Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-12-08
DISTRICT MARRIAGE LAWS,

given.
DISTRICT MARRIAGE LAWS.
Proposed Amendment OF the Code Agreed
Upon by the Pastors Alliance.
The inefficiency Of the marriage laws in the
District was the subject of discussion at the
meeting of the Pastors Alliance at Foundry
Church this morning. At the recent meeting
OF the alliance the committee on marriage
and divorce was instructed to draw up o law to
be presented to Congress embodying their sug-
gestions for improvement in the matter. At the
meeting this morning Rev. Dr. John Elliott,
chairman Of the committee. made its report.
The law it recommended as finally amended
and adopted was as follows:
THE PROPOSED LAWS.
Proposed substitute for sections 7lS-723. chap
ter 20. of Revised Statutes of the District of
Columbia:
Section rs. Every license Of marriage shall
be issued by the clerk of the Supreme Court of
the District
Such license shall be in the following form:
10 any minister authorized to celebrate mar
riages in the District OF Columbia. greeting:
You are hereby authorized to solemnize the
rites OF marriage between - of - and -
of =, and having SO done you are commanded
to sign the Enclosed certificate and return it to
the clerk Of the Supreme Court within forty
eight hours under penalty of law.
Witness my hand and the seal of said court
this - day of -, IS.
The license shall have appended to it the GER
tifcate aforesaid framed to correspond with
said license, which shall be in form as follows:
l hereby certify that on this - day of
=, IS, at -, A Il and G ID were by me
license issued by the clerk Of the Supreme
Court of the District of Columbia.
7l9. Before the clerk of the Supreme Court
shall issue any such license he shall examine
on oath the person making application for the
same to ascertain, first. the full names of the
third. their ages: fourth, their color:
fifth. whether married or single; sixth.
whether related or not and, if So in what de-
gree of relationship; seventh. their birth place:
eighth, number of marriages; ninth, their occu-
pations: which facts shall I've set out in a
printed form to be signed by the person max
ing the application.
The clerk of said court shall procure and
kcepa suitable and welI-bound book in his
Office and among his records to be called ''the
marriage license record" in which he shall
make a complete record of the issuing of said
license and all the matters which he shall be re-
quired to ascertain relative to the rights
of said parties to obtain said license, in which
record shall appear i'll regular order the items
testified to by the applicants for the marriage
license as above set forth: and the names of
each of the contracting parties shall be properly
mdexed: and upon the return of the certificate
aforesaid it shall appear in said record when the
same was filed and the name Of the minister by
whom the ceremony was performed.
A certified copy of the record of said mar
riage license and certificate, under the hand of
said clerk and the seal of the court shall be
competent evidence of the marriage.
720. No such license shall issue unless the
male be above the age of twenty-one wears and
the female above the age of sixteen years: pro-
vided. however, that if the parents or guardian
assent thereto in person. or by writing attested
by two witnesses. such license may be issued:
and the fact of such assent shall be made part
OF the record aforesaid.
II in the course of the examination of any ap-
plicant for marriage license it shall appear to
the clerk of the Supreme Court that any legal
impeachment exists under the laws of force in
this District why the said parties shall not be
joined in marriage, he shall withhold said Ii
cense unless ordered by the Supreme Court of
the District to issue the same.
The clerk OF the court shall receive 81 for
every license issued as aforesaid and for the
performance of the other duties required by
this law.
721. Such license when produced shall be full
authority to any minister authorized to cele-
brate marriages in the District of Columbia ro-
ceiving the same to proceed with the marriage
Of the parties named therein; provided, that if
amy minister marry persons without such Ii
censc he shall on conviction thereof be fined
not less than 500 nor more than $500, in the
discretion of the court.
Every minister neglecting to return to the
clerk of the Supreme Court of the District
within fortv-eight hours the certificate APP
pended to the license shall on conviction be
fined for each neglect not less than S25 nor
more than 200.
TO. A minister of any religious denomina-
ton. whether lis residence be in the District
or its territories. upon proof furnished 10 the
clerk of the Supreme Court of his being ap-
pointed or ordained according to the rites and
ceremonies of his religious denomina-
ton, shall be authorized to solemnize
marriages in the District of Columbia. and
shall receive a certificate to that effect and the
said CLERK shall thereupon enter the name Of
such mini, tcr upon record as q minister of
religious denomination duly authorized to
solemnize marriage within the District.
723. If the clerk issue marriage license con-
trarv to law he shall be fined not less than
800 and not more than $500.
Ii any person Otficiate in celebrating the rites
of mar iaSe without being authorized by law to
shall be fined not less than 500 and not more
than $500.
The committee was instructed to make every
effort to have the proposed law passed by Con-
gress.
ELECTION OF OFFICERS.
At the annual election of officers Rev. DR..
John H. Elliott was unanimously elected presi-
dent of the alliance: Rev. S. H. Green, vice