Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-02-09
Independent Standard
Divorce Again.

ligently interested in the morals and
happiness of our people has been in
creasingly called, in late years, to the
frequency of divorces granted by our
courts, and to the domestic and social
evils that exist as the cause and the
result of this frequent separation OF
husband and wife.
In 1866 the legislature passed an
act, requiring the tabulation and
publication of all the divorces grant
ed in this State for the last five years"
The last published report of registra-
ton gives the facts in reply to this
enactment. From this report we find
that in 1862 there were granted 81
divorces for all causes in 1868 there
were granted 1902; in 1854 there
were granted 50; in 1865 there were
granted 1872; in 1866 there were
granted 1856. In the five years there
were granted $40. The ratio of d.
vorces to all the marriages solemniz-
ed during this period, was one d.
vorce to twenty marriages. 1t will
be seen that the annual number large
ly increases. Though there may have
been some especial reasons, growing
out of the enforced separation of hus-
band and wife during the war, that
led to this increase of the numbers
of divorces granted in the years i'm
mediately following the close of the
war, yet there are good reasons to be-
lieve that divorces have increased
gradually and largely for many years
back, independent of this exceptional
cause, and it is quite certain also from
tue published reports of the action Of
our courts, that the evil is not lessen
ing, but still more largely increasing.
These facts call for the most inter-
ested attention Of every good citizen,
aud the most careful and judicious
scrutiny of the judges of our courts.
One fact will strike painfully every
one who examines the registration
report on this subject; while in 1862
divorces were granted for six differ
ent causes, in 1866 the number of
causes for divorce was given by the
courts as nine; and in the summing
up for the five years fifteen different
causes are specified in the report of
the doings of the courts.
As we need facts for the foundation
OF any discussion Of a subject of such
vital Importance to the welfare of So
ciety as this, we cannot do better now
than to give our readers these differ
ent causes and the number of divorces
for each. They are as follows: adul-
terry, 1874 adultery and refusal to sup
port, 2; desertiOn, 60; desertion and
adultery, 2; fraud, 2; former mar
riage, |; intolerable severity, 1875
intolerable severity and desertion, 5
intolerable severity and refusal to sup
port, l nullity by reason Of insanity,
l refused to support, ID; sentenced
to states prison, 2; wilful desertion,
1888; wilful desertion and adultery
3; wilful desertion and intolerable
severity, l. In 256 cases the hus.
band sued for the divorce; in 314
the wife.
That such a state of society as
these facts indicate is most deplora
BILE, no one can deny. Its influence
on domestic happiness is, of course
totally destructive; and on the train
ing and formation of character in al
the children of these divorced par
ents the influence must be most bane
full. 1t is in this latter view that the
State is interested and responsible
The State should see to it that her
future citizens are not the trainers
up in circumstances where they mus
bo deprived of the blessed influences
and God-given sanctities of home.
The evil we have to complain of
has two sources; the one is the sill
and crimes of the parties seeking sep
aration; the other is the faulty laws
or the faulty administration of tn,
law, so that parties are separated
which ought not to be, or withou
sufficient cause. To remedy the for
mer our only resource is the bette
instruction of the people in morals
and religion. In fact the moral pre-
cepts and holy sanctions of God
word is the only authority for tn,
sacred covenant of husband and wife
and the only foundation for the bless
ings which are given to man by wha
we call home. The word home is no
found in heather languages, becaus
the thing thus named among us
not known in heather lands. 1t CAL
not be when each man has more tina
one wife, or when each woman ha
more than one husband, or where til
father and mother are not sacredl
faithful to each other till death sep;
rates them. Every divorce destroy
home, and the lessening homes o
any country is lessening of the il
fuences that bear upon the pure an
eleVating training of the children WI