New-York tribune., 1883-11-04


the passage Of such act young couple calea one
evening and asked me to marry them. They were nc
companied by a young who represented hlmseH 10
be the girls guardian. had my msglHngs Gnu III niS'
declined 10 marry them but they assured me that every
thing was proper about tho proposed contract anu 80 "'
last married them In about week the glrls Iatner
came into my study and upbTaded me for marrying MS
daughter who was under age and had run away TO DO
married without her parents CONSENT Inc itoI ~
sbipcaptain and had just returned to the city, Ina'
now as 10 tho legal manageable age, think girl
ought TO he nj least sixteen and young man oghteGn
Fen these arc very Young ages or course people der
as the age at which they mature ana IN Esten co d
tries there Il more excuse TO- such early beothas ah9
marriages than here. In this part Of the world we Soa
not permit the marrying Of boys ana g5 n 1Sr e a Sf Sf
age to wise choice, and much different seleG
another reform needed and that is a civil bureau to u
Cense marriages Let persons go there first and SATISFY
then n thew wish TO come to minister bring license
with them A moderate fec could be charged Tor tnc
Inc eyaminations | understand that this plan has
worked well where It has tried and am suro The
human misery II Il can by agtating this subject
the passage OF law to establish such clNll occ, u m
office established to take from them the heavy moral
not legal responsibility Tor improper marriages
ASSISTAET-BISHOP POTTER
Assistant Bishop Henry @. Potter, though busy with
the affairs Of his diocese found time to say in response
TO the reporters query that he should be perfectly Will
Ing to quoted saying that in his opinion the state
laws regarding marriage stood very much IN need OF
revision.
as there any rule OF the Protestant Episcopal Church
against such extremely carly marriages T.
"No, there are canOnoal rules against then Dut l.
like most Cergmen, have been much aYerse TO marrying
me- that the law allows marriage nt too early an age
did not know that this law was In force"
THE REV. DIR. CROSBY
The Rev Howard Crosby said he had not Thought OF
the subject in all its boarings but it struck him that
two persons physically qualified to marty no materhow
young should apply to be married. that the law would
not have right to prevent their marriage He did not
IRENE early age allowed by law But such as there
ne thought coul not be legally prevented
THE REV. ROBERT CoLLYER.
at il a great mistake" said the Rev Robert Collyor
pastor of the Church Of tho Messiah. was not aware
that people could marry at twelve and fourteen II thero
Is law restricting the age 1t should certainly he one
with for IT, making the say sixteen and
eighteen, at least fifteen and sixteen But would
rather than that have It eighteen and wcnty0ne, and
then the laws Of majority and marriage would not clash.
ncyer marry young fellow under eighteen. and hate
to 10 It then. Children not fit to marry, and at
that age they are only children. 1t Is not right; our
present marriage laws very deporabc. No. do not
think would marry young girls and boys even with
their parents consent They would have to get my con
sent after that. and would not give IT.
Would you favor the establishment of civil bureau
for the issuing Of marriage liConscsl"
Yes most heartily. It woud be an excellent thing.
They have such an institution in Illinois and it works
very wc though Is ho expected that some officials
will do their duties in sOyCny way especially when
they In and out political tides Thr license system
is some such safeguard as tho custom stu observed in
Massachusetts,. and tho old country Of crying you In
church three Sundays running ,,.....-. j..
the marroge bureau could examine 9Pplcant5 rs 10
their fitness under oath If necessary and issue lcen:e
the bureau aa We send blanks to the Bureau OF Vital
Statistics. Ministers would thus be protected ron I'M
position and much unjust criticism. am sure that leg
islaon or any other means which would cause people
to he careful in entering Into marriage ana ccatc
wholesome one OF the beat ways lessen the number
of divorces and unhappy marriages is to take every pre-
caution possible against improper Inarllages.
THE REV. DIR. MORGAN.
"In twenty years." said tho Roy. Dr. W. T. Morgan,
rector OF St. ThOmass Church. have never been asked
ia marry any under age with perhaps one exception
II any persons Of fourteen should as, me to marry them
should seriously rcmonstrRte with them. / do not
think they are capable of choosing lfcpartnor at that
age and do not undcratand how wcighy and important
aru the duties OF the welded state, am 50 strict IN
] Trn ibinK ink tbS S law might well be amended 10 pre-
vent ven, such early nStTass ia ist %S End m III H''
THE REV. DIR. BOOTH.
Tho Rev Dr. Il. Il. Booth, when spoken TO about the
matter Of early marriages Just before he sailed for
Europe said be had always held very decided views on
the subject aud would marry people underagc ashe
thought PEI younger than that not competent
to mako choice for life, mature enough to take on
them the responsibilities OF marriage He thought that
advance I'm the legal maTragcabc age would bc Saln
ary measure. The idea Of licensing bureau also struck
him ayOrHby, a. an additional safeguard against ul-
happy marriages.
HENRY WARD BEECHER.
The Rev. Henry Ward Beecher was IN pleasant mood
when the reporter asked for his opinion on the legal
marriageable age. "Why," said he, do not believe
one couple IN 10000 marry at twelve and fourteen OF
course n good many do at siXtccn. Eut then girl of
sixteen thinks old any girl under twenty
and any girl under twenty thinks she Is as young IA
sixteen Why if any boy is so foolish to want to
! a fourteen, |
will be the topic wonder for the insatiae press y
THE REV. MR. TALMAGE.
what boys and girls allow ed to at that age "
said the Rev. T. Dewitt TalmGgc; how absurd Well,
II is news to me. marry people under eighteen
and twcnty-one. 1t is generally supposed that man
who wants to marry has to years Of discretion
and able to support his wife Not but that believe
in early III arages but they should be between men and
women and not between boys Hnd girls 1t Is one OF the
worst ideas Of O in this country that man should
make fortune before marrying believe the man and
woman should begin together of the bottom Of the lad
der Then their characters aSsimate better and the
labor Of hands IA to bring enjoyable fruits
! than that Of two hands"
How many people do you marry In year, MI Tai
! mage 2"
| swell the number varies with different years, but
marry a good many Nevertheless send away half Of
those who apply to because there is something sus-
piciOus about them. don't want anything to DO with
runway narTageS. uscd to be deceived occasionally
bc cforc became ObsoTyant now am. I wouldn't
marry woman to a man if her parents objected. no
matter how old she On thoy say the wedding is
ali right Very we'll then reply where are your
friends should HE 10 see some OF your relatives pres
cn They Try 10 deceive me- too about tier ayes Idrcss
themselves TO look mature but have got to be good
ecsscr Hge-. presume they 50 to some other min
/ lister and get married alter oil.
Now should think this license system would work
very well think siOud favor it. | know 1t would
help often. and think IL would help others There
nrc class OF people who practise much deception IN
these matters that II would bc wen to have additional
check them. How do know hut sOmo OF them are
divorced and forbidden To marry again All thezG
things make very careful. should think the law
Ought 10 be changed In regard 20 the mnriable age All
| nonsense this marrying Of boys and girls!
1RISTOCRACY AND DEMOCRACY.
A 1periDf