The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1893-04-20
i----a77-7 -
1ARRIAGE.
A Forceful Plea for Its Solemnization by
Minister or Magistrate.

bill for the adjustment or the le-
gality of consent marriages, and IN
an extended discussion of the subject
saws: 1t is essential for the interest
of society that marriage should be
environed with grave forms and ele-
ments of seriousness. 1t Is the most
important act in a mans lie. IL
converts him from walf and estray
into responsible member OF the
community in which he lives. Ana
if marriage is serious business for the
man how much graver it Is for the
woman Her whole life's happiness
depends on her entering into a mar
rage state under proper conditions:
1t is necessary that tho 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 reeklessly
under the impulse of calf love or girl
ish wbim. Public interest requires
that young couple seeking to be-
come man and wife should be made
to feel how grave d business they ave
undertaking by being confronted with
a magistrate
One of the legacies which modern
society got from ancient clericalism
is the solemni5atiun Of marriage by
priests. This was migrated 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-
veniences in a country where new re-
llgious sects hatch out yearly, like
mosquitoes, and a man who calls
himself a minister to-day and enjoys
the privilege of solemnizing marriage,
is tomorrow a 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
rage is the business Of the State.
Marriage is a civil contract. which
changes the relations of the two
parties to each other, of both to the
community, and of the community to
them. Nearly all 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 mere civil contract, let them
have another ceremony according to
the creed which they profess. This
is done in many countres-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 solem-
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 be bound to keep a register of
the marriages they solemnize, with
photograph Of the parties to the
same. Those registers will be evi-
dence in courts of record, and will
settle finally the questions Of legiti-
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 a ccrtifi-
cate The register and the photo
graph would speak for themselves.
1t is hardly probable THAI the Leg
islature now in session will undertake
to frame new marriage code. But
it might not be bad idea to amend
the bill for abolition Of consent mar
riages, by adding section intrusting
to commission the duty of framing
such law on the subject, to be aid
before the Legislature IN 1895. Sew
eral States, including New York, are
considering the subject, and a bill for
d uniform law of marriages has been
introduced into Congress. 1t might
be well for California to set al ex-
ample which could commend itself to
enlightened minds Our past mar
riage scandals seem to impose such
duty on the Legislature. 1t is deli
cate and difficult duty Restric-
tions designed to increase the diff
Guilty of obtaining divoccs are desira-
BILE, and so are stricter rules regard
ing the celebration of marriages.
But if we make it too difficult for
young people to marry, they will dis
pense with the ceremony. as they do
in Sweden and other countries; and if
we block the path to divorce, couples
will live together in strife, and will
often relieve themselves from embar-