National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-08-31
DIVORCES IN THE DISTRICT.

When Congress in 1870 made Its first es-
say toward change of the law In relation
TO marriage and divorce, so as to allow ab.
solute divorce for cause other than adultery,
there were not wanting a host Of objec-
tons who insisted that the interference Of
the Legislature with customs long estab-
lished and growing, as it were, out of the
very framework of society, could not fail
to be detrimental. They deprecated es-
pecially any interference with the institu-
ton of marriage, and urged that with re.
spect to the law Of marriage, change could
not be reform, and would be full Of peril
to the best interests Of society in this Dis
trict. The suggestion Of this journal that
there were evident cases of hardship under
the then condition of law that needed to be
guarded against in the future, drew 70 our
letter-box and waste basket host Of let
tiers, in which brood ofprophets, ll-omened
as flock Of ravens, presaged dire calami-
tiesto the District from the proposed change.
It was said that the divorces would soon
equal IL not excel the number Of marriages,
that dissatisfied couples from the adjacent
States would rush to Washington to be le-
gally nd of their marital obligations and
make the Capitol aguilty city, deserv-
ing the wrath or heaven. We propose to
test these vaccinations by the light of ex-
perience. .---r7 ID. ...r -..r ....1
Under the law as existing in this
District previous To June, 1870, q divorce
from the, bond of matrimony could be
granted in no case where the parties to the
marriage were both in their, right mind,
unmarried, and not matrimonislly inca
pscitated at the time Of marriage, unless
for one cause and that cause adultery. But
Congress in june, 1870, gave the courts OF
the District the power to grant divoyces
from the bond of matrimony for three other
causes, viz: First, 'habitual drunkenness
for period Of three years Of the party
complained against" Second. " cruelty Of
treatment endangering the life or health of
the party Complaining" Third, "wilful
desertion and abandonment by the party
complained of against the party complain
ing for the full uninterrupted space of two
years" ~ .a.-i.s ~ 5ry,a}i
1t win be seen this totally changed the
status of divorce. Not only drunkenness
or cruelty, but even desertion, If con-
tinued, authorized the Judge TO undo the
minister's work. Even many Of those who
were convinced that the old law was too
stringent and worked at times Igrieyous
wrong, were not without apprehension that
the gates Of divorce had been set open TOO
wide. : Yet experience has shown that all
these approximations were groundless. The
rfocks who 1t was said would come into the
District to be divorced, have never, come.
The courts stil manage to transact all
their business, and yet have Considerable
vacations. The marriages average 40 per
month, and the divorces never reach Che
tenth of that number and do not average
one to twenty marriages. Indeed, 1t Is .
notable fact that. notwithstanding the easy
divorce law, as 1t b called, the number Of
divorce cases on the docket Of the Supreme
Court Of the District has not increased !