The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-03-22
THE VANDERBILT DIVORCE
An Example of Most Pernciou8
Character Imaginable.
THEY DIVORCED THEMSELVES.
The Unusual Proceedings of An Out
OF Court Divorce Readily Ratified
Owing 10 the Influences of q
Multi Millionaire. The
Worlds Criticism.

Tho method by which the Vanderbilt
divorce was arranged is u SCANDAL to our
Jurisprudence. Worse than that it is
nn influence for tho degradation OF
public morals aud the breaking down of
the popular sense Of right and wrong
Practically MIR and Mrs. Vanderbilt
divorced themselves There was no
hearing before court Tho parties
did not appear before tho tribunal.
There was no public proof Of infidolity
on either side to servo as u punishment
to the guilty party or rs deterrent in
fluence i'll the case of others. Tho whole
matter was arranged by dicl;cr. Tho
only function of the court WAS to give
legal effect to the terms Of tho bargain.
Is it, then, the privilege Of tho rich
to annul their marriages Mt pleasure by
mutual agreement? Tholaw, rigidly en-
forced against all ordinary Citizons, pro-
Ecribes that collision between husband
and wife Shall be on otfeotual and per-
emptory bar to divorce. Yet this rich
man and woman have sent thoir law
yers into court with collusivc agree
ment already made; tho court has sup
pressed the evidence agreed 10 be pro-
sented by sending the case to referee
instead of hearing it in opon session;
the referee has mado u report in accord
nnce with the terms Of the diclIcr; tho
court has affirmed it, ordering tho pa-
pers sealed so TINT there may DO no
scahdal-which means simply that tho
guilty party shall DO spared all social
shame and Inconvenience and tho
terms Of tho collusivo agreomont have
been embodied i'll decree which au-
thorizes one party To marry again Mt
pleasure and imposes upon tho other u
prohibition of marriage which Is rs in
eifectual rs Il bull against comet
IN saying this we do not mean TO re.
fleet upon Justice Barrett. He is a Judge
whose eminent learning and conspiuu-
Gus service arc properly appreciated by
the community. But i'll this matter he
IS the instrument of vicious system
which prevails, we bcliovc, only in Now
York and which certainly does not OBJ
tain in most of the other states.
Unless we accept tho unclean doctrine
OF FREQ love, marriage and divorce are
not i'll any sense private matters. The
family relation lies Mt tho very foundn-
fion Of society. Divorce equally with
marriage is q matter of public concern
and should be decrood only after . pub
lie hearing and public proof of statutory
cause.
Acase of this kind sets an examploof
Che most pernicious character imaaiua-
bile. 1t means to the rity that There
is ono law for tho l.eh and another for
tho rest of us. 1t means that if you
have money enough your marriage vows
may count for nothing. 1t means that
your misconduct Will DO carefully guard
ed against exposure Ivy all tho authority
the courts possess. 1t means that whilc
collusivo divorce proceedings are per-
enlptorily thrown out of court in tho
case of ordinary persons multimil-
honaire and his wife may arrange such
a proceeding in full assurance that it
Will be ratified by tho courts, and that
all the scandalous details will be secure.
ly hidden bcnoath the sacred seal OF tho
tribunal.-Now York World