The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1875-06-29

the parties agrce TO assume the relations
of husband and wife, with all which
these terms imply, etc. Then
follows this language: "Whereas
the courts Of law have decided that mar
riage is a civil contract and governed by
the same rules rs all other contracts
therefore We hereby agree that this con-
tract exist and be in force during our
physical lives provided our mutual love
natures ever blend as now, but to ter
inmate without prejudice by the wish of
either party if love shall ever cease to
be mutual, which event we trust and be-
lieve never will occur 1t is this feature
which counsel for the State rs | under
stand them urge with most confidence
as showing that either party
believed the marriage legal, and that
therefore it is void. and it is this feature
which has excited, justly as | think,
some measure of public indignation; but
do not think it shows that either party
believed the marriage to be legal. 1t
does show that they were ignorant OF
what the courts of law had decided. 1t
it were the law that marriage was civil
/
all other contracts, then it might follow
that the parties therein might terminate
the contract but no such licentious law
was ever pronounced by any court. The
formation of marriage is a contract pc
culiar to itself The condition Of mar
riage is an institution regulated by law,
and not by the mere caprice of the par
ties. What | have said in regard to the
expression in the ceremony concerning
the duration of the relation of husband
and wife is equally applicable to the
stipulation Of this so-called
agreement The law will have
no regard for any agreement
the parties may make, touching the dis
| solution of union in most forms used for
| the solemnization of marriage. The
| parties pledge themselves to continue the
relation until parted by death, regardless
of which, many OF them seek divorce
which the law grants them without con-
sIdcring the peculiar stipulation of their
marriage agreement concerning its du-
ration. Numerous authorities could be
called to effect, that a marriage will not
be declared void simply because the
/ formality Of the solcmnization direct
/ ed by the statute expressly declares
/ that they shall be void but | am of the
/ opinion that the provisions of our statute
| clearl " makes the marriage under con-
/ sidcration valid. 1t is not nccdful to cite
| such authoritic, in most OF the States Of
the Union where the question
/ has been raised; it ha, been so held.
. ,.,p,luIn tbnt ,I. ,l,fnpIurt'. .,,,tr.rt
Il valid marriage, and such contract AS
can only be dissolved by death or a de-
/ cree of competent court; that the agree
mcnt to dissolve the contract by their
own consent, in case their respective
natures fail to harmonic,
l. in law, void, and in morals
vicious; that if the parties should act
uuder this stipulation for the termination
of the marriage contract and thereafter
enter into II similar marriage contract and
relationship with other parties, they
would be guilty Of bigamy, and that good
morals and sound political ethics, "a well
Us the statute law, require that they
shall be held for perjury to
the marriage contract they have assumed,
and to all the duties and responsibilities
the law attaches thereto and therefore
that tie parties are not guilty as charged
in the indictment.
Naturalization Case Decided.
WASHINGTON, June 2S.-The Attor-
ney-General has decided the question of
naturalization, submitted to him by the
Department of State The facts briefly
are that Nj A. Stenkoauler, partisan
subject by birth, emigrated to the Uni
ted States in 1913, and was naturalized
in ST. Louis In 1854, when he returned
to Germany, he took with
him hIs son, then aged four
years, born in the United States The
son is now twenty years old. The que>-
tion at issue rose rs to the son owing
military service to Germany. The At
tornev General comes to the conclusion
that the boy has two natiOnalities, one
natural and the other acquired. The
father returning to Germany and rcsum-
ing his allegiance, the son partakes OF the
status of the father. lie being a minor,
and having enjoyed the protection of
the German government, he for the
time being or until Of age, owes military
duty, the Obligations being reciprocal .
But when the boy becomes of age he can
return TO the United States as an Ameri. |
can, with all the rights and privileges Il,
such, and would even be eligible to the !
Presidency of the United States.
Wafer Works Officials Indicted.
CGNCINNATI, June 2S.-Thc grand |
Jury to day returned indictments against |
Thomas f. Snelbaker, at present Chief of |
Police and formerly Secretary of the /
Water Works; William Mcrk, city cdi-
tor of the J'o'ks Frecntd, ex-Collector Of /
water rents; J. b. Mccormick, eX-Col- /!
lector of water rents, and Paul Reinler,
formerly trustee of the water /.
works but now Secretary of /
the Board of Trustees of the Longview |.
lunatc asylum, for the embezzIcment Of |
money belonging to the water works, |
and II. A. Bowan, n son of one of the |
present trustees of the water works, for |
grand larceny. These cases nave all been |
brought to light by investigation into the /
management of the water works for some
weeks past, and which is nownearly COM |
pleted.
Aid for the washington Monument.
WAsHINGToN, June Is The Wash.
ingtOn National Monument Society re-
quest the churches and sabbath schools |
of the country to take up a collection on
Sunday, July 4th, to aid in the compile
tion of the monument contributions to be
forwarded to j b H. Smith, Treasurer
of the society at Washington, D. {.
CONDENSED TELEGRAMS.
A dispatch from Berlin says Prince
Frederick William will assist at the
Manoeuvers of the German Iron Clad
Flee. on Wednesday. Until Monday
the American Squadron will witness the
diSnlav