The herald., 1896-02-09

is lS and 16 for the sexes respectively,
but while majority is attained in Swift
zerland at 20, in the Netherlands it is
not until %. Greece permits boys and
girls of IA and IL to get married, and
majority is reached four years later,
but adults above 80 are prohibited.
The same prohibition exists in Russia,
where 1S and 16, and in the Transcau-
casus Is and 13 are the lowest limits.
France, Italy, Luxembourg, Belgium
and Roumania, agree in prohibiting
marriage under 1S and Is Except by
dispensation from the highest author
lty), and in fixing the majority at 25
and Il. In Austria minors may be
married at IL, and majority is reached
at "a. In Bavaria and Wurtemburg it
is "a and 20, and marriage may not take
place before 20 and 18, as is the law
: also in Denmark and Germany. In
Chile marriage is lawful at puberty, and
while in Brazil it is illegal under 16 and
| IL, it may take place earlier to avoid a
criminal sentence. So much for Brazil
ian morals! In Spain the limit is IA
and II, or legal puberty, and both are
OF age at %; nevertheless daughter is
forbidden TO leave the paternal roof
without her parents consent until
she is 25.
The United States contains Is sover-
eign states and there are always three
parties to q marriage-"the man, the
woman and the state" The lowest
ages for marriage with consent is IA
and II in twenty-one states, Is and 16
in nine states, 18 and 15 in six, II and
ii in four. 16 and IA in three, is and 12
in two and q and 18 in the same num-
ber. For marriage without parental
consent the ages are for males and
females q and 18 in twenty-eight
states, as in England in seven states,
and 21-16, 1916 and 1915 in one state
each. But the average Englishman is
unsuited for full control of property
and responsibilities OF life at the
present age of q. Eleven states for
bid first cousins to marry, and misceg-
enation is permitted in some states
and forbidden in others.
Other chief prohibitions, besides
those arising from insufficient age, re-
late to excess of age, to religious diff
ferences, blood affinity, spiritual or ca
nonical affinity, affinity by adoption,
physical or mental incompetency and
differences of color. In Servia men
over GO and women over 80 are prohib-
tied from entering into marriage. In
most countries widows are not
allowed to remarry until the
expiration of ten months after the
death of the husband, or until after
proof of non-pregnancy by medical
experts, and in one, the widower must
not re-marry within three months after
his wife's death, and in another, not
under six. In Servis, idiots, cripples,
maniacs, deaf and dumb, school pupils,
guardians with their wards, those very
i'll or suffering from hereditary disease,
and widows of priests and deacons,
may not marry. In Greece q man must
| not marry the betrothed of his brother,
| IL Brazil uncles and nieces, nephews
and aunts, may marry together, and in
Belgium, also, by royal permission on
advice of the minister of justice.
Marriage with deceased wife's sister
is legal in Western Australia, Queens
land, Victoria, New Zealand, South
Australia, Tasmania, New South Wales
and Cape of Good Hope, and between
brothers and sisters-in-law in Brazil
] and Sweden, and by dispensation in
Belgium. There are many remarkable
deficiencies in the reports given. We
know that in almost all countries mar
riage legitimizes the Legitimate Off
spring born prior to it, yet in only four
do we observe this noticed, France,
Sweden, Argentina and Brazil.
Marriages are void between white
and Negro, white and Indian, white
and Mongolian, in Nevada and Oregon;
and between white and African or
Chinese in Utah. The prohibition be-
tween white and Negro exists in at
least twenty-three of the states. In
! North Carolina they are void between
Negro and Indians, and are voidable
from many causes, as insanity, inca
pacity, consent obtained by force or
fraud; and in many states. where con-
! tracted under age without consent"
ebstention from cohabitation after at
tanning age. or involuntary cohabita-
tion before, also makes it voidable.
Physical incompetency voids marriage
in almost all countries. Forced mar
riageis punished in Arkansas by death