Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-12-13
FRENCH HUSBANDS.
American Wedding Ceremonies Nave No
Recognition in France.

American Wedding Ceremonies Nave No
Recognition in France.
United States Consul Wilson. sta
toned at Nice, France. makes the fol-
lowing grave report on an evil that
should be corrected:
Il desire to call the attention of the
department TO this subject in the hope
that some mode may be found to pre-
vent citizens of the United States marry
inc French citizens from being unwit-
tingly entrapped, that is the right
word, into making marriage which IS
good enough in the United States, or
where made, but is mock marriage in
France.
1t seems to me this matter calls for
the intervention Of the Government.
for Government can have no higher
duty to it, citizens than to throw such
protection around them aS chat they
may not be thus entrapped, or. if they
will Try. that il will not be done in
the belief that the marriage. because
valid according to the laws of his or
her own country. the United States,
where it is performed, is therefore valid
in France. the country of which the
other party is citizen. That these
things occur and are productive Of
great misery to American citizens who
are in a condition least able to bear it.
is. alas, too manifest in the number of
American (and English) women who
are in France, the cast-off and dis
charged wives Of Frenchmen. lido but
state fact well known to everybody.
except. apparently. to those girls (and
their parents or guardians) who are
about TO marry Frenchmen, and the
minister of the Gospel authorized to
marry them.
Il regard it as useless to attempt to
make anv treaty or other arrangement
with the French Government by which
all marriages made in the United
States, even though in strict accord
ance with its laws, shall here be recog-
nizcd a> legal.
The customs and law of France and
its conservatism concerning the etat
civil of its citizens. the necessity for
publicity of the marriage. and the Op-
portunity required to prevent it if lie
Gal, together with the recognized au-
thority of the parent over the family.
are too strong to be overbOrne and set
aside in order to do justice to those for
eigners who may have put their foot in
IT by marrying citizens in another
country
Another reason exists why no ar
rangement can ever be made with
France Frenchmen, As well as some
others. are shocked at the rapidity and
tiippancy. not to mention the clandeS-
tinitv. with which marriages are not
infrequcntly contracted in the United
States They do not believe they are
or ought to be valid
A clandeStine acquaintance or
courtship. ending in a runaway match.
inaumurated with ladder and lam
tern. a midnight flight. hurried mar
riagc en- de>habillr. and furious
father arriving few minutes too late
to call this valid marriage may do
in the United States. but To ask the
law of France to do So would be to ask
impoSSibilitjcS 1t would be regarded
as but Youthful eScapadc. not a serl-
Gus matter one to be overlooked and
excused, and his family would justify
and protect him when. after having
sOwn his Wild oats. got tired Of eating
IhuskS in foreign land, he returns TO
his home to take his proper place
among them.
The objects of the Institution of
marriage are 80 different in the two
countries that their different customs
can not be reCOnCiled
In France the patriarchial theory
prevails to a great extent. and the fam
ily more than the individual is the unit.
Family councils are recognized by law.
which have and exercise as complete