Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-02-05
DaiIp Krnnehtl 3ournal.
Divorce Reform.

ing of those good and notable men before the
Judiciary Committee. Tuesday last, to write
anything on this all important question, soon
to come before that august body, the honora-
BILE members of the legislature; yet. can
not let the opportunity pass, without saying
what feel, and know to be true. in favor of
reforming AS great an evil as intemperance;
indeed it is one form of intemperance. |
have seen SO much suffering. so much sorrow.
lifelong grief and sadness, caused by di-
vorce. that the word alone has power TO strike
terror, even horror, to NV soul. The sever
ing of the marriage tie is cruel, unnat-
ural, except for extreme or special causes.
The twain have become one flesh. their hearts
are entwined together. and it must ever re-
suit in one of the parties feeling wronged,
and deeply wronged while life shall last. |
have never known case where it was other
wise. 1t Is so different from losing ones
companion bv death. How bird We are
when we think it is the greatest sorrow that
can come to us to stand by the death-beds and
open coffns of those we love. Marriage is a
holy tie. Can one make a vow before God
and think no more about it ? certainly not.
if they have any mind, any conscience, which
admit some do not appear to have. There
fore the innocent are made to suffer for the
guilty. | think there is nothing more un-
natural, more painful than the position of the
children of divorced parents. 1t is a source
of never ceasing pain to stand between the
two, with a heart filled with equal love for
both no orphan can experience such sense
of desolaton. 1t is, TO say the least, heri-
tage of sorrow, to say nothing of the agony OF
the heart-broken husband or wife, who must
L. h.lx al
panion living with another, who is in every
sense bound to them by duty and solemn
vows. l think the present divorce law is re-
voting to pure mind, and to any one who
has had a moral, intellectual and religious
training. Christ said when questioned con-
corning divorce, that Moses suffered a bill
of enforcement to be given" but he added,
''because of the hardness of your hearts"
St. Paul said, "Let every man have his
own wife, and every woman have her own
husband l recommend you, yet not l, but
the Lord, let not the wife leave her hus-
band. and husbands put not away your
wives" have many cases of divorce in
mind of which have scarcely time or space
to mention more than two or three. The
first are quite an aged couple who had lived
together nearly forty years, and reared a large
family of children. The husband and father
and respected by all, fell dangerously ill;
everything was done that devoted family
could do, yet he rose from that bed of sick
ness broken in body and mind. After time
he fancied he had renewed his youth he
was the only one that did not realize his con-
ditiOn of mind he thought he did not want
the aged wife any longer, who was tried and
true, and had grown old with him; that an
other younger and untried would make him
more comfortable and happy in his old age.
So when the children were away, and there
was no one to aid her, and the weather and
condition of the roads were bad, he took two
very poor men for witnesses, who would be
glad of the money, and drove long distance
to the shire town and procured a divorce,
and the present divorce law sanctioned it. In
time the aged wife and mother had to leave
her home to make room for another woman
Ga widow and her children. In the mean
time, the old gentleman had been influenced
against his children by the new woman, who
wanted all his property, and was fearful
his children would prevent her getting it, so
she was artful enough to take advantage
of his condition of mind which was ap-
preaching imbecility, and make tool
of him to Injure his children. But
what of the aged wife and mother during
the persecution of the children? Why, only
this | never approach the house on my
way to see her, but hear her praying, in
such broken voice that never shall forget
it to my dying day, for God to comfort and
give her strength to bear it; that she may
be again restored to husband and home; that
she may die in peace, knowing her children
will have their just rights.
The second case have in mind is that of
a middIe-aged couple, with one little son.
ba k.t a ofr an1 amp1nvn1
a young clerk, a mere boy, to assist him.
The wife was in delicate circumstances, and
a young married woman, whose husband
was away, came to assist about the
housework an intimacy sprang up be-
tween the husband and the Young woman.
Then he pretended to be jealous of his wife
and quarreled with her, and finally carried
her, with the little son, to lonely farmhouse
that was unoccuped Three days later he
found her dying. A few weeks afterwards
this young married woman went as house
keeper for the be1eared nidorer. Her hus-
band heard of it and came hastily upon the
scene in a terrible passion of anger. She re-
turned home and applied for a divorce, alleg
ing neglect, &c. Her husband intended to
appear against her and prevent it, but
found himself out-witted by money and
fraud. She returned home from the scene
of her triumph, and married the country
store-k keeper and widower within five days.
I am reminded just here Of question ask
ed by one Of the committee on Tuesday last
whether a law which prevented divorced
party from marrying again under two years
would not be likely to lead to the commission
of crime? | will now ask a question. Has
not the present divorce law already led to the
commission of crime? And of two evils /
say choose the least. / should not think any
decent persons who had cause to separate
from their companions would want to marry
again under two years or more, if they could
ever bring themselves to again trust another.
or to hear the marriage VOWS. Men and
women of pure hearts and noble minds,
regard the marriage relation as sacred.
Divorce instead of being used for the purpose
that Law makers first intended, has become an
abuse; for the evil the pro-
fligate, under cover of the law
| TO practice what is no better than Mormonism ;
and legislators instead of correcting the
abuse, have turned shudderingly from this
| inexhaustible source of evil that contami-
mates our social atmosphere, without giving
q remedy. | earnestly hope and trust that
this present legislature will do something
toward reforming law under which so much
wrong has been done; and protect their
daughters in the future from what others have
| suffered in the nasf I am wi williny tho y,rosop,