The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1873-08-29
MARRIAGE 4ND DTr>

Anowieuge' the defender Of
equality and personal libertr llaI'i,
and consistent advocate Of oa a'.l he
the marriage tie. Whateyer - san s4a'a'l
of its alleged perversions Of e
doctrine, there can be no disDn,s.IS' ,.I'.'' =
faithful manner in which : - sO'l'
mission In these respects. Fs
last it has especially been zeal. ,.- ny
forts to fortify and strengthen IN ~
sible manner the domestic r.,,,
which the very foundations os
laid. 1t has taught the worl5
marriage ceremony is a sacra,r..,
Church, scarcely less sacred tb,,.
and, by stoutly denying the ricl, !.
to put away his wife for apv Ts..
ever, it has made good the mana,
what God has Joined together nor-
put asunder. 1t was but natural :
general breaking away from III. ;
sway of the Church in matters n
which followed the ReformatioD Il
velop a tendency to strip the mar.
lation of measure at least Of #,
character, although only extrenir,5
gone so far as to insist that it sb,-g,
garded strictly and exclusiyelv ,.
contract. With every fresh scbi,-
ever, has been devised a marria,s -
ny, differing more or less from At :
and, in the United States, such ~
tude has been allowed by the I,v
anxiety to avoid an infringement
dividual rights, as to render the >,
portant relation of life the NOS
and uncertain, not only III resps
method and manner of entering
but, likewise, in reference to its
ton. The fiippant remarks whd
often heard, to The effect tha.
States of the Union, a man cannot
day to day whether he is mau5s
would not be current If the laws
riage and divoI ce were uniform tha,
the country, and framed with pr.
| gard to the stability Of society, alir
waited standard of domestic moraE7
The lack of uniformity in tie n
and divorce laws of this country Is {
avoidable result of the divided
tion of our governmental system
placing the domestic relations ulz
exclusive control of Congress, cgg
thing like harmony be secured. d
opposition to a centraHzation Of
which is so assiduously cultivated gi
large proportion of the America Z
renders such an addition 20 the rr
the general government very L5,
bring about. If our forefathena
as wise in all things as they vEe
they would have conferred up11
exclusive jurisdiction over tie 3-s
lations, and the good Democrats
latter days would have been as sea
in this disposition Of the nsasr
most radical of Republics But
wisdom did not go to this leugia, an
now probably too late to remedy ID
resulting from the oversight.
4 uniform marriage law, nowe7g
a necessary result Of exclusive au
mount jurisdiction in the law-makii
er. The Parliament of Great BIZ
its three branches of Crown, Lord
! Commons, is absolutely sovereign L i
~, and can undo in an hour the t1i
and usages of centuries thougL'
/ British Empire. And yet the law
land in relation to the marriage
differs in many ways from the Law
land, while the law of Scotland Is
dissimilar to both Of them. In q
sion of the country a certain form
mony or proceeding viii be held o
tute a binding marriage while
ties thereto will cross the line 1i'A
division, they will be grayely so
the courts that they have never e
ried at all. Nor is this all ii
p
there are two distinct ciasss Of F-
in England, five in ireland, I'll
Scotland, and there Is a ike 7a1l''
in the grounds for divorce and t5
of obtaining it. An English l'-
commenting upon the delightful
ty which pervades the subject ~
quite possible that, withoutthe -
of any indictable offense, amal @
may be legally married at 0l
same time to two persons tJe
part of the kingdom regarding =
the law in another part OF TX
regarding the second marTL2s
Even the lawmakers and cO--
ana have not yet succeeded II u
a mess Of marriage and dIVo'"
Earnest efforts, however are ="
to effect a change for the be'i.
the unquestioned authority oil -
the attention of which was '.-
subject just before the close o.
session. But the statesmen W
tating the subject, and who AK
to render a repetition oi 'A'
scandal impossible, will ma %,
ged conservatism of the a's.N
hard to overcome, and that o'si
certainties which so frequent!
he is not only content but anA. \
~, and be given in marrlSgs' =.
old uncertain way that suits1
ers.-Phild. Inquirer.