Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1877-06-26
HARPER's FERRY BRIDGE.

A valued contributor sends us for publica-
ton the following remarks on the above
named romantic locality.
Il seems to us that it is high time that
marriages on the bridge, at Harper's Ferry,
the Gretna Green of America, should share
the fate of those of Gretna Green of Scot
land. The situation and circumstances of
both places, and of the marriages performed
there-it would be absurd to say, solemnized
are almost the Same. Each is on the border
of two jurisdictions, on one side of which,
license is with difficulty obtained, and the
marriage ceremony serious on the other.
license is readily obtained and the marriage
ceremony simple. Itissaid that FIVE hundred
marriages q year took place at Gretna Green,
and q few neighboring places along the
borders of Scotland and England. In July
1856 an act was passed declaring invalid all
future marriages of the sort The wonderis,
that such an act was not passed long before.
OF the five hundred marriages a year, some
may have been prosperous and happy ones
but it is easy to imagine-perhaps l should
say hard to imagine-the miserable results of
the youth, inexperience and improvidenoe of
the rest. These remarks apply with equal
propriety to the marriages mumbled over or
ratified through, at both plaoes-G retna Green
and Harper's Ferry Bridge. During last
winter, when tho snow was many inches deep
on the ground, young couples poorly clad,
and without solitary dollar in their united
man and wife's pocket, with which to pay for
we will not say a marriage feast-but
necessary meal, were married on the bridge.
Where many of the couples that get welded
there, procure the Maryland license fee,
which is all Maryland asks for license-she
asks no questions-is the wonder. In this
State, and especially in this county, Tom
Moore asks SO many questions, as to age, con-
dition, consent Of parents, and so>forth, that
it is no wonder he asks very little money
his fee is nominal. The marriages on the
bridge are not confined to poor young people.
Many take place where there is sufficiency
of age, consent of parents and guardians, and
heaps of money. Lydia Languish affairs
The inducement being the romance and
oddly of the thing.
Between Gretua Green marriages, and
those on the Bridge, there is this difference.
to the credit, if we may so speak, of the
former. At Gretna Green the ceremony was
performed by Blacksmith with an old iron
key Now however audaciously irreverent
this may have been, it will seem less abhor-
rent to christian ideas, than that a prayer
book and ring should be used-used, let US
remember, to aid and abet youthful folly and
imprudence and that ministers of the Cos
pei, VIII SO preeminent duty it is to teach
and incuIcate the laws of God, should be
found assisting the thoughtless-to use the
very gentlest term-to break one of the most
beautiful of the commandments-"Hon or
thy father and thy mother, &C."
A word or so moro on tho subject. Mar
riage is ceremony at once so religious and
social, that there are those who prefer its
solemnization under the paternal roof and in
presence alone of personal and homo nffec>
ton and influence others however, with a
pardonably high idea of its divine character,
prefer the sacred Edifce, aud the circum-
stances and sanctities of religion alone-bu
what sort of idea of marriage must those
have, aud how fitted they for its high
state, and DELEGATE responsibilities who, un
der any circumstances, are willing to be joined
together, in the dark-on "the Bridge" the
nightly scene, recent criminal investiga
ton in Harrer's Ferry revealed, of crimes,
that it is shameful to think Of and that it
would be impossible to name.
Marriages on tho Bridge have been solemn
lied there for number of years. The insti
tuition is an Inherited evil. We are glad to
know, and happy to state, that tho clergy
now resident in the Ferry, have determined
to be cautious hereafter and to check the
evils of the institution, as far as they possi>
bly, can.