The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-04-07
and minnesota Cham in the Southern states.

is observable In one Territory ana three
States north OF Mason and Dixon's line. II
was divorce to 1907 marriages IN new
Mexico in 1870, and 10 2,6l5 in 1880, IN
New Hampshire the ratio for these two dates
was to $50 and 1856; in Illinois, TO 407 and
OIL. and in Michigan, to 403 and 260.
The work of the officiating clergyman or
magistrate exhibits the least permanency IN
the Territories, but II should be added that
several of the States have nothing TO boast oil
in this respect In Wyoming marriage OUT
of every l22 was annulled in 1870, and out
of every l15 in 1880 The ratio in Utah for
these two dates was / to 1856 aud 2lS; in
Rhode Island. to 2O3 and 1907 in Colorado
to $50 and 1856, IN Connecticut TO 2i6 ana
$40 in Oregon, TO 2iS and ITO; in Montana,
1 TO 257 and $50; IN Nevada, to 265 and no.
in Indiana, to 27l and 2G2 in Washington,
to go and 2o2 In Idaho, ] to 292 ana 24Si
i'm Maine 10 33l and 20i in California | TO |
1856 and 235, and in Vermont, TO $50 and
ass. The only States in which there was an |
Improvement in 1850 over 1870 were Yer !
mont. Connecticut and New York, and In |
the Territories of Utah and Wyoming. Inc |
highly moral aud intellectual state OF Mas
sachusetts is excluded from this roll OF honor |
The ratio Of divorces TO marriages III lhat
Commonwealth In 1870 was TO OSi and in
1850 II was 10 5t6.
Perhaps the most interesting table accom-
panying Mr.. Wtights report Is that relat'
Ing TO the chief causes Of diyorce-adultery,
cruelty, dcscrtion, drunkenness, ana neRs
lcct To provide. II indicates their relative
prevalence throughout the Union, the ex-
tent that they operate In the various states,
and the sex that il the greater offender
n,r,inst tho virtues that make domestic har
mony and happiness. The divorces granted
| from 1867 10 1887 are by no means equally
| divided between the two sexes. Whether
| or moi wives are moro prone than husbanus
| 10 seek divorce the fact Is indisputable that
| they are more successful III securing ~
| While 2l0077 divorces were granted TO lhe
| one sex during the two decades, Only oJo
were granted to the other, The clnssilica-
| ton of divorces by causes dlscloses that
| with only one curious and perhaps easily
| accounted for exception, husbands are more
| guilty than wives OF the oiicnses that work
| "A dissolution Of the marriage tie This ex-
| ccption is found in the divorces for adultery,
| 2g,4S0 having been granted 10 wives aud
| ~, 100 to husbands but this remarkable Tact
| Il due probably not to the greater iniidcliiy
| Of women, but 10 the greater WILLINGNESS OF
women 20 overlook aud forgive the inildelity
of men.
The cause that appears 10 be most pro-
| doictiye of divorce, or IL put forward most
frequently ~ ground for divorce, y dcscr-
| ton. II operated In favor OF 20, w deserted
wives and 81, l3s deserted husbands. Adult
|
| comes third aud under this head the record
| of husbands IL black indeed. Their conduct
| wns such that a. lO wives He'd Ia the courts
| aud found In divorce n needed protection
| Lovely aud angelic ~ women ARE, q, lOl hen
| pcckcd husbands ayailed themselves OF the
same source Of protection. drunkenness Is
| the least spcuOus of the four main causes
| Ina the annnls Of American divorce Only
l2lll wives obtained divorces on this ground
| mud only l. i32 husbands. The neglect 10
| provide IL, OF course. nn oiicnsc that wives
| alone complain OF seriously: at least. no nus
| band was successful In getting divorce be-
| cause his wife refused 10 SUPPORT him. His
| delinquency In this respect was however
the sullicicnt rnusr Tor divorce IN I,Ols cases
| TO combinations Of these and minor causes
| 82,5l7 wives aud 1896 husbands owed their
| dolvcnncc from marital bondage, aud under
/ the head OF "nll other causes Mr.. Wright
/ records the further dcliycrancc of ~, lhj
| wivc, aud 500 husbands.
