The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1869-08-12

riosAL RsrrsLuoAs mailed regularly to tnsm BY
sayipe their name. and address at this oaes
FERN. dty osats psr month.
LOCAL DEPARTMENT.
The LEE scRrprA or MArRINosr ISWAsH-
ISeroS.-Courtlpg leads q man to the court
house, and suitors In love, like suitors In law,
begin their trials at the clerks ONCE; there
sentiment Joins fact, and the bonds OF Hymen
take the business aspect Of forthcoming
bonds. But little, however, has the young
gentleman Just going up to the honeymoon
to do In order to get his license. He comes
to the clerks Office ordinarily accompanied
by friend who knows the ropes; but II alone
he waits shyly at the window, biting ms
thumb nails, and is apparently very anh,ous
that the carpet being shook IN tne oity Aau
s1uarc abouid be we'll attended to. AZ soon
"a The room Is clear, however, he makes a
dash AZ the counter, and says something about
wanting something, he don't exactly express
what. Tho clerks understand him well
enough, for II IL q rule Of the ONCE that II
lone man comes there, leans over the counter,
and whispers unintelligibly, he wants mar
rage license. The names Of the parties are
all the clerk needs to know In order TO make
out the license, but even this simple rcqui.
II
once happened that party had 70 leave the
office In order to ascertain the name Of the
lady to whom he was TO be married. Some
times parties get license without authority.
II is but week or two since that lady In
whose name n license had been issued ap-
peared and had II expunged from the record.
THE LICENSE.
The name OF the parties having been given,
the clerk makes out license, which would
- Ill -
porter, David Copperheld, been applying TO
Mr.. Melgs for the license for his first mar
riage;
Dtsfriet Of Columbia, 10 usit
Whereas application hath been made to me
by David Copperneld and Dora spsnlow for
Tsss. are, 9, therefore 1 70 suehorire and license
you to solemnize the rites OF marriage between
the said persons, according to law, there ap.
pearing to you no lawful cause or just impedi-
ment, BY reason Of any consaoguinity or anu.
ity to hinder the same.
Given under NY hand .na the seal of my
r. J. Mxiaa, Clerk.
To the Rev. Mr.. Loverstie, Tor any other per
son qualified BY law to celebrates marriage
In the District Of ColumbiA.)
now OLD YoU MUST De.
The statute fixes no limit rs to the age oil
parties to whom licenses may be granted
but the law provides that II any minister
marry any "male" under tho age of 81 or
any "femalc" under the age OF 10 without
parents or guardians consent, he shall pay
$500.
WHAT 1T COSTS.
The fec charged is 81 cash. Some young
men wish to give their notes at twelve
months after date, payable in double that
amount II the bargain should prove q good
one, but the clerk says he must have the
dollar "for better or for worse" The clerk
then turns to the register of licenses and
enters the date and the names Of the parties,
aud the law lie satisfied.
1t seems, however, that In cases where the
bans are published no license Is necessary
for the marriage act says no person shall
marry without license, or before the name
Of the parties intending to marry shall b,
thrice published in some parish church o
chapel. Westinghouse, Romish chapel o
other house of religious worship In tn
county where the woman shall have he
usual residence on three several Sundays, 20
If Quaker, before the publication OF hi
marriage In such manner as has been hero
tofore used or practiced by the people OF thi,
soclety.)
VINO CAN GET MARRIED.
The statutes which govern marriage In this
District were made by the General Assembly
OF Maryland In l7l5 and l777. They begin
by the rather useless prohibition that "a man
shall not marry his grandmother, or that nc
woman shall marry her father" but con
tinuing, "forbid marriages within the thirt
degree Of direct lineal consanguinity, unde
the penalty Of $500 and Punishment,
THE PARSONS PART.
AMER getting license the next step is l.
get a minister. Singularly enough the Law
now in force In relation to this matter, read
as follows
"That the rites Of marriage between per
sons, subjects or Inhabitants Of this Stat
(District) shall not be celebrated by an,
person within this State, District unless
by permission Of the Church OF England
ministers dissenting from that Church, Ro
mlsh priests appointed and ordained nc
cordlng to the rites and ceremonies Of thei
respective churches, or in such manner a
hath been heretofore used aud practiced Il
this State (Dlstrict) by the society of peopl
called Quakers, and II any person shall eel
citrate the rights OF marriage contrary /,
the true intent and meaning hereof, he shall
forfeit and pay for every offence Zoo cur
The act also requires that all churches
chaPcls or houses OF religious worship used
by any sect or denomination of Christians
shall be recorded In the records of the county
court 70 10. lpunty where IL may be, and
none -hn nc usteemed as such for the pub
NcatOu OFF the hans Of marriage unless 80 re-
corded s, lone Of our District churches
are so recorded the publication of bans, such
as took place some years since In the Catho
lie churches here, could not superccde the
necessity OF license until such record was
made.
The act further forbids ministers to 20 out
of the State (Dlstrict) or county where he
or the parties reside and join parties in mar
rlagc without license or publication of bans,
under q heavy penalty.
TIE MINISTER'S PEE.
The minister having done his duty, his
fec should have been folded In the licens,
and put In his hand by the groomsman In
advance but II he trusts you until the end
of the ceremony you must then pay up. No
fee seems fixed by law; but less than "V'i
Is out Of the question. Our Virginia neigh
bors, where the law likes the fee at 81, have
rcmnisCcnue Of couple who many years
ago called on u parson OF that city and re-
Quested him 10 marry them.
"Where Is my fecf' said the functionary
The parties who were to unite their for
tunes did 50 At once and found the Joint
amount TO be - ceuts.
81 cant marry you for that sum-" sale
the irate old gentleman.
"a little bit OF sarvice will go long
way" suggested the male applicant.
"Ah, no." said the parson, "you dom
pay for the size of the pill but for the good
you hope 1t will do you"
nc lhbb, intent On lnuTTlnEe, began u
weep, but the parson was inexorable, and
the couple turned sadly TO depart. Just then
happy thought seemed to strike the forloru
maiden, and she turned and cried through
her tears; "Pleasc, sir, IL you can't marry
us JaH up, won't you marry us twenty-seyen
cents WORTH we can come for the rest some
other time"
This was too much for the parson. He
married them " full up" and they went on
their way rejoicing.
NEW STYLE OF PosT-OFFICE BoX.-A new
style of lock-boxes, with half glass faces, is
being introduced into the larger post offices
Of the country, and u sample one has been
hung up In our city post office, with notice
that rs soon as one hundred boxes are sub
scribed for at sc per annum u frame Of
them will be put in. The boxes are not as
Wide and do not look as strong as the new
lock-boxes already up. We would suggest
to Postmaster Edmunds to continue the
same style Of boxes, There Is room enough
to allow good sized boxes, and Ms the only
additional cost is at the outset, we hope TO
see the present style extended.
REAL Estate TRASsPERs.-Messrs. XII.