Daily Yellowstone journal., 1885-10-30
THE LAW OF FRANCE
CONGO .tNlNG THE VALIDITY Js MAR
RACES IN THIS COUNTRY.
Cases Where Those Contracted In IA.
UnitsI states BECOME InvaIId-
An sVIdsnt Need OF Legisla-
tIon 4 Serious Question.
C.nml MlIsol's Rennrt.l

desire TO call the attention Of the de
partment 10 This subject in the hope that
some way may lie found to prevent citizens
oil the nilel States marrying French cit.
zens from being unwittingy eatrapped
that IS tie righI word into making
marriage which is good enough in the
niled iAtcs tr where il may be made,
but II is n mock marriage in france
II seems 10 me this matter calls for the
inteYG ,tiOn of the 20 ernment FIR Il
government can have no higher duty TO
It's citizens than TO throw sucn protection
around them as that they NAV not be
thus Uutla ped, or, if they will marry,
that il will not be done in the belief that
the marriage, because valid according 10
the laws Ul his or her own country-the
/ nited : latcs where ii is pertormed-is
therefore valid in France the country Of
which the other party Is tHen.
That these things occur, and are pro
du'liNe Of great misery 10 American Citi-
ems who are in condition least alb e TO
bear II, Is, alas, too manifest IN the mum
Der OF american and English women who
are in France, the cast oil aud dis harged
wives of trenchmcn. do Oul 5 ate fact
well known, except apparently 10 those
Glr.s their parents aud guarlia
who aIe about 10 marry trenclmcn ard
the minister Of the spell authorized 10
marry them
REICH CUSTOM.
The customs and law Of France. and it,
conservatism concerning the "eIat riviI "
OF It's citizens. the necessity for pubi city
Of the marriage, IA d the opportunity re
quired tu prevent il. il illegal together
q a l. .a1. l..
pareut over the family. are Too strong Ia
be overcome aud set aside in order u dc
Just &C To those foreigners who may have
put tGeiT fout in il by marrying reuch
citizens IN another country
Another reason exists why no such ar
RAJ cement can ever be made with rance.
Frenchmen. as well as some others. are
shocked al the rapidity and ip! ancy. mol
TO mention the Clandestinity, with which
marriages are not infrequently contracted
in the [ nited States. They do not be
lieve they are or ought To be valid,
4 ciRndestine acquaintance OF court
| ship, ending in runaway match inaug.
urate1 with a ladder and lantern. a
midnight flight, hurried marriage en-
deshauil G. aud furious father arriving q
few minutes too late-tO call this valid
MARI age may do in the United States
but 10 ask the law Of France to acknowl
edge il would be TO ask impOssibilities
II would be regarded US but youthful
esCapade. not serious matter; one 10 bt
overlooked and excused. ana the youth
family would Justify and protest hin
when, after having sown his wild oats
got tired Of earning husks IN a foreicr
| land. he returns 10 his home 10 take hi
pro- er Place among them.
FAMILY y. lNlITIDvN.
The oh ects Of the institution OF MARI a :,
are so di Great in tie two countiius tina
their different customs can not be recon
ciied.
In France the patriarchal theory pre-
val to great extent. aud the famill
more than the individual is the unit
Family councils are recognized by Law
VIII CHI have and exercise as complete iul
isdiCliOn over the movements and fate o.
individuals as ever did court Of chan
Ger. Accordingly the prime oh. ect 0
marriage after french ideas and custom
is the Foundation Of family The hap
piness OF the contracting parties, or thei
love for each other is a secondary con
sideratiun The arrangements Of n mar
! rage are made aud its suitability DEGREES
By the heads Of the two respective fam
lilies.
In the United States the man an
woman to be married are considered a
the parties most interested, and su the
make the arrangements. In rance Il
parents consider themselves most inte
estcd. aud So they make The arrangement
This is the custom Of the country, an
every one Yields 10 it, 4 French wuma
with a husband and child. separate
from each other aud both sick. W al
leave her husband ard Iiv 10 her child
The husband aud wife in their relation I
each other are regarded in public esiimd
tion as only secondary and incidental {
the primary and main ob .ect-the family
In France men over - years of age an
women over ? may marry without Ill
consent OF their parents. b { IL can on
be after making three aCtes Respectively
that is, petitions ia formal aud respertfI
language, addressed 10 the parents solici
ing their ronseut with an interval Of on
month between each.
EhG4ANi's PRECAUTIONS.
The same trouble EXISTS in France 4
respects marriages made in England, an
the English government has taken som
Steps tu protect its sub ects BY first pr,
viding for a certificate of the French col
sui, as agreed on between the two goyeri
ments, and notified 10 the consuls by CT
cular from the French government of lie
%, 1884. that the fOrmalites of the FrenC
law have been complied with by IL
French citizen; and, second, warning a
registrars throughout the kingdom not
celebrate any marriage TO which Frenc
citizen is party without the productio
Of this certificate