Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-10-11

condition OF either act, are matters
which belong to legislation and the
courts, which represent our public
not to the church. OF
course, within the ecclesiastical circle
that is, within the church member
ship-the church has a right to make
and enforce its own rules. But that
the voice of any teacher ofthe church
or the opinion of the great founder of
the church has anything more than an
advisory force cannot be admitted
and divorce are personal
matters, and the making or mnulling
Of the marriage contract must be
largely left to the affection, the judg
ment and the good sense Of the parties
themselves.
THE OMNIBUS CLAUSE.
Different States have different laws,
In one State the causes or grounds Of
permitted divorce are moro numerous
than in another. In certain States
the courts can grant their permission
for certain specific causes and no
others. In certain other States dis
cretionary power is left with the judge
In the statutes Of Maine, in 1870,
after certain specific causes had been
mentioned, we find that divorce may
be granted by any Justice of the Su-
preme Court Whenever, in the exer>
else OF sound discretion, he deems
it reasonable and proper, conducive to
domestic harmony and consistent with
the peace and morality Of society il
the parties were married in the State
or cohabited there after marriage "
A similar clause is found in several
other States. This is called the omni
bus clause by the church party, and
against, the lecturer said, all their
thunder is directed. They make the
claim that this clause encourages
divorces; that there are too many
divorces, that public morality is de-
moralized thereby and that where
there are such easy divorces there is
no respect for the marriage tie. Mr.
Murray said that if these arguments
we're true there would be less domes
tic morality and happiness in States
where these divorce laws were in force
than in places where the law was
stricter, and in Catholic countries,
where no divorce is allowed, there
would be the most happiness in the
marriage state. France allows no d.
vorce; England does. Were wom,n
better treated in France than in Eng
land2 Spain allows no divorce; Ger
many does. Was there more conjugal
happiness among the Spaniardsl
NOT TOO MANY DIVORCES.
He asserted that there were not too
many divorces, and that the reason
why the divorce laws are becoming
more liberal is because women are be
coming to be recognized as having
equal rights with men. The law il
beginning to protect them from life
long servitude to a drunken or a bru
tai husband.
How are we to make the marriag
permanent he asked. Will it be b.
making it more difficult for dissatisfied
parties to obtain separation LII
might be done so, then how easil
might 1t be donel The road would b
straight and Heaven not half mil
away. But, friends, you all know
that marriage cannot be made perma
nent in that way. You might as wei
try TO eradicate small pox by prevent
ing the eruption on the skin. Dlvorc
is only symptom oil disease in tn
social body. Practical men recogniZ
this, Our laws, therefore, recogniz
! it. Law is not oppressive. 1t is n
worker Of mischief. 1t does not caus
divorce. II is merciful, consideratt
| full Of wise pity. 1t sees a woman i
uncomfortable bondage, writes her
proclamation Of liberty, and says, m
daughter, you are free Law does nc
cause the trouble. Law is a remed.
Divorce is remedy. Divorce MAR
tains the sanctity of marriage, instea
of destroying it. The voice OF the la
is the voice Of the people-tho voiC
of that sense Of justice and mere
decency and the fitness Of thing
which declares that the marrial
bord, the marriage institution, sha
not be dishonored, degraded, scanda
ized by being associated with drum
enness, uniaithfulness, lewdness, or
city and those petty tyrannies viii
would make marriage abhorred a.
despised. II you wish to make t
marriage bondIabhorred in this oou
try, a thing from which every sensit
O and sensitive young woman "
shrink, tie it to drunkenness. tie it
. cruelty, tie 1t to persistent desertiC
I tie it to negleat, tie it to these will
= knot so tightly drawn that only {
r axe Of death can cut it, and the you
women of this country in body,w
d in twenty years declare against mi
: riage.
THE REMEDY.
What is the remedy you may a
The movement will work its own re
edy, Woman will gradually beoo
Ie more seli-protective as to her hap
v ness, and hence sign the marrll
d contract with greater caution. NJ
81 will become more guarded IN join
ie with another in a contract which
IS poses upon him duties and respoL
bilities which cannot be performed
connection with a tickle, iriyol'
or unhelpful helpmeot. Drunkenn
and the cruelty aud neglect spring
8; therefrom stand answerable for !
cd the divorces obtained in New Engla
d. When the average New England &
l in the interest Of self-protection,
lt fuses to marry man Of drink
J, habits, a large per centage OF dive
cases in New England will be stric
from the annual record at strC
nd And so shall q remedy, through
ss, action Of natural, slowly acting,
npss adequate causes, be found for
rod disease.
AZ But, friends, lei no formidable a
- Of statistics alarm you. Let no ala
4 ist brighten you into spasmodic act