Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1877-11-01
The Legislature.

We hayo heretofore referred to certain
measures Of legislation looking to reform
and economy, which merit the prompt atten-
tion Of our law makers. Financial reform is
not, however, tho only thing that should ens
gage their attention. There arc laws OH our
statute books that strike ut tho moral and
social character of our people and threaten
to destroy tho unity and purity of tho family.
Wo arc satisfied there is no single creation Of
tho Radical party which is calculated to work
groator and moro irrcparablo injury to the
truo interests Of our State than tho divorce
law. Its poisonous influence has hardly yet
touched tho manhood and character Of our
people. All our habits OF thinking were
averso to tho abominablo thing, and hence
timo has been necessary to make it respectable
and lead it into tho walks Of the bcttcr class
of society. It's evil fruits have not yet been
maturcd and harvested, but if it stands on
our statute books, how long before divorces in
our State will become common and (ashone
able. Wc look to tho day when lawyers will
make the obtaining Of divorces speciality
and when people will marry and unmarry
merely for change of partners. Tho time
may come when its evil influences will be
little less than practical free loyism. Tho
unity md indissolublity Of tho family is
essential to tho highest typo Of civilization,
and through tho family arc the education and
morality of the rising generation secured.
South Carolina for nearly ono hundred
years lived without such law on her statute
books, and no State has produced grander
galaxy Of statesmen, soldiers and scholars,
nor can any State boast of higher order OF
morality and integrity than pcrvadcd the
masses in South Carolina. Her banks ro..
1cctcd tho credit of the people, and gave to
her money circulation at rar in every State
of tho Union. Her position was second 10
that Of no State in the Union.
The Mosaic law allowed Of divorce for ono
cause only, and this VIC regard was abrogatcd
in tho Now Testament. If divorce law has
no divine sanction We feel suro it can rcycr
got the appreciation of an enlightened public
opinion. What has given birth to free lovism
in tho Northwest, and what moro excuses the
immoralities Of Mormonsm than the easy.
divorce laws Of those States? We hear of no
votarics of these abominablc isms in tho South,
and divorces in the South have been either
unknown or Of difficult Attachment. We can
conceive of nothing moro likely to breed
domestic infclicity between persons who would
bear and lorbcar and live happily wcrc their
nnion indissoluble, but who under an easy
divorce system crimina.e and rccriminatc
each other until they separate and soon seek
divorce. Tho present law Of two years
abandonment is premium for domestic
brawls and separation. Until it becomes
fashionable no one Gun fully appreciate tho evil
consequences Of this law to society. Let it be
at once repealed, and ne tho constitution pre-
vides for divorce laws to DO enacted by the
Legislature, let law bc passed that adultery
alone shall be ground for divorce, and this
shall be established in open court, and tho
fact bo found by q jury. Let tho law be such
that the innocent or suing party alone can DO
divorced, and perhaps the occurrence of a suit
for divorce will DO rare. AS to ourselves VIC
would prefer that the constitution should be
amended so rs to permit divorce for no cause
whatever. Tho marital relation should Lo
entered into with caution and with q full
knowledge of its responsibilities. This will
mover be dJno while divorces can be bought
and sold for a few dollars, which in timo will
bo the case here, if the divorce law DO contn-
ued in force.
We arc willing in case the present law be
modified or repealed, that it be with proyiso
that nll suits for divorce pending at tho pas
sage Of the act shall be tried and determined
according to tho existing law. We think this
would be right and just. When parties have
separated for the period Of two years as pro.
vidcd in tho act and suit has been Instituted wc
think tho suit should DO continued and the
divorce granted For the future let tho mars
South Carolina.
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