The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1878-12-05
Divorce in Old Times and New

Divorce existed in all ages at Rome,
and was always private act. For
long time it was not abused by the
Romans, but towards the latter part of
the republic and under the empire,
divorces became very common. Seneca
notices this laxity of manners; and
gives remarkable instance OF Roman
matron, who is said to have gone the
round of eight husbands in five years.
Pompey divorced his wife Mucia. Cicero
speaks of Paula Valeria as being ready
to serve her husband with notice 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 so
dissolved the marriage. This might be
done in the wife's absence. Cicero
divorced his wife Terentia by letter.
The laws in the several Grecian States
regarding divorce 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 wife. The
Spartans seldom divorced their wives.
The Ephori fined Lysander for repudi-
ating his wife.
An Arab may divorce his wife on the
slightest occasion. So easy and so COM
mon is the practice that Buckhardt as
sures us that he has seen Arabs not more
than forty-ive years of age who were
known to have had fifty wives, yet they
rarely have more than one at time.
By the Mohammedan law man may
divorce his wife orally and without any
ceremony; he pays her portion, gem
orally one-third, of her dowry. He may
divorce her twice and take her again
without her consent, but if he puts her
aw by a triple divorce conveyed IN
the same sentence he can not receive her
again until she has been married and dl-
vorced by another husband.
| By the Jewish law it appears that
wife 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 husband may divorce his
wife upon the slightest ground, or even
without assigning any reason. She Is
under the absolute control of her hus-
/ band.
The law of France before the revolu-
thin, following the judgment OF the
Catholic Church, held marriage to be
indissoluble; but during the early revolu-
tionary period divorce was permitted at
the pleasure of the parties when in
compatibility of temper was alleg-
ed. The Code Napoleon restricted
this liberty. On the restoration OF the
Bourbons law was promulgated, May
s, 1916, declaring divorce to be abolish
ed; that all suits then pending for di-
vorce, for definite cause, should be for
separation only, and that all steps then
taken for divorce by mutual consent
should be void; and such is now the
law of France.
The power of the courts to grant linn
| tied divorces is well settled in THE coun-
try. Cruel and inhuman treatment and
abandonment are frequent grounds OF
| action. Austerity of temper, sallies OF
passion, abusive language and mere in
dignities to the moral character or rep
utation of his wife, vulgar or harsh
language, with such epithets that deep
ly wound the feelings and excite the
passions, without any menace indicating
violence to the person, do not afford
sufficient grounds of divorce. Ii wife
render her husbands condition
intolerable and his life burden
some," or if her conduct is so violent
and outra geous as to render the proper
discharge of the duties of married life
Impossible, it is good ground of sep
aration from her. Such abuse OF in
dignities offered by the wife to the hus-
band would not justify him in turning
. her out of doors; he must show some
, cruel or barbarous treatment or danger
of his life as would entitlc him to di-
, yorce. Desertion or abandonment by
either husband or wife is one ground
{ for divorce; but the desertion or aban-
: donment must be Intentional. or willful
! and malicious, with an intent to re-
, nounce and disregard the marriage re-
f lation. The refusal of wife to remove
: with her husband to foreign country
: is not willful desertion. If q husband
should 90 away and live apart from his
wife it is not considered desertior
within the meaning of the statutes o.
!, New Jersey. The failure to supply thu
: wife with such necessaries and comforts
= as are within the husbands circum
= !, stances, and thus by cruelty compelling
= her to quit him, amounts to actua
= abandonment and desertion.-Albdn
i LdW journal.
ot ACCORDING to recently publishe
,s statistics there are more deaf mute!