The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-07-09
rrement Divorce In New England.

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No thoughtful man can behold, without
solioitude, the low grade Of domestic morals
which seem to prevail to q large extent in our
New England families. The general decay oil
public sentiment in respect to family religion,
the practical neglect of the Holy Scriptures,
the infrequency of family prayer, the reluc-
tance of parents to make their children obey,
the transfer of responsibility for the manners
and morals of children from parents to public
school teachers, the common rudeness and
arrogance OF boys and girls, the great preva-
lence of untruth amongst the young, the Ii
oense and familiarity of intercourse which is
allowed between the youth of different sexes,
the murder of living but unborn children, the
number of illegitimate births-al these are
sufficient to fill one with CONSERVATION and
dismay. To all these signs of Generalization
there is to be added one, which is closely CON
nected with them, which fosterB them, and Is
fostered by them in turn. We refer to the
very great and alarming frequency OF divorce.
This has grown to be pOrtentOus evil. II Is
certainly one of the most significant signs OF
the real condition of our domestic life. 1t Is
communicating a sad coloring to the whole
inner life of the people. 1t is working its way
from the lower strata OF society upwards, and
exerting decided influence in the control OF
public opinion. Its progress is increasing,
and at the present rate, time
seems to be rapidly approaching when
the public sentiment on this point shall
be almost wholly debauched. Lest we
should seem to be only an alarmtst in this
matter, we will state some facts which will
fairly illustrate the progress of this social vice
amongst us during the last five years. Not to
be too tedious, we select our principal facts
from the statistics of the State of Vermont, as
furnished by its indefatigable Secretary. We
select Vermont as being by geographical posi-
ton the most secluded of the New England
aI 1xyf mil
tion, and by marriages of mixed nationalities,
and probably, with New Hampshire, the most
tenacious in maintaining the traditions and
social morals of the early settlers. Vermont
is divided into fourteen counties, and for the
last five years the population has not mate
rally changed. We find, therefore, that for
the last five years the divorces are as
nearly as possible distributed as follows
amongst the counties:-In Addison
county to every 1000 persons the number of
divorces is IL, and in Essex cOuAty, s. To
the great honor, or rather less shame, of these
counties, this is the smallest proportion to be
found in any portion of the State. In five
counties, Chittepden, Franklin, Windham,
Orange, and Caledonia, the divorces vary in
number from 1.5 to II to each 1000 people.
In Orleans and Rutland counties, they are 2 to
each 1000 people. In Bennington, Lamoille,
Grand Isle, Washington, and Windsor couu-
ties, they number from 2 to 2'4 to each 1000.
For the year 1862 there were granted 81 di-
vorces; for 1868, 105; for 1864 l0l; for 1865,
14l; for 1866 1856; sufficiently rapid increase
one would think, to alarm the most phlegma-
tic mind steady increase from 81, in 1862, to
l55, in 1866; the fifth year alone showing
an increase of 20 per cent be-
yond the first year. From another
point of view, however, it comes still
more closely home. Observe that these
divorces have been increasing, while the popu-
lat N haS
The whole number of libel5 granted in the last
Ave years amounts to 593. We have then 593
divorces to 3l5,O9S people, or one divorce to
every $50 persons. Here, again, if we deduct
80 per cent. for the children and youth under
eighteen, we have one divorce to every 2G6
manageable persons. And as there are two
parties to every divorce, there are two out of
every 266 manageable persons, or one man
in every l33 men, and one woman in every l33
women, personally concerned in this matter.
But perhaps more startling view is derived
from a comparison between the last five years
Of divorces and the last five years of mar
Tiages. There have been, as we have said, in
Eve years 593 divorces. There is also an ag-
gregate of IL, 325 marriages reported during
the same time, which, however, it would be
fair to state at IL 400, so as to cover the
number OF marriages not reported through &C
cident or carelessness. Compare then 593
divorces with IL 400 marriages, and we have
LDlb result OF divorce 10 every IL marriages..
Or, in other words, to every IS persons mar
ried during the last five years, two are con-
cerned in a divorce. We might add, that at
this rate there is a certain degree OF prOba-
biiity that during the next five years, two at
least, out of every 3S persons entering into
the married estate, will be divorced. If the
annual increase of divorces goes on unchecked,
the proportion will be still larger. Finally,
the prospect is very dark from another point
of view. The last recorded year of marriages
gives us the number of 1888 (call it 3000 to
compensate for possible errors). This is the
highest number of marriages in this State
in any one year. Now compare this with
the number of divorces, l55, for the same
year. 1t will be found that whereas, five years
since there was less than l divorce to every
% marriages, the latest yearly record assures
us OF l divorce to every l9 marriages. 1t
affords but sorry comfort to reflect that Yer
mont is not alone in the melancholy retrograde
march Of domestic morals in New England. In
the State of Massachusetts,, things are not
quite so bad, but bad enough, there being
during the last five years l divorce to Al mar
riages, and during the last recorded year l to
81 marriages. The State of Connecticut shows
. record worse than Vermont. There, the
aggregate of hve years of divorces to five
years Of marriages is as / to l, and during
the last year as l to 10. Neither the States
OF Maine, Rhode Island, or New Hampshire
have collected full statistics. From the OBJ
Bervations we have made, however, and
from the information We have received
we have no reason to suppose that either
State can give at the best, so good a record as
Massachusetts. The estimated number of
divorces in the State of Maine for the last five