The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-04-26
SPIRIT or wzr PRESS.
Editorial Opinions Of the Leading Journals
upon Current Topics -COmpii Every
Day for the Evening Telegraph.
MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE.

From the Chicago tribune.
Among the social problems which are at
tracting so much attention. there is none that
presses more seriously for solution, and none
that seems more difficult to solve, than the
question ''Whlt shall be the Law of divorce?'
for upon its proper adjustment depends the
successful regulation of the most distressing
OWLS of the time. In most of the States
divorces are now granted not only for adul-
terry and for other felonious crimes, but for
desertion, brutality, and abandoned drunken
ness. In many of the older States, a deser-
ton is not considered sufficient justification
until after the lapse of five years, and the
divorced party is not permitted to remarry
In Massachusetts, proposition is now before
the Legislature to grant divorces at the end
of three years desertion, and to permit both
parties to marry again The Springfield Re
publican opposes this amend nent vigorously,
and suggests a substitute for DIVORCE which
seems to us about as bad. 1t says:-
ave would legally recognize aud ordain separa-
ton OF married persons who either could not
would not endure one another. We would protect
weakness from brufa ity 10y the Interference OF law
But does not follow tnat ne should allow all these
released parties to go forth and marry again, and
possibly again IT, separate, aud again and again TO
marry, fer this is a disease that grows by what it
leeds on. 1hat is just what we wonld not do, aud
that society cannot afford 10 permit SinIle life
should he the penalty paid for the mistake or
wrong mating Marriage aud divorce alike need this
thoughtfully and carefully made, divorces less
eagerly sought, under sucn a rule"
Love is unquestionably the sign, seal, and
sanctifcation of marriage, but we are not
able to see the force of the claim set up by
Robert Dale Owen and other socialistic phi
losophers, that a compulsory cohabitation is
prostitution enforced by law There Is no.
thing like prostitution" in compelling man
and his wife to abide together under the
same roof. If they "cannot endure each
other" let them live and sleep in separate
rooms, and eat at separate tables. Under
this arrangement, if they are kept apart by
mere whimsy or aversion, the chances are
nine out of ten that they will conquer it. If
they do not it is their misfortune, and they
will suffer; but they will probably suffer less
than society would suffer by the general
adoption of the Indiana and Connecticut
standard. Of course, no woman should be
compelled to live under the same roof with a
brute who beats her, or with a confirmed sot,
but we doubt the efficacy of separation" as
a remedy for those "uncongenial' persons
who are driven asunder merely because they
do not like each other.
For the statistics of social science go to
show that separation" formal and informal
is the most prolific source of the crime for
hidden in the seventh commandment. Esta-
blish separation and forbid remarriage, and
crease. The Republican gives US the
apothegm that ''easy divorce means easy
marriage" and we add that easy separation
means easy morals.
This is a grave question to handle. No
man can decide it CO cGtbedsa. We can see
that in those religious organizations where
men and women are ruled the most arbitrarily
by priests, marriages are the most constant.
In the Mormon Church no such thing as q
divorce is known, and adultery is punished
with death. In the Catholic Church divorces
are practically prohibited, and the adulterei
is punished with death spiritual, instead OF
temporal
Something must be done in these States tc
prevent our social fabric from falling asun
der from lack of cohesion, and to give tc
marriage some of the permanency and so
lemnity which ought to belong to an institu
ton which stands at the base of all human
government.