| A full analysis ~ the operation Of the sew
| crul causes IN the various States aud Terri
| toric. can not now Ice undertaken. few
| only Of the more interesting aud salient
| points disclosed 10y Mr.. Mnghts statistics
| can be given. The first observation to be
| made l. that the causes of divorce are not
| distributed gcosraphically-th II, n pnrte-
| ular case does not appear TO operate more
| In one section than Ia another. NeNefthe-
less. a certain oilcnse u recorded as thc ren-
son Tor divorce much more frequently m ore
State than In another. For instance, adul
tery figures oftcnrr In the divorce courts ol
New York than Ia any other state. si'i
| wives and b.i02 husbands being released
from their sinful partners during the two
decades Illinois, with =, 12Sdiyurccs To wivc.
aud g,735 To husbands, Ohio, with 2,6is ANA
. 100 10 the two SEXES respectively, aud Mas
sachusctts, with l,6ss 10 wives aud '5z1 70
| al MuaaNfHlflapttN
Connecticut, New Jersey aud Maryland ar'
the only States In which moro divorces lol
adultery were granted TO women than t'
: Apmln. cruel husbands appear 90 be mon
4 numerous la Illinois aud cruel wives NOR
4 numerous In Massachusetts, than la any othe
| States. Au52 divorces iur cruelty were granite
I. to wives. aud hln 10 husbands la the furme
\ state. aud $50 To- husbands aLd 2 s0i io wiz,
4 Ia the latter. Following Illinois are one
ii with 1850 divorces 90 wives aud 2Gi To hu
T., bands. aud Indiana, With 2,sh Ia wives an
y. ga 10 husbands. Illinois also heads the "
,i Of states for drunken husbands In TIA
N. STATE 2,vi1 divorces were granted 10 WN
y. ! and gis To husbands. Ohio. which IN sccoh
y. 2OlD ia wives aud rs 10 husbands low
no thlri. 40 10 wives anl o. to husbands, an
lie MnssachusctU, fourth, std 10 wives aud u
no to husbands.
~ Curiously enough, moro divorces We
al GRANTED ~ husbands because OF drunk
ho wives In Rhode Island nnd Pcnnsylvnn
M. than In any other States. In Maine, Ne
ne HAMPSHIRE Vermont, New Jersey, Nirgini
liz south Carolina and New Mexico no wives
/. husbands sought dcii,omncc from drunk
he partners. Indiana husbands have the wof
~ reputation ns providers. one thousand u
!. hundred aud foriy.ninc Indiana wives We
". divorced from non supporting hushah'
In Arkansas, with 1870 divorces TO WV
m. Michigan, with 1, lli aud Rhode Island vi
in 6sn come next No wife Ia Connocucl
ew New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Montat
VA. New Mexico Virginia, West Virginia MOI
Ii. Carolina. South Carolina hnd louisa
lie Obtained a divorce iof nou.suppofI !
.nr divorces for a combination 81 thc Tour mi
ihe causes with minor causes wefc more irequ'
nm. Ina Indiana than elsewhere, CIV bel
arc granted 10 wiyc, aud .i3i to husbands.
H.. The next States under this head are MI
om iran. with 500 10 wives aud aoI 10 Ia
hands. Connecticut with AXIS 90 wives a
ia, i.tbg 10 husbands and Rhode Island, "
.re sJl 10 wives aud go a. husbands
.ulo Asnn abstract ~ the divorce laws OF
Nm various State, and Territories u reserved
Zen Nc. Wright iuf his fall wport Il h impV
, a. bic ~ point nut the relation between ia
Tie nul tic frequency of divorce in these ~
art aud rcrritodcs. but u h. probable that
any relation ts quite direct. and that thc REM
1, IA fof the great prevalence ot divorce, ~
zero uuis Tor instance. is to b' found in the
arc. form OF the diyofrc Law. ui that state.
-. ] sHaHa
4, M. Sewaii. OF Aubura, uas - to.stri
-, Nj Drturr W. srWsii. at Aubufu park, M.
a H., the iHst dmWinr " tho Louisiana state Tow
u ~ held Unt tr1th nftirtct SO u.lht the q uui
al 4 10 " al