The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-10-24
nlroree n oll rImes and Sow.

Divorce existed in all ages at Rome, and
vas always.a private act. For q long time
II was not abused by the Romans, but to-
ward the latter part Of the Republic and
under the Empire, divorces became very
common. Seneca notices this laxity OF
manners; and Juvenal gives remarkable
Instance Of Roman inatrOn, who is said
TO have gone the round Of eight husbands
IN i've years. Pompey divorced his wife
Mucia. Cicero speaks Of Paula Valeria as
being ready to serve her husband with no.
tice OF divorce, on his return from his
province. Cicero himself divorced his
wife Terentia, after living with her thirty
years. The husband generally took the
keys from his wife, put her out of his
house, gave her back her dowry and 50
dissolved the marriage. This might be
done in the wiie's absence. Cicero divorc-
cd his wife Terentia by letter.
The laws in the several Grecian States
regarding divorces were different, and in
some OF them men were allowed to put
away their wives on slight occasions.
Among the Athenians, either husband or
wife might take the first step. The wife
might leave the husband or the husband
might dismiss the vile. The Spartans
seldom divorced their wives. The Ephori
tined Lysander for repudiating his wife.
An Arab may divorce his wife on the
slightest occasion. So easy and SO COM
mon is tho practice that Burckhardt assures
US that he has seen Arabs not more than
forty-five years OF ago who were known to
have had fifty wives, yet they rarely have
more than one ut time.
BY the Mohammedan law man may
divorce his wife orally and without any
ceremony; he pays her portion, gener-
ally one-third OF her dowry. lie may d.
vorce her twice and take her again with
out her consent, but Il he put her away by
triple divorce conveyed in the same sem
tence he cannot receive her again until she
has been married and divorced by another
husband.
By the Jewish law It appears that a.wiie
could not divorce her husband; but under
the Mohammedan code, for cruelty and
some other causes, she may divorce him.
Among the Hindoos, and also among the
Chinese, q husband may divorce his wife
upon the slightest ground, or even with
out assigning any reason. She is under
tthc absolute control Of her husband.
The law OF France, before the reyolu-
ton, following the judgment Of the Gath
olic Church, held marriage 10 be indissol-
uble; but during the early revolutionary
period divorce was permitted at the pleas.
lre OF the parties when incompatibilily Of
temper was alleged. The Code Napoleon
restricted this liberty, On the restoration
OF the Bourbons law was promulgated,
Sth May, 1916, declaring divorce to be
abolished; that all suits then pending for
divorce, for definile cause, should be for
separation only, and that oil steps then
taken fordivorce by mutual consent should
| DO void; and such isnow the law Of France.
The power OF the courts to grant limited
divorces Is well settled In this country.
Cruel and inhuman treatment and aban-
donment arc frequent grounds Of action.
Austerity OF temper, sallies OF passion,
abusive language and mere indignities to
the moral character or reputation OF his
wife, vulgar or harsh language, with such
epithets that deeply wound the feelings
anu tACltc tuo IVtoeiOiiot Withoub uhg
menace indicating violence to the person,
do not afford sufficient grounds OF divorce
II q wife render her husbands condition
intolerable aud his life burdensome," orif
her conduct is so violent and outrageous as
TO render the proper discharge Of the du.
ties OF married life impossible, 1t is good
ground OF separation from her. Such
abuse or indignities offered by the vile to
the husband would not justify him in
turning her out Of doors; he must show
such cruel or barbarous treatment or dan
ger OF his life as would ontitle him to q
divorce. Desertion or abandonment by
either husband or wife is one ground for
divorce; but the desertion or abandonment
must be intentional, or wilful and malici-
Gus, with an intent to renounce and disrc.
gard tho marriage relation. The refusal Of
wife to remove with her husband to a
foreign country is not wiliul dcsertion.
II husband should 60 away and live
apart from his wife 1t Is not considered q
desertion within the meaning OF the stat
utes OF New Jersey. The failure to supply
the wife with such necessaries and COM
forts as arc within the husbands circum-
stances, and thus by cruelty compelling
her to quit him, amounts TO actual aban.
donment and desertion.-lna Tan VIM
kle in the Albany Lar Journal