New-York tribune., 1872-04-23
NINTTTRES IN MOBfLF,

Lately, in the City Of Mobile, n Justice OF
the Peace, named Lc Fevre, married John
Brantley, q white man, to Nancy Jones, re-
puted mulattO, about whose strain, as Will
presently be seen, there is some doubt.
Brantley had been living in concubinage with
this woman, in full sight Of the fastidious
society of Mobile, for period Of fourteen
years; and by her he Lad become the father
of three children. For some reason which is
not stated in the report before US, Brant-
ley was arrested for illegal cohabita-
ton with Jones. He employed as his
attorneys Messrs. Il. & O. j. Semmes, who
advised him to marry the woman for the
reason that, if he still lived with her in con-
cubinagc he would be exposed to continual
prosecution. Like good client, Bran;lcy fol-
lowed the advice Of lis lawyers, and Justice
of the Peace regularly married him to Nancy.
All Mobile Immediately became Indignant.
To quote the local newspaper, I" the sensi-
"bilitics of the people" were intensely ex-
cited against "the dcgradatiOns and hor-
"rors of mOngrelismn "We will have no
completely" said tho exaspcratcd edi-
tor, with that which helps to de-
"basc our Southern type Of manhood" That
is, John Brantley, cohabiting Illegally with a
woman, and giving to society crop of ille-
climate children, was still perfect gentle
man; but John Brantlcy marrying the mother
of these children and thus legitimating them,
was doing something which "helped to debase
"the Southern type Of manhOodm No wonder
there was u row, ri OF, and iumpus about it in
Mobile.
In the discussions which eGsued, it was held
Cby indignant cditors) that Brantley by these
purgatoral nuptials had violated that section
of the Code Of the State of Alabama which
provides that 10 white person shall marry
"any negro, or the descendants of any negro
"to the third generation inclusive" Messrs
II. a. 0. }. Semmcs, put upon their trial ut
the bar of public opinion, defended the advice
which they had given to Brantlcy by stating
that Nancy, when questioned, ayerred that
"her ancestors had been creoles for many
generations, and that she had no negro
"ancestor as near as the third gen
"eratiOn" She did not come, therefore,
within the statute, and Messrs. Semmcs gave
an opinion to that effect not only to Brant-
ley but to the Justice, who was informed that
if he refused to perform the ceremony he
could be compelled by mandamus-and so
he could. That is law wherever there is law
at all. The Justice married the pair accord
ingly, and a good and valid marriage it was,
according to the statute Of Alabama, without
any reference whatever to the Civil Rights
Act of Congress. The Messrs. Semmes take
care TO inform the sensitive public of Mobile
that they have as little taste for mixed mar
riages as anybody; but what, they properly
ask, "has this to do with the administration
"of the laws Of Alabama 7"
We trust that Messrs Semmes and Mr.. JUS
tice Le Fevre, and Mr.. Bridegroom Brantley
and Mrs. Nancy Brantley (born Jones), and
all the little jones' Brantleys, viii have no
further trouble about this matter. The mar
riage is just as. good marriage, in the sight
of God and man, and by Statute Law, and
Common Law, and Civil Law, and Ecclesias
teal Law. and, for aught We know, by Law
Merchant and Maritime Law, as ever was SOL
emnized. Nothing can be found against it in
the Pandects of Justinian, nothing in the
biggest fOliOs of Puhendorf, nothing in Coke
upon Littletop. nothing in Blackstone's Com