The herald., 1896-02-09


No one of divorced couple can re-
marry during the life of the other.
In most Protestant countries, inciud-
ing some of our own colonies, and in
the maj ority of the states, the guilty
spouse may not marry the paramour
after divorce. In the United States,
South Carolina alone grants no di-
vorce, but all the rest divorce for
adultery.
Maryland grants divorce for wife's
fornication before marriage, unless
known to her husband previous to the
ceremony, and Virginia and West Vir-
ginia on the proof of her having been a
prostitute without his knowledge. On
the other hand, these two states will
divorce husband If notoriously licen-
tious before marriage. Pregnancy at
marriage is sufficient cause in many
other states, provided the husband was
ignorant of it. This is 30 in Iowa, but
not if the husband has himself an ille-
gitimate child living. Bigamy is al
ways a ground of divorce. In some
states the marriage is void and the
children illegitimate in others it is
void and the children legitimate while
in others again it stands until judi
cially annulled. In Tennessee two
years. absence Of one party reported
dead entities the other to marry again,
but on temperance of the lost one
the other may choose to abide by either
of the two marriages. At the Cape
single act of adultery on either side
justif1es complete divorce.
Incurable impotence of which the
plaintiff was ignorant when married, or
contracted through immo orality after
wards, idiocy, loathsome disease, con-
cealed at marriage or induced after
wards, willful desertion for a fixed
period, absence with presumption of
death, neglect to support the wife,
habitual drU nkennes of either party,
and in some case habitual use of opium
or some similar drug, felony, infamous
crime, long Imprisonment, cruelty, in
tolerable indignity to the person, pub
lie and false accusations of adultery,
habitual manifestations of hatred, and
violent and ungovernable temper, are
each and all sufficient causes for di-
vorce in most of the states. Three
grant divorce il husband or wife join
the Shakers; one if the husbs nd is a
vagrant; one if the wife, without good
reason, refuse him sexual intercourse
for year, and three if the parties
have lived separate from four to
five years. In Illinois the court
can divorce at discretion, or
where it decides it impossible for the
couple to live togsther in peace and
happiness. In Austro Hungary,
"Greek orientals" may be divorced be-
cause of "irreconcilable hatred" and
Protestants from "insupersble aver
sion." The latter is also effective in
Germany should there be no issue of
the marriage. Defamation of char
acter and quarrelsomeness are suffi-
cient grounds in France and Germany,
and Frenchman may be divorced for
ill-treating his mother-in-law or step
children, for calling his wife oppro-
brious names before her children, such
as "canaille" or "Rosse," for imputing
to her shameful disease or falsely &C.
cusing her of adultery. incest, theft,
or some other grave crime, and for a
variety of other reasons. A single act
of adultery on the part of either is
sufficient for divorce. Marriage be-
tween Christian and heather
is prohibited in Greece, and
woman can be divorced
for concealing from her husban a con-
spiracy against the king; for stopping
all night against the husbands wish at
any house other than her parents; OF
for attending without his knowledge
or consent at races, theaters, or shooting
expeditions; or for having attended
against his wish banquet, or bathed
in the company Of men, or for having
procured abortisn. In some coun-
tries, Belgium and Roumania. for
example, no wife can be divorced
after 45 years OF age, or twenty years of
married life. In the latter country,
divorce may be obtained by mutual
consent if husband and wife are not
less than 35 and 81 respectively,
and have been less than
two years married, in which
neither can re-marry until three years
have elapsed. In Russia no one may
marry fourth time. Members of the
Greek and Roman Catholic churches
must not marry non-Christians, nor
Protestants heathens. Change of reli-
gion from Christian to Mohammedan
entities to divorce in SaXony. Other
reasons given in various countries in
dictate frightful depravity.
Persons proved guilty of adultery
are punished with imprisonment in
Germany, and in Portugal, where the
marriage laws appear most compli-
Gated, the wife and her paramour are
sentenced to eight years cellular con-
finement with hard labor. A guilty
husband is let off with fine of 60.
Loss Of civil rights with deportation
dissolves marriage in Russia, unless the
innocent partner accompany the guilty.
This explains why SO many faithful
wives follow their husbands to Siber-
ian exile.
In Italy the wife must contribute
towards the maintenance of the hus-
band if his means are insufficient, and
in France and Belgium sons-in-law are
compelled to maintain the fathers and
mothers-in-law when necessary. In
Sweden if man seduces his betrothed
and refuses to complete the marriage,
"she shall be declared his lawful wife,
and be entitled to her full share in his
property" If man seduces woman
under promise of marriage without
"betrothal," and refuses to carry out
his promise when called upon to do
so, she shall be declared his lawful
wife. "Where man and woman have
been declared lawful husband and
wife, though no marriage ceremony
have been performed, the wife shall
share the husbands property. If the
husband have objected to the marriage
ceremony being performed, he shall
have no share in the wife's property
Want of space forbids us to notice
further interesting matters contained
in these rpnorts F,nouph has baen