Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-07-10
THE wIFE,s SISTER.


Of Lords recently passed to its second
reading a bill recognizing Colonial mar
| rlagcs TO a deceased wife's sister.
! our English friends. II we mistake not,
arc far more strict than we about matrl-
monial alliances between persons related
by consangulnlty or affinity, and the ac-
| ton Just taken by them comes in the
nature Of a concession TO Colonial sub
! iccts. Whether or not the bill will pass,
we cannot say, but we are Of the opinion
| that even should It become a law, its
provisions will I'm nowise apply 90 per-
| sons domlciled in the British Isles. This
! matter has for years been a parliamen-
| tary bone Of contention.
The law of England follows substan-
| TALLY tie Leyltical law Oevticus, Xviii.6,
| etc), OF which the general scope and de-
| sign are to forbid marriages between per-
sons related in the ascending and de-
! scendlng line in inhnitum. and also be-
! tween collateral relatives TO the third
degree, reckoned by the civil law. First
cousins. according to this rule, are the
nearest blood relations permitted TO wed
| one another
! The same strctness pertains 20 unions
between persons connected by affinity
that is, by marriage. This prohibition
| is based on the idea that in order 90 per-
rcct the union of marriage, il Is neces-
sary that the husband should take his
wlfe's relations as his own. and vice
versa. "Thus," says an eminent law
writer, "the husband can no more marry
the wife's sister than his own, and the
wife is as much forbidden TO marry her
husbands nephew as her own. But the
husbands blood relations do not stand
thus in regard to the wife's blood rela-
tions. Hence, two brothers are not pro-
hibited TO marry two sisters. nor father
and son to marry mother and daughter"
The Virginia laws are much more lib
erol in regard 10 marriages, and appear
to offer especial inducements TO encour-
age matrlmony Here, now, the man has
no legal difficulty in wedding his
deceased wifes sister. and such
marriages are OF comparatively com
mon occurrence. 1t may be that
ing from a time-honored custom, acted
upon the presumption that when good
woman is added 10 a family she should
be kept there, if possible. The same
consideration, too IS shown a good man.
And so far as we can gather from the
intricate but interesting sections Of our
Code which are quoted below, we judge
that a widow can marry her deceased
husbands brother. For the benefit OF
those who halt hesitatingy between
matrimonial desires and fear Of the law
we quote the Virginia statutes, as amend
ed TO date:
Section 222i-No man shall marry his
mother, grandmother, stepmother, sister
daughter. granddaughter, half-sister,
aunt, sons widow, wife's daughter or
her granddaughter or step-daughter;
brothers daughter, or sisters daughter.
But this section shall not be construed
as prohibiting a man from marrying an
aunt Of his former wife. If any man
have heretofore married his brothers
widow. or the widow Of his brother
or sisters son, or his uncle's WIDOW
such marriage is hereby declared TO be
legal and valid and exempt from the
penalties prescribed by existing laws.
Section 2225-No woman shall marry her
father, grandfather, stepfather, brother
son. grandson, half-brother, uncle
daughters husband. husbands son, or
his grandson or stepson; brothers son
or sisters son. If any woman shall have
heretofore married her brothers or SIS
ter's deceased daughters husband, such
marriage is hereby declared legal ana
valid and exempt from the penalties pre-
scrbed by existing laws.
1t will be observed from perusal OF
the Virginia laws which should be read
with clear head and analytical mind,
that the old Dominion has cut loose
from the ancient laws Of her mother
country. A man nowadays may marry
pretty much anybody except his widows
sister," and we have even been inform
ed by lady friends that this is practical
No thcuuh how we do not know,