Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1886-04-03
TO TIE PEOPLE OF LAFAYETTE
COUNTY.

With great reluctance, and with sincere re-
greet | find it necessary in self-iefen,e 10 pub
licly answer The Warming by the Rev. 7. p.
Cobb. Silence under the circumstances might
be construed as Il virtual confession of inf
deity to the rust ahd confidence you have 20
long and so generously reposed in me, and
which, to merit, l have devoted the energies
and capacities of the best years of my life. 1t
is not my purpose in this reply TO enter into
all the details iu connection with the affair OF
which Mr.. Cobb complains. That would ne
cessitate The Use OF the nalaes of others for
whom l entertain the highest respect. and
whose tender sensibilities, no doubt, would
be wounded. and l will not disturb the quiet
happiness that abides with them in their coy
cottage home in a neighbOrinS town, Beside
this there are other considerations and rea-
sons why l greatly desire to make this an
swer aud explanation AS mild and free from
personal a!lu>iOn As possible. Since the mar
riage license law became operative, there
have been issued from this Office in round
numbers sieoen hundred licenses; of this large
number we have been misled in three cases
only of which | have any knowledge; and |
may be permitted to say that | doubt if there
is a recorder in the state whose record is aug
better in this respect. 1t is my habit, and
the rule to use every precaution and inyesti-
gate carefully and closely every application,
and to act in all cases with prudence and
caution. And what motive, nay | ask, could
l possibly have to issue IA license illegally :
Surely no one who knows me will say that
the prospect of the gain of the fee of one dol
lar would be an incentive to violate the law
or wrong my fellow-slan. This law, like
many others enacted by our legislature in the
last ten years, is so vague and indefinite that
scarcely two men Will agree as TO the mean
ing of its provisions. With regard to the
character of the testimony respecting tht
ages of the applicants it is as silent rs The
grave. 1t clothes the recorder with no au-
thOrity to require the aifiGavits ofthe parties
and should he refuse to issue the license upon
the testimony produced, and the applicants
prove to have attained their majority the
penalties are certain and severe. Before TIN
marriage license law was placed upon the
statutes, and the ministers and magistrate
) performed the ceremony without license. j
p frequently happened that these dignitaries
conscientious and cautious Us they seuerall.
are, were misled and deceived by the state
ments of those seeking their services. Thi
, license law has removed all responsibility
; from them, numerous Is they are in eyer.
county, and placed it all upon one man in eacl
, county, the recorder of deeds. Some of tn
grandest and noblest Christian ministers
has been my good fortune to know have beef
2 victimized in this matter, and L now ventur
the prediction that should my brother live tt
see the change he seems so greatly to desire
he will discover that nv successor, whoeve
I he may be, is not infallible, but like US all, i
. and will be liable to be imposed upon. Re
=, specttully, JACOB d. CONNER,