Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-10-04
Our Divorce Law.

The conviction that some material modif
cation Of the divorce law of this State is de-
manded by important public considerations,
is so strong and general, that the Legisla-
ture can hardly avoid taking the subject up
in earnest, at its session now at hand. Yer
mont has heretofore been surpassed only by
| Connecticut in the number of divorces in
proportion to marriages and since Connect
cut has made her law more stringent, our
State probably has the unpleasant distinc-
ton OF being the State where divorces are
easiest and most plenty, among the New
England States. The last change of our
law, permitting divorces to be granted only
upon trial in open court, which it was hoped
would check the frequency Of applications
for dissolution Of the marriage tie, has failed
of its object. Divorces are as numerous as
ever, and there is little doubt that many of
them are procured by COLLISION between the
parties. Perjury is believed to be frequent.
Marriages hastily contracted are as hastily
D'Okcn, III orueT tnht hnotuer perhaps
equally discordant union may be made with
a new partner Public morals and the good
name of our State suffer by this condition of
things; and the religious bodies in our State,
the Press and the courts have given wide ex
preston to their desire for a new law on
this subject. The law should be made to
guard the family-the true organic unit Of
the State, as DR.. Woolsey so forcibly main
tains and not to minister TO caprice and
passion, much less, as now it often does, to
crime. Doubtless the causes for which di-
vorce may be granted should be reduced
and at any rate 1t would seem wise to re-
strict the ease with which divorced parties
contract new marriages. ''ln very
many cases. raid a Judge of the
Supreme Court, in our hearing, lately,
"the parties to divorce, one or BOTH
have new marriage in view. and their next
partner or partners picked out, before they |
petition for divorce" liza new union were
not made 40 easy, the parties To the old |
might often find it far more endurable If. |
as in England, the guilty party were for
hidden to marry again, in cases where a |
divorce has been decreed for adultery, we |
doubt not that there would be fewer adul- |
teries and fewer divorces for adultery. If |
when a divorce is granted for dcsertion,
neither party were allowed to marry again |
for a term Of years. there would be fewer |
desertiOns and fewer divorces And in |
many of the cases in which divorce. |
are now granted probably the legal "separa-
ton" provided under the Massachusetts code,
viii oh does not allow Of another marriage |
during the life Of either party. would afford
all the relief really demanded either by the
welfare of the parties or the good of society.
Exactly what changes should be made in the
law, it will be for the "wisd ON and virtue"
Of the State to decide but that a change in
the line of greater striDgency in our divorce
law is demanded, cannot be questioned. As
was well said in the report on this subject
recently adopted by the Rutland Association
Of Congregational Ministers
ih'ai iapiy laws VI Easy ulVOrce tend 10 |
restlessness among the unprincipled and un-
happy, and have been found to offer a pre-
MUM to thOughtless marriages. The fact Of
strict and unyielding laws on this subject
will do more to make men and women seri-
ously consider the very serious step
they arc taking in marrying than
IN any other cause. And many who
have not the wisdom and viz
tue to make their married life peaceful, will
he led to do 50 by the consideration that
there is no escape from it. And where mu-
tual concessions and selfrestrants and
efforts for harmony are thus induced, it
will be found. not only that all the Gle
ments OF happy married life are at hand.
but that it is at last teaching its true lesson
and bringing its intended culture, It is no
less clear that the good of society requires
these preyentiyes Of easy divorce, than that
the words Of onr Great Teacher demand
them.