Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-17

year after year it is introduced
into the House Of Lords, and time
after time it is rejected on the second read
ing. The Royal Dukes invariably come
down en- masse on this occasion 70 vote for
the Dill, originally. it was said, in order
that Princess Beatrice might marry her
orotner-in-law, ths Grand Duke Of Hesse;
the bishops in their aprons and CATERS also
come down en- masse and vote againstlt. IL
IS sort OF duel Of Princes versus Bishops;
but the Spiritual Lords are in the majority,
and SO far have won the day. In the mean
while many an honest couple are waiting
wearily for the leeitimization OF their
union. and many husband and wife
legally married in the colonies haze to sub
init 70 the injustice Of seeing their children
treated as illegitimate in the mother country
and debarred from inheriting either titles
or property.
On the whole, polite society in London re-
CARDS these unauthorized unions in q very
tolerant spirit, and the deceased Wifs's sister,
if not accorded the full privileges Of wife,
does not undergo very severe form Of social
ostracism. One Of the best-known cases Of
this kind Is that of the artist. Mr.. Holman
Hunt and his wife; and only this spring the
subject was once more threshed out by
society when the Hon. John Collier, brother
to Lord MonksTell, and himself an
able portrait painter, married the
youngest daughter Of Prof. Huxley, his
first wife, the Professors eldest daugh-
ter having died some three years ago. In
order to render the union as correct as
circumstances would permit, the young
couple were legally married at Christiania.
Mr.. Burnand. too, the genial and inImItabls
editor of Punch, has married his sister-in-
Nnw~~ kraeH Hon . kho,-
dispense with the legal sanction. having
provided himself, as a Catholic, with the
Papal dispensation. The dispensation was
refused BY Cardinal Manning, but Mr..
Burnand fortunately possessed influential
friends at the Vatican, and Plus TX. proved
himself more accommodating.
A CURIOUS DISTINCTION.
The deceased wife's sister bill, as intro
duced into the House Of Lords, never in
cludcs within its scope the marriage Of
woman with her deceased husbands brother.
In countries where the distinction is main
tanned, curious point Of law would GER
tainly arise if we suppose that two brothers
having married two sisters, and one partner
in each union having died, the remaining
brother and sister-in-law wished to marry
one another. Regarded as the marriage Of
q man with bis deceased wife's sister. It
would be illegal considered with equal accu-
racy, as the union Of a woman with her de-
ceased husbands brother, it would be le-
gal. The lay mind feels quite unequal 70
the solution Of the problem.
One other little inconsistency Of our law
must not be omitted. Although for matri-
monial purposes the Wife's sister is placed
in the category Of blood relations, for testa-
mentary purposes she is regarded by the law
as an absolute stranger. Thus. when q man
leaves legacy to his sister-in-law, the full
probate duty Of 10 per cent on the amounts
claimedl
1t was great joy to polite society-which
loathes q solemn wedding breakfast-When
the hours for celebrating matrlmony were
extended till in the afternoon. Previous
to that, any couple wishing TO be married
after u o'clock had to obtain q special
license at a cost Of $3.50 from the Arch
bishop Of Canterbury. As His Grace en-
tered q strong conscientious objection to
ladies appearing in church in evening dress,
he has persistently declined to grant .
license for any hour later than o'clock.
Marriage by banns, to be called in the
church on three consecutive Sundays, is, Of
course. the usual mode Of procedure, but in
London, at least, it is considered tres bour-
geois to have ones name called 10 church,
and smart marriages are always By special
license, which can be obtained for . few
guineas.
RUNAWAY uATcHEs.
Runaway matches in England usually
take place before the registrar, an official
whose Office is generally to be found in close
proximity to the parish Workhouse. Here
you can be married by special license at 3
few hours notice, and at very small cost.
It was in this way that q pretty heiress.
Mrs. Lena Scott was entrappsd into mar
-iage by Mr.. Edgar Sebright an impecunizr
,us individual who had designs on her
fortune. The ceremony was subsequently,
snnulled on the grounds Of undue influence,
and the case furnished the cause celebro OF
The season, some few years back.
If q man runs away with q ward in
case which not unfrequently
can not only be prosecuted, but
also suffer imprisonment at the pleasure Of
the Chancery Judge, who always insists on
bis wards fortune being strictly tied up for
her sole benefit; but the marriage cannot bo
snnulled-
As will be seen from the above sketch,
he English marriage laws still leave beau
soup q desirer from the point Of view Of
and common sense. Some
lay, not very far distant, it is to be hoped
We shall enjoy . simpler system, in
which women win be uniformly treated
IN the same footing as men. Az
woman, ] have always been specially in
crested in the marriage question, for il Is
ny experience that whenever there are great
inequalities or Irregularities in the law, Il
8 chiefly the women who are the Vietima
To q great extent, fancy, from what
earned when in your country, that il must
,e 80 in the United States at the present
lay; and both here and in America the best
emedy is to be found BY giving to women
he legitimate influence Of the political
Tote. n. n. dixie.