The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-04-13

some of the Western States. The appliea-
tons on the court dockets last fall numbered
more than five hundred, and they are IN
creased every term.-Erchange.
''Divorce, S.r? Here you are, Sir; divorce
obtained in fifteen minutes, Sir!" Such are
the cries, say our American abulists, which
greet the astonished traveller as he enters
the metropolis of the West, the diminutivc
emissaries OF the lawyers presenting the
cards of their employers at the moment of
making the brief Introductory remark for
which the above is said to be the usual
formula.
The satire on Chicago is getting stale, be-
ing a somewhat exaggerated statement of
the lamentable facility with which the bonds
of matrimony are dissolved under the laws
OF Illinois. But unfortunately there is lit
tile or no exaggeration in the statement made
in the item prefxed to this article We read
of twenty-six divorces granted in Knox
county and fourteen in Oxford, in single
term of court, while Somerset, emulous of
neishboring counties, had twenty-five libels
filed at the last session of the Supreme Court
1t is new thing for the West to give laws
to the East. Civilization, it appears, having
reached its Western limit, is travelling back
toward the Orient. This particular form of
civilization that makes the man iage contract
so light thing as practically to continue
only during mutual consent, or at best, "dur-
| ing good behavior seems. probably on ac-
count OF its novelty and semi-barbarous
1 81, IL
lingering hereabouts, to be an unpleasant
| innovation. The taking "for better or worse
as per the marriage ceremony, has become
merely a respectable legal fiction, meaning
simply "for BETTER" just as in a witt the
phrase Eat Pori land, to wit, at Lewiston" !"
means simply at Portland, and is not at alto
be understood as implying ubiqu.ty on the
part of the defendant in the suit
The keen-sighted social philosophers have
within the last year been persistently hound
ing on the young ladies and gentlemen Of
this perverse general ion to marriage, and a
large number of public lecturers, headed by
the persuasive DIR. Holland, have taken the
field for the express purpose of so bestrewing
the domestic hearth with roses as TO make
the reluctant juveniles greatly desire to as
sumo the relation necessary to their enjoy
ment. But still the juveniles do in some
measure recalcitrate, muttering roses "be
blowed," or words to that effect. The mys-
terry of this reluctance has been solved hun
dred different ways, and it is strange that
among all these solutions certain plausible
one has been overlooked. 1t is ''as easy as
lying to demonstrate the fact that the diff
Guilty arises from precocious msgivihg or
the part of the intended victims in relation
to the extreme attenuation OF the marliag,
tie. 1t was not so in the good old time
when only the grave or "Bible cause" coult
effect dsseverance of the bonds of matri
mony. But now We protest in all sobernes'
that it is not utterly inexplicable that ;
young lady should hesitate about joining hel
lot with young man who may in year OIL
two take advantage of difference of opinion
about the occultation of Orion or the Taep
ing rebellion, 10 get a divorce a cinculo.-
Nor can young man be pronounced
the happy day." when it may be followed il
twelvemonth by another happy day il
which his disaffected wife, for whom
meanwhile his affection has increased in in
tensity, goes into court and demands di
vorce and generous alimony, ON the groun
OF want OF sympathy proved by citation of
case of difference OF opinion in regard to tn
proper method Of cooking beef steak.
Extravaganza on this subject is hardly pos
sible. Nobody can find fault with the just
tices of our Suprem, Court, in whose discre
ton the whole matter now rests. The rea
fault is in the statute and in the words ''wheI
} in the exercise of sound discretion, h
deems it reasonable and proper, conducive t.
domestic harmony, and consistent with thu
: peace and morality OF society" 1t is sure L
happen, no matter what the judges reputa
tion may be tor severity, that where larS'
, discretionary power in matter so importan
as marriage is vested in him, he will exercis'
it freely on the side of the importuuate sutor
A court room is a good place for cyni
when divorce case is being tried. He viii
there find enough to make mouths about for
| month. The proceedings are in nine eases
, out of ten &c parte. The respondent may b
in Nova Zembla, having had 'constructiv
service of the libel through its publication il
: a newspaper. So far as he is concerned
would have been just as well to throw it int
the Atlantic, and trust to the action of th
waves to carry it to him. When the retur
day comes, if it is a lady that sues, the libe
ant and her attorney take their places SO nea
the judge that careless spectator woul
, | think private conversation were going o
instead of grave judicial proceeding. Th
libel is read, wherein, in customary phrase
the lady is made to aver the angelic sweet
y ness of her own temper Ind the correetnes
! of her own life and conversation, wni'e 'n
demoniac spirit, the cruelty and aoanuon.'
. character of the Hbelee are painted ~ ~
darkest colors. All these avermen1s are sup
ported by the testimony OF tue iloe'ant ana
beraarly show OF depositions' taken in tb
absence of the other party to the suit aite
which the judge, believing it to be "reason