Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-12-12
A VERY FRENCHY MARRIAGE,

Strange Ceremony Performed dy u Pa
riSiUn Parent.
Concerning the comparatively recent
odd ceremony by which NJ. Reclus, q
French scientist, gave away his two daugh-
tiers in marriage, the Paris correspondent
of the Philadelphia Press writes, under
date of November TO- as follows: Every
week has its surprises for Paris; the latest
one is the extraordinary marriage cese-
mony which took place at a dinner party
only a few days back. When the dessert
was brought on Elisee Reclus, the host,
married his two daugeters to two gentle
men of about their own ages. The sole
formula made use of was as follows: ''Be
husband and wife; I bless you
increase and multiply, and come to dine
with me whenever you wish to-" Shortly
afterward the two young ladies took their
departure, arm in arm with the two gen
tlemen and accompanied them to their re-
spective residences. This is what the
members of the political school to which
Mr.. Reclus belongs call free marriage"
that is. marriage which neither the
church nor the state have had anything to
do with. In Scotland and a number of
the states of the Union such marriage
would be a perfectly valid one, but in
France, where marriages must of necessi-
ty be celebrated by the MARE, and where
there are formalities of all kinds that
must be observed. this free marriage
is no marriage at all; the young
wives have no protection to expect
from the law should their husbands prove
unfaithful or abandon them, will have no
claim upon their property in the event of
their death, and the children who may be
born to these unions will be Legitimate,
unless the fathers see fit to adopt them in
due form, and even then they will only
have right of inheritance jointly with
the collateral heirs of their fathers. If
MIR. Reclus was one of the noisy politi-
clans in blouses of the QUARTER ST. An
tome, his conduct in this matter would be
of little Importance to any one except the
two young girls whose happiness he has
risked in order to reduce his theory to
practice. But Mr.. Reclus is parsonage
of some Importance. He is a
son of a Protestant clergy
man, and has during the
whole of his life been a conspicuous sup
porter of republican ideas. The coup
d'etat of Napoleon III. sent him into exile
for six OF seven years, which he spent in
extended travels over Europe and America,
On his return to France he became con-
tributor to- the Tour dG Monde and the
Rerue DIES Deue Mondes. His articles were
founded on the notes that he had gathered
during mis- travels, and they attracted
great deal of attention. When the Amer
lean civil war broke out Mr.. Reclus was
one of the warmest and most active
friends that the Union had in France.
His articles on the subject did a great
deal toward forming public opinion in
favor of the cause of Mr.. Lincoln and
of the Northern states. So valua-
BILE were the services which he thus rem
dered that the American minister in Paris
wished, on behalf of his government, to
recognize them in substantial manner,
an offer which, although he was then in
very moderate circumstances, Mr.. Reclus
declined, declaring that what he had writ
ten had been written in the cause of lib
erty and right and not for the purpose of
gain. The chief literary successes of Mr..
Reclus have been in the production of
popular works on scientific subjects. He
is an active member of the Geographic
society and member of its central COM
mittee. During the siege of Paris Mr.
Reclus, although no longer liable to mill
tary duty, enlisted in the battalions de la
Marche, but refused to accept commits
sion. Having taken sides with the COM
mune he was, after an imprisonment Of
seven months, sent before court martial,
convicted and sentenced to transportation.
The scientific world protested loudly in
his behalf. Darwin, Professor Williamson,
and Lord Amberly were among the princi-
pal signers of petition for his pardon,
which proved successful. There can be no
doubt about the sincerity of the convic-
tions of Mr.. Reclus, but if, as a servant,
he considers that the incense and Latin of
the Holy Catholic Roman and Apostolic
church are of no avail in securing true hap
piness in the holy state of matrimony, still,
as a father, he had certainly carried his
ideas to an extravagant point in throwing
his daughters into the arms of two men,
no matter how honorable they may be,
without the protection that the law of the
land would have accorded to them as
wives of this free marriage" even in
France, where there are more indulgence
in such matters than elsewhere, it is to be
feared that the young wives will find that
the consideration that attaches to the mar
ried state will be refused them.
HUGO AND HIS PLAY.
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