Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-10-10


A lengthy discussion took place yesterday
between the grave and reverend Senators
of West Virginia upon the subject (Which
usually engages the female mind" a bill
providing how ministers and preachers
may be authorized to perform the rites of
marriage, was under consideration.
Mr.. Bunker moved to strike out that
portion of the bill which authorized the
Circuit Courts to appoint persons, other
than ministers. in certain cases, toPertOrm
the marriage ceremony.
Mr. Brown favored the striking out as a
matter of necessity. The loyal ministers
have been driven away from many of the
countless and some provision should be
made for those who may want to marry
Rebellion was bad enough without the
righteousness and immortality which this
thing OF compelling people to go long dis
tances III search of preacher would GER
taiuly encourage.
Mr. Stevenson took similar view of the
subject.
Mr. Hubbard said We obtained our ideas
of marriage from the Bible. 1t was sol
ernn and religious institution and should
Only be celebrated by those who fear God
and believe in and practice the christian
religion: 5F0 4
Mr.. Phelps, (SIr. caFgkadon in the chairD
said that on the border of Ohio and Vir-
GINA marriages had been performed by
drunken magistrates and irresponsible
persons. He did not know of section of
country where a lower estimate was placed
upon the institution, or a section where
there was less virtue in this respect and
more separations of man and wife. Irreli-
gious persons frequently make farce of
the holy institution. Ii the people of some
of the counties have driven off their loyal
citizens it is their own fault. Let them
marry in rebellion. He cited case which
happened only the other day. An ire
spOusible person residing on the Kanawha
married a married man to woman whom
he had seduced The person who perform
ed the ceremony knew that the man already
had wife. He is now living with this.
woman in open prostitution and his wife is
left to take care of herself.
Mr.. Mahan said there had not been more
than one sermon preached 10 jackson
county that he knew of fora long time
The preachers. have all gone away, aud the
people in the back counties must have
somebody to marry them,
Mr.. Young admitted that the lbs titutiou
of marriage was a solemn One-sO solemn,
indeed, that he had never gone into it for
fear that he might violate some of its sa-
cred rules he alluded to Nicholas aud
other counties where there were no preach
ers aud where the people could not get
married unless some other persons were
authorized to celebrate the rites. The
speaker twho is himself ministerl was
out on a scout in Pocahoatas county not
long ago, and pair OF young rebels, hear;
ingeoF Bis presence in the community, sent
for him to come and marry them. He went
under a military escort and had to keep
pckefs out while he performed the csre-
mony.
Mr.. Bunker said the man who perform
ed the rites of marriage should be a. holy
man. 1t was holy institution. There
was too much of a disposition to make
light of the matter. If the ceremony
could always bst6ttingly performed it
wouldlhayea great effect upon ,he morals
of the people. AS to their having lack
of preachers in some counties, he would
say that hetnever knew two young people
who had firmly made up their minds to
get married, but who ConId find minister
to perform the ceremony no matter chow
far off he resided ns3A i5.4s
Mr.. Maxwell admitted that the solemni-
ty of marriage was recognised by the bible
but he had failed to see anything in that
good book which directed by whom OF
how the ceremony should be performed
though one of the first commands was Il
increase and multiply and replenish. thu
Garth" For ages there was no marriage
ceremonies instituted by the churches
The object of the statutes now was not g
make thelfnstitution more solemn, but u
preserve The fact of "a marriage as mat
ter of record through all time. For ~
other purposes the simple going together
of two persons, with mutual consent
aud au agreement to live together as man
aud wife, was just as good a marriage il
the relation is understood and appreciated
as ordained by the bible, as any other. stu
Mr. Atkinson defined the difference be-
tween the right aud the relatlon9of mar.
riage. He preferred minister. 6imselt
but there are Others who think marriage a
civil institution, aud that the ceremony
ought to be performed byiothers than min
listers. o. Many persons had gons - Ohio