The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1865-06-30
THE UNION G. JOURNXL,
The May Term of.Court at Alfred.


The recent term OF Court at Alfred was
longer than Is usual at this busy season Of
the year, and would have been still further
rrotracted. had not the engagements Of
Judge Barrows called him in another direc.
ton. A glance at the list Of cases tried or
otherwise disposed Of has given rise TO Sc
ries Of reflections upon matters connected
with legal proceedings in our Courts, some
of which we propose to put into print. We
were particularly struck with the large num-
Der of divorces prayed for and granted.
In former times il was considered far cas-
Ter to get into, than out Of the matrimonial
moose; but now, rs the doctor in Moliere's
play says, "Nous avons charge tout celia :"
it is far less troublesome and expensive to re-
lieve one Of husband. wife or child than to
collect note Of hand unquestionably due.
Without stating any opinion as to whether
or not the strictness Of the rule given by
Christ in the 9Th chapter Of Matthew should
be rigidly adhered to, it is certain that there
exists at present facility Of divorce fatal to
the sanctity and harmony Of the marriage
relation, and intellectually predjudicial to
the morality and best interests Of society.
BY our Statutes desertion by either party
continued three years shall be cause for di
vorce. and, in tho discretion of the Court.
less time may be and frequently is held sui.
ficient, and. "in cases of divorce, either par.
ty" (innocent or guilty. "may marry again.
The marital vows are offered and its obliga
tions assumed. with the most solemn ceremo-
nies, in the presence not only OF human wit.
nesses but Of God, and through the agency
Of His ministers, as lifelong relation to be
borne till death parts the couple who accept
each other, through all lifc's ycissitudes and
fortunes, "Ior better or wono:"-this is the
theory of marriage; practically the contract
may be dissolved whenever the tickle caprice
Of either party may render it irksome, and
il is then Us little regarded as an oath Of al
legiance by sour Southern BRETHREN"
At the recent term Of Court couple were
divorced and the certificate issued by the
Clerk several days after the adjournment Of
the Court, which rose the 10th inst. Uron
the 18th inst, the husband, who had left
his wife in another State, where they had
lived for several years, and come into this
State and lbelled her here for desertiou, was
married to the woman who had acted rs his
hOusekeeper since his residence here. We
do not say that there is anything criminal in
this, but that it has tendency to bring the
marriage ceremony into contempt. This was
by no means an unusual nor strong case, as
any Of the judges, lawyers or editors, whose
attention has been drawn to these things,
will declare.
1t Is not too much to say that two thirds
OF the divorces are obtained upon default,
because in accordance with the wishes of both
parties and not for any reasons really contem-
nla,sd bv the sta.pt, OF ,h. cases disnos.d
Of n, tho term If Co,r, If which WA Inv.
been speakiny ,be hearing, were MI .,.po,,e
excent in n single Instance Our exchanges
from every part of the State show that the
number of divorces granted at every session
Of Court is yery large and alaruiurly increas.
in, A, tho J.,ua,v ,s-m IN saco On. ~.
500, ,,Id =. =. r,. .,,,o,oa ,,,on ~.
ala. ~ cha o,hsr, n ,0r ,;h.i. for d;voroo
Tho .,no o,,orr., .how.d -. , ..r,;s.o,o for
d;yorcs which had bcen WINS obo,, n vsar =,