the provisions Of law
is fny dollars for each ofrense. Bishop
Hughes declines % comply with this re-
quirement. 1t will be well TO let the
reader have the Bishops own explanation.
In response 10 Mr.. Delayaa's notification
he says,
Sin lit Is but within few days that
] received your communication dated lst
April Of this year. would beg leave TO
say that nothing In left undone in the
| church to which be,obg which Is not IN
J harmony with the best ID isresis Of society.
! fhfNNnN ENFlfNSfUE 70 Uf fNNIFltu HFf pun
/ lshed in their respective churches, on diff
! ferent public occasions, previous 10 their
! matrimonial contract. Every pTecnuliOn
! is taken TO guatd against the domestic in
| iauities wi ich are too often sanctioned by
| official officers of civil inatrimony. ! have
! therefore 10 soy, with the utmost respect,
| thst many cases have occurred, aud are
| still liable 10 occur, in which IT. Is for the
Catholic priest TO remedy privately tho
evils which the corruption Of morals may
have entailed, 40 far rs any remnant Of
private conscience IL concerned on the part
of the deinquents. But beg TO say, once
for all, that uplt ss under coercion, ] shall
never betray These or similar weaknesses
of fallen human nature when ~ turns up
In form of peniteuce. II the State appoin-
ted salary for clergymen TO perform
marriages, or any other religious act, ma
its official rpent. can understand that the
State might have right to inquire into
the manner. time, circumstances, etc. Of
such act, aud hold its agent responsible 20
its laws. There may he those who will
admit the obligation, in the absence OF
these conditions, to render 80 State sH ne
count Of their stewardship; hut beg leave
To- say, with the utmost respect for all hu-
man legal authority, that ann not ono oi
the number. ! am prepared for prison
or n scnlIpld but | am not prepared Ia
obey q requisition which would violate
the obligations OF my conscience in coun
try like this. In which 1t Il taid that civil
aud religious liberty is the right Of every
citizen.
Very respectfully, your obedisnt serv't
JoHs, Archbishop of New York.
The City Inspector refers the matter tt
Judge Bronson. the counsel to the corpo.
ration, aud the reply "a THAT the statuei
in question claws Of ls47. =. 147, and 1853
y. 1917 make no such executions Rs thost
which are mentioned or alluded TO by III,
Archbishop. They apply to all djrgy.
men aud all marriages IN this city "
And IN another note, in reference To The
enforcement of the penalty, Judge Bron.
son says: 1.-The law makes no distinction
between oierRymeu aud other persons, and
! seo no reason why the penalty may mo-
be enforced against any man who trans
crosses tho law, without regard to biz
| cniiiup.p