Evening journal., 1893-01-21
QUESTION OF DIVORCE.
Senators Pilling and McMullin
Indulge in Heated Debate.
PYLE, LACY AND RECORDS NAMED


ing That He Wanted to he Chairman Of
the Committee Senator Pulling Makes
Strong Fight Against Divorce.
Stan Correspondence Evening journal.
DOVER, Jan. 20 The die is cast the
Gordian knot is cut, and the General
| Assembly of Delaware will pass divorce
bills this session. The House appointed
a divorce committee when the others
were named the Senate did not. Neither
did it do it two years ago, but it came TO
its oats then in precisely the same
manner that It did to-day.
When Senator Records. Of Sussex
county, arose shortly after II o'clock yes
terday morning and said: "Mr Speaker
l have a resolution which / desire TO be
read, no one imagined what a mine he
had sprung.
The clerk read the resolution. It
authorized the speaker to appoint n
divorce committee of three. After it
had been duly put before the House,
senator Pilling, who knows that it was
his last chance prior TO retiring to the
shades Of Newark life, arose and said
''MR SPEAKER. | was in hopes that
we would not get into business of this
kind during this session AS you are
well aware two years ago there was an
effort of this kind made, and we refused
to do It. Finally the doors were opened
and we had sixty odd cases. They oc.
cupied this session at the least calcula
tion one month. Any gentleman who
was here at that time and who will let
his mind run back, | know becomes
thoroughly disgusted at the whole pro
ceedings.
There are no safeguards thrown
around the examination of witnesses.
The parlor Of this house was the rendez-
vous for the whole town, to hear the
scandal thrown round this divorce ques
tion.
! "The constitution and legislative
, bodies have put the divorce matter in
the hands Of the Courts. If they have
not jurisdiction, give them Jurisdiction.
r Don't let us be the laughing stock of the
/ whole country and sit here at the ex-
pense of the people of the state, granting
+ divorces that we know nothing about
"l sincerely trust that we will not
open this door to this kind of legislation
and bring our proceedings to the condi-
ton they were two years ago.
q Senator McMullin was on his feet in
' an instant. He pulled his desk drawer
half way out. cleared his throat, and
y rushed TO the defense of the state:
, " / was in hopes that ] would not be
called upon to make any expression of
opinion in regard to this matter IL
s caused unpleasantness two years ago,
s admit; but / can't agree with my friend
here, the senator from Newark in regard
to divorce business having taken up one.
month of our time. No doubt the sena
ter thinks he is giving the correct yer.
o sion Of this matter so far as it affects
G the length Of cur session, but-but
T. | don't.
J. Before ] had the honor Of becoming
l. a member of this Assembly / thought
g and talked the same way--thought it Il
folly and almost a sin for MS to come dowr
here and fool away time granting di
vorces. l can't agree that these cases
o however many there may have been, pro
{ longed the session one month | am not
} satisfied that the people should thinl
IS that we have no more regard than tC
Z fool away so much time in this manner
d II could be convinced that Legislation
S of this kind heightened the session on,
d month would vote Mo- MOI No as Ions
C as the speaker would acknowledge me Oh
= the floor
q 1--WE have been here now three weeks
a and we have not done much business. Il
e there had been some divorce cases here il
g would not. have shortened or prolonged
x the session Of the Legislature
q "The committee listen TO and entertain
h these cases at recess hours. l may have
, neglected my business as far as time 4
y concerned, but IL did not interfere will
d the regular business Of the session.
l. "When they 60 TO the House they ar,
p disposed Of in short order There wer'
y four or FIVE passed ON In the last session
& in less than an hour. don't think Il
l. can be demonstrated that it heightened
Is our session one month. profess to hav,
e some sympathy with humanity. But
If don't think il prolonged our session
T. month, and do not want the people &,
{, believe it "
IS Pilling-"I am somewhat surprise,
he and somewhat shocked that my colleague
a. should endorse such sentiment as a,
'd does. Mark his word He saws iS Is nc
a. trouble to do IT, He says that il
the House they win pass fou
., or FIVE an hour. Now, in God
m name, are we a body to separate man an,
: wife and boast of the capacity Will
- which we can do it, That is to go out il
; the press that a member got up an,
~ boasted that we could pass divorce bill
a at the rate of four an hour Four
10 Heavens sake expell me- and send mt
h home If we are TO be red ced to tha
4, position / don't want to belong to sucl
10 q body. I am satisfied that we did no
z do justice two years ago Gentlemen. I hav
lo got records in this drawer where tn
4, master Of divorce case in one of on
'- courts sat one hundred DAYS and hear,
81 evidence and the court refused the di
vorce. If they will take one hundrel
n days, do You think we can pass bills an
more rapidly han we did two years ago
five want TO serve the people and serv
them well, let us attend to legitimat
business, and let those who want divorc
go to the proper tribunal. and let II
I'd attend to wants Of the people in othe
w and better matters and not come her
iis interfering with civil contracts. Mar
riage is civil contract, an
we have no right 70 interfere in It 70
the reason that we have made provision
es TO look after the interests Of the peopl
nd in these particular cases. / sincerel
ID trust we will not have committee o
H. divorce, but if this body does decide {
Nnra fasH hat ID Il