The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-05-21
SCOTTISH MARRIAGE LAW,

Some three weeks ego a CasC
was reported of a novel irregular
marriage which had been contracted
in Glasgow BY two young Irish people
who applied to Sheriff Lees to have
their union duly registered. The
name OF the bridegroom was Charles
Black, a seaman on board the stamel
COrnsoran, of Glasgow, and that o
the bride Bridget Scott. The sheriff
ordered the girl to produce the certi-
6Cate of her birth, aud, this having
bee q done. his Lordship on Monday
pronounced deliversnce, in which
be finds that the. couple contracted
an irregular marriage on the Both
nltimo, in a house at 80 Gloucester
street; that the female petitioner lived
in Scotland for tWenty-one days inn
mediately proceeding such marriage.
He therefore grants wsrrsnts In
terms of the act 19 and 90 Vic, cap
So, to the Register of 1radeston
District to enter the said marriage in
the register kept by him.
In note the sheriff says: This
is an unsatisfactory case. TIE petit
TONERS seemed little more than CHI
dren, but they say they are twenty
and seventeen years old respectively.
Unable to get married il Ireland
under twenty one without their
parents consent, they have come to
Scotland to avail themselves OF the
unfortunate Isxity of Laws which
allows boy of fourteen to marry
girl OF twelve, even against their
parents will. To form such q mar
riage irregularity 1t is not necessary to
come before q sheriff; and it is quite
erroneous to SPEAK, as is often done,
OF sheriff marrying people. He
cannot do so. No one in Scotland
can, save q clergyman. But where
psrties-instead of going before a
clergyman after proclamation Of bans
or notice on the Registrars board
have contented themselves With de-
clsring themselves man and wife 10
presence of witnesses. they are EMIT
led, under statute passed st the
iustigation of Lord Brougham in
1856. to apply to the sheriff OF the
county in which the marriage was
contracted for a warrant to have it
registered. such applications are
not uncommon. Last year there
we're one hundred and forty-three
made to this court. By the Registra. |!
ion act of 1854 the supervision OF tae
Registrars books was imposed on the |
sheriff; and, though they have |
subsequently been relieved to SIM
'xtent OF this dnty, no correction of
my entry and no entry of any irreg
liar marriage can be made without
judicial sanction. The petitioners,
Ieslrous to get the regular marriage
which they have contracted pu. on Il
be register, have consequently made
De present application. Toe CUES
ION is, whether on the evidence ad
uced by them, am justified in
ranting the warrant they craved.
10 statute since 1856 has further
the indulgent laxity OF cur
aw or exempted Irish people from its
cope; and the pIoOt au0ucsd Wac
efficient on every point except The
&c of the parties. In CONSEQUENCE J
requested further proof OF the eirl's
&c. This has now been furnishes,
few days ago the girls mother
made affidavit IN Dublin that the pirl
within three months of being
Wenty-tWo years of age, but that she
ad been unable to get any such Ger
fcste at ST. Andrews Chanel in
)nblin, where soc says tbs girl was
aptjzed. This is, perhaps, hardlg
latter for surprise, for the pirl
eclares she is only seventeen and
ON her dimlnutive appearance 7 :
realty doub: if she is so mach. tn
lake matters worse, the boys father
as written to me saying bis son is 6
ghteen and not twenty, that be and
le girl are OF different reIipions and
rging me not to authorize the 70
slrstion Of the marriage. Il seems
} me deplorable that any ENCOURAGE
lent should be given to snch g
MON, but as the proof ia regard IN
e ages of the applicants. thonob
Of so satisfactory ascould be wished
yet not insufficient, 7 have M :
,tion save to grant warrant for re.
stration of their marriage. "-Mqn.
ester Enc. J Guardian.