The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-01-08
THE REGULATION OF MARRIAGE.
a Proposed 4ct n, Near YoTI---A Ief1cr
s0s<s Measure.
New YORK Evening Post

'AseT io1A evening ECst-
Apropoged act submitted to the State Bar
association by Mr. EFT. Gerry, Of this CITY,
provides safeguards against the consequences
OF the too easy method of marriage to which
we referred the other day. 1t declares that
marriages shall be solemnized only by min
listers Of the gospel or priests. mayors and
recorders of cites, judges of county courts,
police justices, justices Of the peace, Justices
and Judges of conrts of record, and that there
snail be beside at least ore witness OF the
ceremony; and it prescribes these rules for
their guidance IN the matter, which we con-
dense from the draft Of tine proposed act:
1T shall be the duty Of the minister or
other parson authorized to perform such
ceremony, before doing SO, to ascertain by
examination under cath, to be administered
by him, and separate and apart from each
other OF each OF the persons concerned and
OF any other person, ~ the names, ages, and
residences Of the parties to the proposed
marriage and of their parents, if living; (2)
whether either party is related to the other.
and how and whether the marriage is with
the free will and consent of each party: Isl
whether either OF them has been married or
divorced, and if SO, the name OF the previous
husband or wife, the time Of death or di-
yorce, and the ground Of divorce: % name
and residence of the witness. or names and
residences OF two witnesses if there is more
than one. Such examination shall be reduc
ed to writing, and subscribed by the persons
examined and by the minister or other per-
former OF the ceremony. A person who
shall wlllfully make false statement under
this oath shall, upon conviction, be adjudged
guilty OF willfnl and corrupt perjury, and
shall be imprisoned in State prison for
term not exceeding ten years. Every minis
ter or other person who shall soIemnize q
marriage where either of the parties, within
his knowledge shah be under duress 4or
lunatIc, or to which, within his knowledge,
any legal impeachment exists, or who shall
willfully violate any Of the foregoing pro
visions, shall be deemed guilty of INSIDE
nleanor, punishable by fine or i'm
prisonment, or both. The minister
or other person performing the cere-
mony shall attach to the examination o
written certificate specifying the names.
residences. color, and nationality of the per-
sons hurried, names and residences of the
witnesses or witness, the time and place of
the marriage, and certifying further that
the persons married were known to the min
lister or other person performing the cere-
mony, or factorily proved, by the oath
of the parties themselves, or person
known to him, to be the persons described
in such certificate, and that they were of
sufficient age to contract marriage. and that
after due inquiry made there appeared no
lawful impeachment to such marriage, and he
thereupon solemnized the same in accord
ance with the laws of this State. The person
performing the ceremony will sign the Ger
tifcate, and it shall be subscribed by the
witness or witnesses. The certificate
within three days shall be forwarded
with certificate Of Identification of
the minister or other person by a
magistrate of the county-to the secretary of
state of the State of New York, TO be recorded
by him; and the person performing the cere
Inony shall deliver to either party to the mar
riage who shall require 1t a duplicate OF the
certificate
Cergymen would find the solemnizatien
of marriages under such restrictions as these
q more troublesome matter than It now is.
Some of them might hesitate sometimes to
undertake the work. Certainly it would not
pay to undertake it in consideration of an
envelope containing the Enclosure, 81 will
see you i'll few days." which seems to have
been the meagre compensation of the Rev.
MIR. Virgin on 8 recent occasion. Some
such regulations as these, however. are prop
er and necessary, and if they should be
adopted marriage might not be SO easy, but
If vonl1 ha safer