Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1881-04-01
The Ethics 0: Divorce.
IHE TSpIssoLUBILITY OF wEDLocK AMONG
THE LATIN RACES

lnL lNpIsSOLl btl-llh pr NADLo' ANO-''
THE LATIN RACES
london Telegraph
The inlissolubility of wedlock, which
for the most part characterizes Latin
races is simply due to the plain hlstorl-
cal fact that the Reformation made little
or no progress in countries under Latin
domination. and that the Council of Trent
was the first General Council which pro-
claimed absolute indissolublllty. The
consequence was that it became point
Of honor with all Catholic Princes and
peeplcs to adhere to the Council III tins
AS in other matters, while the Protestant
nations leaut TO the side of easier separa-
tions. We cannot say that the social re-
suits in the countries that renamed
under the control of the Vatican are such
as to lnaht. the advocates OF ndlssolubIll-
tyreloice. All comparisons are invidious,
and there are facts which cannot be tabu-
lated or brought to statistical proof.
Yet it certainly may be said that, as rs-
CARDS fidelity to marriage VOWS, Italy,
Spain. France, and the South American
Republics are. if We may trust the I'M
pressions of all observers, on n lower
level than England, Germany, or the
United States. The very number OF the
separations granted yearly in francois
more than double the annual amount of
separations and divorces pronounced III
England, while ''semi-detached couples
in Italy and Spain are conspicuous
enough 1t can hardly be contended.
therefore, that the marriage bond-which
includes love and domestic union as well
as the mere legal restraints more
reverenced III the countries where 1t can
never be dissolved, those in the the states
where it can be renounced. The exces-
sive facilities for complete several offered
by the laws Of Switzerland and the Unit
ed States have their own evils, nodoubt;
but the extreme Of positive indissolubill-
ty is not without its dangers.
Men and women find in this absolute
barrier to a new union kind of excuse for
a wild license of manners that despises
all restraints and abjures all forms OF
fidelity The readiness with which III
some American and German States mar
ried persons dissolve old ties and form
new ones has in 1t, no doubt, something
at once ludicrous and contemptlble; but,
after all, the parties contract mutual, legal
and social obligations, and 1t is possible
enough that happiness may be found IN
marriage even when the first has been
lightly dissolved In Latin countries the
too frequent resource of the separate
though undivorced couples is a kind OF
second union neither recognized by
society, by morality, nor by law dissolu-
bic at any caprice, and tending usually to
degrade both parties. This evil follow
ing now the rigid rule of the Roman Com
munien was abated in old times by the
discipline of the church.
The husband of the wife who had erred
was liable to be summoned before an
Ecclesiastical Court, and anything like
the spectacle Of open and unabashed in
fidelity now displayed In Latin countries
by married persons was impossible where
the priests had full power to impose seri-
GUS penances. At the present day the
church retains the theory Of lndlssoluble
contracts bat is obliged to condone the
vice that too often follows actual separa-
ton, so that the corrective influence OF
her old system is lost She forces hus-
band and wife to remain legally chained
together but cannot forbid either TO take
revenge in wild license, When the
English Church at the Reformation re
tanned the Roman doctrine of indissOluble
marriage many of the bishops wished TO
revive the old discipline, but 1t was con
sidered unsuited to the age.
Subsequently the skill of our lawyers
provided our wealthier classes with those
facilities for the dissolution OF marriage
which, bv the net of 1857, were extended
to all. The Latin nations, however, have
retained one part Of the Roman practice
without the rest they can punish hus
bands and wives by refusing divorce, but
no other weapon is at their command.
Thus they include matrlmony among the
penalties Of the law. That view Of the
question is not unnatural to a priesthood
all celibatts There was some humol
i.,.! a bachelor point Of view IN Pi'
Nonos remark when he heard of tn
marriage OF Pere Hyacinthe: "Ah
heaven has many ways OF chastlsln'
erring men and bringing them to repen
tance