Evening star., 1896-04-14
DISTRICT MARRIAGE LAWS
Debate on the Proposed Bill in the House
Yesterday.
Mr. Curtis Explanation of the Meas-
ure and Reasons Why 1t Should
Become q Law.

In the House yesterday afternoon the
marriage bill was taken up as The Stars
report closed. The bill was debated until
adjournment time and went over until the
next District day without action upon 1t.
In explaining the bill to the House Mr..
Curtis Of Iowa, said:
All will concede, Mr.. Speaker that there
are no laws more important than the mar
riage laws. They are the foundation of our
society. Upon them rest not only legiti-
macy, but the right of property. This bill
having passed the Senate and containing
many important provisions not incorpor-
ated in the House bill, which the committee
on the District of Columbia had under
consideration at the same time. the COM
mittee. after very mature delibera ton,
unanimously recommend the Senate bill,
with amendments, for passage, believing
that when the members upon this floor un-
derstand the provisions of this bill and Its
necessity as the members of the committee
understand ii, they will permit the bill to
pass without prejudice.
Object Of the Measure.
This proposed measure was prepared and
presented for the purpose of removing
many of the absurdities and doubts in the
present law, many Of the provisions of th'
law being obscure. obsolete, and to a larg,
n majority OF the people of this District are
entirely unknown. 1 am informed that un-
der strict Interpretation OF the law, or in
conformity with the law as IL now exists,
there has not been celebrated or solemnized
a marriage in the District of Columbia for
more than fifty years"
Does the gentleman mean to say that
there have been no marriages performed in
the District of Columbia for the last fifty
years?" asked Mr.. Bartlett OF New York
Il do not believe there has been one per-
formed In strict confrcmity TO the provis-
ions of the Maryland act OF 1871; at least
1 am so Informed. The statement has been
publicly made" said Mr.. Curtis.
Then all Of the marriages that have
taken place have been defective and ir-
regular"
Il am not raising any question as to their
legality, but / am informed that there have
not been any marriages celebrated in this
District in strict conformity with that Law,
and that Is my opinion
'Will the gentleman state in what particu-
lars they have failed TO conform 10 the
law?" asked Mr.. Baker.
Condition of the Laws.
II will. directly. The courts have wisely
held such marriages to be valid under the
common law, but at the same time i have
serious do,:bts to whether or not those
who have violated the provisions of the
statute are not subject to some extent to
its penalty. l want to call the attention
of the gentleman to the fact that there has
much discussion with respect to the mar
riage laws of the District Of Columbia, thus
publicly directing attention to their Oh
scurity and uncertainty.
las / was saying, Mr.. Speaker, there has
been much recent discussion of the mar
riage laws of the District. by reason of which
their obsolete and antiquated character
have become known, hence the seeming
great Importance that the law be speedily
amended and certain sections repealed, thus
protecting an innocent public against the
possible malicious persecution of the black
mailer.
AS will be seen by section l of this bill.
The age of consent is fixed at twenty-one
years for males and eighteen for females
which l believe is I'm exact accord with the
law In nearly every state in the Cnion--
certainly In large majority of them. The
present lew treats marriages I'm the Dis
trict OF Columbia as wholly a religious rite.
II provides that marriage may be solemn
lied only by a clergyman representing the
Church of England, a dissenter from that
church, Romish priest. or a representa-
tive of the Quaker Society in accordance
with the rules of that society. Under this
Dill 1t Is propos ed TO recognize marriage as
a civil as well as a religious contract or
rite, anG the bill provides that marriage
nay be celebrated by the judge of any
court OF record or by any justice of the
peace, as well as by any minister regularly
ordained according to the rites and cere-
monies of his church. Section Of the bill
is important, inasmuch as ii very wisely
protects our American girls than whom
there are certainly none more beautiful or
attractive) from what I may perhaps call
the unholy ambition of the foreign adven-
turer, no matter whether he be titled or
untitled. 1 think that the laws of foreign
countries with respect to marriages are
not generally uncerstood-I, at least have
known very little about them"
The Till was debated at considerable
length, but the point of no quorum, raised
by Mr.. Bartlett of New York, prevented
action On the measure.