The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-12-04
THEY'D BETTER GO HOME.
THE LEGISLATURE POOLING AWAY ITS
TIME TRYING TO DO WORSE
THAN NOTHING.

TIME TRYING TO DO WORSE
THAN NOTHING.
II is Proposed to Set UP II Ear TO Mar
| riage --- Ab5cviIIe's Delegates are
Oh the Right Side OF the Question
Colmmbin Register.
Mr.. Fickcns substitute for the marriage II
cenSe bills, previously on the calendar, wl'
taken up, and Mr.. Brnwlcy moved to strike
out The enacting words Of The bill.
Mr.. Ficllen briefly explained the pnrport o
the substitute, claiming That the objectiona
Bile features OF the other bills had been rcmov
ell. whilst the provisions guarding the sanctity
of the marriage relations had been maintain
ed. In thirty or more States n marriage IL
cense law was in operation, and there was
strong public sen ntiment all over the State call
ing for the passage of such Il law. Since he
had been identified with the question he had
received numerous letters ahd petitions en-
dorsug It from clergymen and others.
| Mr.. Mct'rady regretted to oppose the Dill o.
his friend from Charleston, but felt compelled
to do so. Why disturb the marriage relation
the subject of divorce, but pass such n bill as
this and it would open the door perhaps tc
the passage of n divorce law. General NC
Grady asked what would be donew the col
ored people If the law was passed? 1t would
be II serious question indeed.
| Mr.. Stepp favored the bill, and gave in
stances showing the absolute necessity o
some record of marriage. In one case a .lady
entitled TO n pension could not receive IL be-
cause. through the lapse OF time ana the dclLn
or removal Of witnesses, her marriage could
not be proven. He regarded the bill as q step
in the right direction, one that wou!d elevate
the negro To higher moral plane. Mr.. Stepr
spoke strongly. though briefly, ana maue
decidedly good impression.
| Mr.. Benct opposed the bill, eulogiZing the
State for it's grand record on the divorce ques
q
American Union. but the only commonwealth
| OF the world wiih such u record. MI Benet
showed that the simplicity OF marriage In
South Carolina was the best safeguard OF wo
men. Surround it with all of these require
ments and it would be as difficult to prove a
| marriage here as 1t would be In France. de
land, and contrasted It with that Of England
where the law protected the man and not tile
woman.
Mr.. Guess moved the indefinite postpone
ment of the whole matter, but withdrew IL to
give Mr.. Ficken the floor.
| Mr.. Ficken agreed with his friend from Alb
beville that this was no light matter, but
| thought that gentleman's remarks were moi
considering the question Of divorce, although
! IT might be german to the subject. This bill
sought TO make the marriage tie stronger
one. and so far from attacking the sanctlty ol
the marriage relation it would add TO thal
sanctity. 1t would place upon record, to re-
main there for all time to come, the solemn
fact that the marriage relation had been en-.
tered into between certain parties.
| General McKissick brought down the house
by humorous reference to his friend from
Abbevlle, saying that If he had been born
800 years ago, he would have been able tc
convince Judas that he had done no wrong IN
further said that he had been for years Clerk
of Court in his county, and had been frequent
| ly applied to for information which he had nc
means Of giving In regard to marriages. Inc
| lama hk
his humorous illusions to puppy love" and
the means OF preventing too early ana toc
haSty marriages.
Mr. Edens spoke briefly in favor OF the bill
claiming that in the border counties OF the
State, where the advantages and disadvan
| tages OF Il license law were fully understood
| the sentiment Of the people was strongly III
| favor of 1t, and parents and guardians were
urgent for its passage.
Mr.. Ficken again alluded to the good points
of the bill, and spoke earnestly and forclblY
in advocacy, OF its passage,
Mr.. Graydon opposed the bill, making a
strong legal argument against IL. and urging
| the House to let well enough alone
Mr.. McCaw briefly opposed the bill, and al
| the close OF his remarks q vote was taken on
the question to indefinitely postpone the bill
definitely postpone.
Mr.. o Brien wanted time to study the bill
and hoped the debate wonld be adjourned
| but if it could not be, he would say that he
hoped that the House would he careful not &c
| unSettle the wisdom of ages. Some OF the
wisest heads in the House opposed the Dill
and he hoped that the members would agree
| to his motion to adjourn debate until to-mor
row.
| Mr.. Ficken thought that the time Of the scs'
sion was too short and other business toe
ed the matter disposed of at once. The vote
being taken, the House refused 10 adjourn the
| debate.
General AIcCrady again called attention to
| the detective features of the bill, and MIR
Brawley said that he had offered the motion
| to strike ont the enactug words OF the bill
not from any particular hostility to 1t. but
from desire IT, hear argument upon the mGr
| it's OF the question. At the last session the
other bills on the subject had been unfavora'
bly, reported upon, but this bill seemed to be
! free from some of the ohjectidnablc features ol
the other one, and when IT, came before the
distinguished friend and colleague, Mr.. Flick
en-, and by the gentleman from Greenvile
| (Mr. Stcpp) and by others from the Eastern
section of the State, he WAS prepared 10 be
| lieve that there really was some popular de-
maud for some such measure, bat at the same
| time, IN less some stronger reasons existed Tor
| its passage than those that had been heard, he
was opposed to unSettiing In this way the law
| deed he thought that there was, strong
ground fora lawproviding for registration
| OF marriages and births, but he could not see
! the necessity for II license law.
Mr.. Secgers favored the bill. Stress had
been laid upon the fact that we had no oil.
vorce law, yet as Il matter OF fact II was no
difficult matter to procure divorces; people
had only to step over the line and get d.
vorce In Georgia. He believed that there
should be proper record kept of every mar
riage in the State.
Mr.. King called attention to the fact that al
! though the bill on It's face called for license
| fee of only fifty cents. in reality the expense
! TO those living al - distance from the county
seats would be much greater.
The yeas aud nays were demanded and the
motion TO strike out the enacting words was
lost by the following vote: yeas 10, nays 50.