The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-06-20
The Dime Tax on Ciergymen for Celebrat-
ing Marriage In the City OF New York.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD.

ing Marriage In the City OF New York.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD.
Mr.. Daniel r. Deavan, City Inspector, having naugu
rated private correspondence with the Archbishop Of
New York has betrayed the implied privacy by publish
the correspondence without the knowledge consent
Of the other party How r the decency Of Official posi-
ton could have warranted such the part Of
the City Inspector Is for others 10 say His principle
Of guidance TO be inferred from the laws Of the land
and his oath Of Office. But, turning aside from these be
has made his appeal the public press What his object
may be in selecting the Archbishop the target for
odium Is dncult, rather It Is not difcu, TO say
Others have kept aoat when they likely Ia sink
for the moment, risen higher by such that
which Mr.. Deavan has adopted There is law re-
specting marriage in the city Of New York, odiOus
unpopular and the writer thinks, unconstitutional
Mr. Deavan has taken oath 10 execute that law The
State has given him powerhis oath Of office binds him
70 do And yet he only writes in the newspapers In
his statement, pubshed in the HERALD Of this day. he
does not quote the entire statute OF 1853 And the por
ton which he does quote be substitutes words Of his
for others which the Legislature employed Tho second
letter Of the Archbishop mainly IN ahSwer to the
couteats Of an ofncial communicated up with
great solenny bound together with fresh green ribbon
This second letter in reply 70 the contents Of this do
newspapers, has thought proper 10 suppress.
The law itself passed April O. 1858, and has not
been enforced, In single instance up TO the present
In the first paragraph is required that cergymen,
magistrates and other persons who perform the marriage
ceremony in the city OF New York shall keep register
Of the marriages celebrated by them which shall contain
near ~ the same be ascertaned, the name and
Of the parties married. the residence, age and
condition Of each, and whether single or widowed In
paragraph four Of the act II B provided that the
City Inspector Of the city Of New York shall be entitled 70
receive such es for recording each BIRTH marriage
death the Board Of Supervisors Of the city O New York
shall establish the fees for recording Of births being
n,.r 90
marriages by the pson reporting the same, 1t being pro-
vided that the fee for recording each birth mar
Paragraph Eve says every clergyman, magistrate
or other person solemnizng marriage, and re-
porting the same in accordance Win TN TINS ,s ac'
the parties the of at least one dollar out OF which
he shall pay the fee for recording such parriage
The seventh paragraph says:Every person who shall
neglect or refuse 70 comply with, or violate the pro-
visions this act shall forfeit and pay for each offence
the Of fifty dollars, TO be sued for and recovered in
the name Of the Mayor Aldermen and Commonaty Of the
city of New York and the penalty, when~ecovered, shall
be paid over thereof the Corporation Of the
city Of New York. and one half to the party making
plant thereof
The parties who contryed this law were understood at
the time 10 have intended merely the creation of
clerkshp the increase Of emouments TO the City In
spectors office at the rate Of ten cents for every
Magistrates are officers Of the law; cergymen are
merely what they profess 10 be, and receive emolu
ing, by physicians, and professional midwifcs, OF the
several births In which they have assisted professionally
They taxed also for every such birth the Of ten
cents But the fees for recording such births payable
by the Board o experimentation the clergyman who
performs the marriage Is obliged TO travel TO the In
spector's Office with a record of the same, and pay
penalty Of ten cents out Of his own pocket for the pry
ege Of the Journey Is true that the law authorizes
him to demand from the parties married the Of at
least dollar out OF which he shall pay the fee. SO
that after committing smony under the statute by sell
ing charging for sacred rite he has ninety cents left
out OF one dollar TO compensate him Tor his trudgng visit
10 the Inspectors Office
But not have occurred either TO the legislature
Mr. Deavan that parties may wish and have right to
get married who have not dollar ~ give What Is
the clergyman to do in that cascs
independent Of all this, the compliance with the
law would involve all clergymen, occasions Of
risge in position Of odum and insoence degrading TO
Themselves offensive and ntoerabe TO the free people Of
the city Of New York They are required to ascertain
the name and surname OF the parties married This
matter OF course before the act passed. But, in ad
dton they required TO ascertain the residence age
three requirements in succession First, the clergyman
Is really bound TO know that the parties about
10 contract matrimony are free to do so.
Their residence does belong the rite OF matrimo
ny. And If any clergyman should ask the street and
number OF their abode they would have right TO say,
not give details which belong to the department Of
the census" Next question TO be asked under this pre-
sir, what is your agcs" al came be married not 10
tell my age" "And now young lady pray, how old may
ton at such moment, 10 lady about 70 be married
would incur Justly the indignation Of every relative
and every friend Of hers who would come 70 witness thu
~. ~ 10 - ~. ."..a.s.nss - =. 49, - H. ~
ss 80 - ~ I.,'S W.. Ss..s.. a.. 10 -.
ks'tsuie, III ~ $3.50 .s, oy .nsp.'. p' sc
wno,c oonP.ny nuIeu .nrn vooquc's, VI so"csuns
na1uT, az INC ne@I m tne c'eIRymAn VINO snou'o
nave the wne'ner IN ooea'ence OF oooeoence
70 The Law 70 AK such question az sucn moment, no
one could blame them would De an insult, aggravated
py timc pace anu ana tne peopie Oh New
YORK whesnef nxn of iow rcn VI poor would MOI stAnc
H. lne next nterrogatory prescribed IN the Jaw wouid
De as 70 the CONDITION Oh eacn Inc parties could answer
with great ropieV, our CONDITION Is our own We
arc not bound 70 gay whether our parents were
or barone,s we are nAt We are We came mere W DC
married, ana nos 70 De inqusitionized
Inc clergy Man ~ sucn cle,gyman coua, any pos-
sibhity, De FOUND IN New YORK WHO should nave gone
through these requirements on the law ana OF Mr. nrn
van, might anege the authority which conpced INN 70
be rude ana insoent bu, the whoie thihg Is stuph,
The people would not and certainly should not submit 70