The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-12-31
THE -GORDIAN KNOT.
INFORMATION FOR THE UNF0RTU-
NATE.
History of the Divorce Institutton--Th'
Proposed Law for South Carolina.

bv thp way hitherto unknown in South Carolina,
and yet one--prcsuming human nature TO DC inc
same here rs elsewhere-the protecting influences
of which will he invoked by hundreds who doubt.
less imagine that, In domestic sense, Satan is
still icose ard celebrating his Pandemonium down
below. The reason why South Carolina has thus
been an exception to q rule followed by many
other States OF the Union must be sought In that
eminent spirit of conservatism which for two
hundred years has animated the leading minds OF
the people For instance, 1t was once remarked
by Judge oNell: "The most distressing cases,
justirying divorce even upon Scriptural grounds,
have been again and again presented to the Le-
cislature, and they have uniformly refused to an
null the marriage tie. They have nobly adhered
to the Injunction, Those whom God hath joined
together let not man put asinder.' The working
of this stern policy has been to the good OF the
people and the State in every respect"
That opinions are greatly diversified on this
subject, is attestcd by the enactments OF other
States, by the decisions of courts, and legal
;reatses. Divorce, however, is no new thing. 1t
| comes to US hoary with the frosts OF antiquity.
Five hundred and twenty years before
Christ, Spurlus Carvillus Ruga was permitted to
| 'ONe>'
give his children to the Republic OF Rome Histo-
ry tells US that divorces thereafter became fre-
quent and were allowed pretty much at the
pleasure OF either Of the parties. The MOSAIC
law, as generally Interpreted, allowed the nus
band TO be the sole judge OF the causes Tor winch
| he might put away his wife, though many ecclesi-
astical writers hold that this liberty was intended
to be restricted to the single cause OF adultery.
This Jewish law Is founded on the directions given
| In the Ath chapter Of Deuteronomy, but the
| permission therein contained Is subject 10
many obstacles aud formal!tes In mcdern
practice Our Saviour's declaration to the Pharl-
see In the 10th chapter OF St. Matthew became
| the foundation OF the law on this subject IN
Christian countries, and divorces we're consequent
Iy for long time allowed in one particular cas- e
only. After the Roman Catholic Church, how
ever, had erected mat.mony into sacrament,
they became, as they now are In Catholic coun-
tries, wholly impossible, the only dissolution OF
marriage being in cases where 1t Is void ao
fnttio. In most Protestant countries the facility OF
divorce has been so much restored In later times,
as to approximate to the heather practice. In
Indiana, where the process Is performed with
locomotive rapdty, 1t is worse than heathen-it
is diaboca!.
One thing is certain, to Wit That in spite OF all
the tenets OF the church, OF all the provisions OF
the law, OF all The customs Of society, there Is
Just as much human wickcdness wrapped up In
dry goods now as there was in the time OF Old
Spurlus Ruga, and Just as much tnlquiiy on the
part OF husbands as when Father Adam made
Eve sew fig leaves for living, and set her teeth
on edge eating forbidden fruit. Men Will con-
tlnue to imagine women to be frst-class angels,
minus wings, for the first six months after mar
riagc, and women will regard corduroys and side
whiskers as emblematc OF human happiness
boiled down into pounds avoirdupois, until Ca
brill blows his horn; but 50 long as the one sex
drinks lemonade that turns night latches upside
| down, and the other sex imblbes tea too strong
for human nature to bear, the mantle OF charity.
which should cover q multitude OF matrimonial
msdccds will continue to be so ragged that you
can sec the corners OF sin sticking out III every
direction.
Years ago. when husband and wife kicked out
| OF the traces the husband would sometimes put
up the other half at public auction. A case or
til 3 kind Is recorded rs having occurred at Car
lisle IN England, In 1899, whom one T;iUinp-on
came into town with his wife, md by the bellman
announced that he was about to sell her. she
was placed GU tall chair, with rope of straw
around her neck, and the atrectionatc spouse ad-
| dress ID the following matrimoaial advertisement
tu the assembled crowd:
gentlemen, have to offer to your notice my
! wife Mary Ann Thompson, otherwise Williams,
whom mean to sell to the highest and fairest
bidder Gentlemen, it Is her wish, as we'll as mine,
I o,,t, n hnru
serpent. l took her for my comfort, but she has
been to me domestic curse, night Invasion
and daily devil. Gentlemen, may God deliver
us from troublesome wives and frolicsome
women Avoid them as You would
mad dog, roaring lion, loaded pistol cholera
morbrs or Mount Etna In an eruption. With ALT the
faults OF Mrs. Thompson, gentlemen, she has some
good traits. She can read novels and milk cows,
weep tears until she is as juicy as watermelon,
and the brine stands on her face like the perspl
ration on the side Of an ice PITCHER; she can scOd
her maid into Mysteries, and sing Moore's lnelo
dies like an ANGEL makes good rum, gin and
whiskey sings, and Is judge Of the quality as
long as she can stand up. Anybody in want OF
such an article now has the opportunity, and may
| the blessings OF Heaven attend him."
The good creature, according TO the record, was
Knocked down for the SUM Of twenty shlllings and
Newfoundland dog.
In South Carolina 1t Is proposed to effect this
species OF separation between unsympathetlc
souls more decently, and bill for the purpose
has been introduced By Mr.. uagooi, the member
from Plckens and referred 10 the judiciary COM
mit;ee. 1t is, practically, q reproduction Of the
New York statute on the subject, and, 1t is under
Stood will be superseded by another bill, which
will embrace the best features OF the divorce laws
of all the States. One OF the new features pro
posed Is that alter divorce has taken place, the
parties shall stand In precisely the same relations
as before marriage, possess the same rights, and
marry again If they please. In other words, It is
held to be useless and unjust to compel separated
couples to run at large, with no privilege Of being
taken in out OF tile co!d-livlng as 1t were fast
fettered to corpse.n
Again, 1t is proposed To prohibit mere separa-
tion from bed and board. II there Is sufficient
cause for permanent divorce, 1t is held that he
act should he absolute. The system Of limited iii.
vorcas, however, prevails to some extent IN the
Northern States. AS 10 the causes OF divorce, the
following are likely TO be The basis Of legislation
OH this braiich Of the subject: Adultery; impo-
tency at the TIME Of making The matrimonial COLI
tract: sentcnc" anil confinement in the Pcntcn.
tiary, jail or House Of Correction FOR certain
term Of years; desertIon for pcrlod OF from two