Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1893-03-11
RAGE.
A Forceful Plea for Its So'emrizatlon by
Minister or Magistrate.


bill for the adjustment of the le-
gality of consent marriages, and in
an extended discussion of the subject
says: 1t is essential for the interest
of society that marriage should lie
environed with grave forms and ele-
mentS of seriousness. 1t is the most
important act in mans life. 1t
converts him from waf and estray
into a responsible member of the
community in which he lives. And
| If marriage is serious business for the
man how much graver it is for the
woman Her whole lifo's happiness
depends on her entering into mar
riagc state under proper conditions.
1t is necessary that the State should
| hedge marriage round with such
forms and ceremonies that Young peo-
pie shall realize how serious it is, and
not rush into it blindly and recklessly
under the impulse OF calf love or girl
ish within. Public interest requires
that a young couple seeking TO be-
come man and wife should be made
TO feel how grave business they are
undertaking by being confronted with
a magistrate,
One of the legacicS which modern
society got from ancient clericalism
is the solemnization of marriage by
priests This was ingrafted upon the
pOlity Of Christendom at time when
the church was fastening its clutch
upon the believer at the three essen
tial epochs Of his life-at his birth,
at his marriage, and at his death,
This practice entails obvious incon-
yenienceS in country where new re-
lgious sects hatch out yearly, like
mosquitoes, and man who calls
himself a minister to-day and enjoys
the privilege of solemnizing marriage,
is tomorrow householder In a dis
tant State and the pages of his mar
riage-register in the grocery to wrap
up cheese.
The union Of two people in mar
riage is the business Of the State.
Marriage is civil contract which
changes the relations of the two
parties to each other, Of both to the
|
them. Nearly ali of the transactions
of life, such as the conveyance Of real
property, are affected by marriage.
Therefore, as we say, it is the bust
ness of the State. If people entering
into matrimOny look upon it as a
sacrament, or as something other
than a mere civil contract, let them
have another ceremony according to
the creed which they profess. This
is done in many cOuutries-nOtably
in France. But the State here, as
there should demand that the civil
contract be executed before one of
the State officials.
In the millennium, when we shall
all be wise and intelligent, the soem-
niZatiOn of marriage will be guarded
with as much care as the transfer OF
real estate 1t will be intrusted to
public officials only, and these officials
will he bound to keep a register Of
the marriages they Solemnize with a
photograph Of the parties 10 the
, same Those registers will be evil
: dence in courts Of record, and will
: settle finally the questions Of egiti.
macy and Inheritance, which now
give the courts SO much occupation.
: Under this system, no such questions
would arise as the diSgraceful inquiry
| now pending at Sacramento, whether
a minister Of the gospel did or did
not celebrate marriage between two
} persons to whom he issued ccrtii-
: cate. The register and the photo
graph would speak for themselves.
1t is hardly probable thaL the Leg
islature now in session will undertake
: to frame new marriage code. But
it might not he a bad idea to amend
2 the bill for abolition Of consent mar.
, riages by adding a section intrusting
to "a commission the dutj of framing
such a law on the subject, to be laid
before the Legislature IN 1895. Sev-
2 cral States, including New York arc
Y considering the subject, and bill foT
u uniform law of marriages has been
introduced into Congress. 1t might
be we'll for California to set All ex
ample which could commend itself tC
enlightened minds. Our past mar
riage scandals seem to impose such q
duty on the Legislature. 1t is a deli
: cate and a difficult duty Restric
, tions designed to increase the DIM
: Guilty of obtaining diyoces are desira
|. BILE, and so are stricter rules regard
ing the celebration Of marriages
!, But if we make it too difficult fol
young people to marry, they will dis
: pense with the ceremony, as they d.
in Sweden and other countries; and il
! we block the path to divorce, couple,
: will live together in strife, and will
often relieve themselves from embar
: rassment by resort Co crime.
h Antiquity of the saw.
I The saw is an instrument Of higt