New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1885-09-02
MARRIAGE IN CHILL
Serious Obstruction Placed in the way of
Lovers by the Church-The Liberals
Would Enforce the Civil Marriage Act. M

Ser1OuS ODsCructlOn f1aced In the Way OF
Lovers by the Church-The Liberals
Would Enforce the Civil Marriage Act.
It formerly cost $25 to be married by the
church and large part of its revenues
came from thatssource, says the Santiago
correspondent of the Chicago Tribune. The
poems, who scarcely ever are able to ac-
cumulate so much money, therefore lived
in a state Of concubinage, and more than
half the children born in Chill were lille
climate. Now amarriage certificate can be
secured from a civil magistrate for 25
cents, and persons cohabiting without it
are subject to fine and impris onment. The
archbishop has issued decree excommu-
nicating from the church all persons who
are married by the civil rite, and the Cath
olics OF the country, comprising 80 per
cent. OF the population, are in a serious di-
lemma. They are compelled to choose be-
tween accommodation. and imprison-
ment, therefore, in the upper classes,
weddings are no longer fashiona BILE
Some people go first to the church
and then to the magistrate, and run the
risk OF communication, but the more
conscientious prefer to remain single.
just now in Santiago THERE'S a. young man
OF brilliant attainments, a member Of con-
gress. and a leader OF the Liberal party, who
wants to marry the daughter OF a promi-
nent merchant. The engagement has been
existing for several years, and both parties
are willing to fulfill it according to a civil
law, but the girls mother is a devout Cath
Ole, land cannot be convinced that wedding
without the blessing OF a priest is matri-
nony. The young man will go to 4he church
as well as to the MAGISTRATE, but the arch
bishop has forbidden any priest to marry
4 n fill |, L:
political record. This he refuses to make,
and the couple are preparing to go to the
United States or some European country
to have the cerem ony performed.
A few weeks ago there was a marriage in
high life in one of the south provinces of
Chill which attracted wide attention from
the fact that it was the first definance OF
the church in that part of the country
The Sunday following the parties were de-
nounced from the pulpit of the cathedral
by the bishop, and the Catholic newspaper
publised some very brutal comments to
the effect that the young couple had placed
themselves on the level OF beasts by CO.
habitiDg without the blessing OF the church.
The BRIDES brother hammered the editor
SO that he will be q cripple for life, and
would have given the bishop a similar
chastisement had not the latter kept out
OF the way. ..
At the next presidential election, which
occurs next spring, the issue will be the en-
forcement OF the civil marriage law, and
il the Liberal party is successful, as it I'M
doubtedly will be- some measures will be
taken to reduce the church to subsection,
and a law has already been proposed to ex-
pei from the country priests who intimi-
date citizens from obeying the civil mar
riage act. This will be open war and priests
who threaten to excommunicate will be
sent to exile, where they will shortly be fol-
lowed by the monks and nuns, and gen.
rral confiscation OF church property will
be the next step. 1t is estimated that one
third of the entire property in Chilli is
owned by the church.