The citizen., 1899-07-14
PATTON ON DIVORCE
Facility with Which Divorces Are Grant,
l. Disgrace 10 Civilization.

President Patton, addressing the
Princeton students Oh a recent Sunday,
referred IN the seVereSt terms To the
rcmarnage in Connecticut of woman
Of the fashionable society of New
York Immediately after her original
husband had obtained u divorce from
her IN New York for adultery. lie de-
scrlhed il rs indicative OF 'dcgeucra-
tion," and sand that Ill is time Chris
tauS tururd their attention to queS-
tious OF fundamental morals He al
So inStauccd it aS "A ilaSrant example
Of the evils due 10 the facility with
which divorces are granted in the varl-
Gus States ot the Uniuu saying that
they were n disgrace To civilization
With the two exceptions OF South
Carolina, in which there Is no divorce,
aud New York. where full divorce Is
oblanable foI adultery only, such ia
CilIty prevails III all uthel States of the
luluu OF at least various grounds for
dlSSuhlns the marriasc contract ARE
allowed Accordingly IIbcIalliy rs 10
tins matted may he said Ia distinguish
American law 1t Is no grcAtrI. how
ever, Than prevails in Germany. where
Miltnl dCSrt tluh CTucl Treatment. IN
compatibility. dlS0tdctly conduct Hnd
ollul offences are made grounds tot
dlNOtCH Nor does llICVG hrcIu To be
any probability that the causes tor the
dissolution ur marriasr viii hr tedu'ed
here, tot III spite at the example Ot
New YORK iu tuuuuluG divorce To one
cause only. ucW States. as they have
been formed. have followed invariably
H." example of States which have the
mnSt liberal divorce laws. and In no
such state IL there exhibited any dis
position Ia hirmouiHu its treatment Of
the subject with that of New York ur
South Carolina Attempts have long
been madr TO bring about uniformity
Of state legislation tonchiug divorce.
but apparently they can never hr sue
cc>Sful unless these two States yield
iu Some measure at least to the pre-
Nalrul sentiment Of the Union IN favor
OF more latitude
Moreovcl IN New York Itself the 50
clal sentiment more particularly OF
the circle of fashion, has been prov ed
10y mntiiulcs of examples to hr III
favor Of what is called free divorce.
except in the Roman Catholic cutuluun
ltN The diSSouuun of marriages hy
the laws Of other States. no matter
how great the farilitN they afford Tor
II. Is recognized socially nS sufficient
aud subsequent marriages to other
mates receive COuntCuaucc and ap
ptuNal rhr upiuiou and practice OF
the society In New York are in favor
of free divorce and against the rrStric
tion hl New York law to adultery
only According to President Patton.
then. that society Is II dISyiacc Ia civ
iliZatiun." aud II Is time Tor II Ia turn
its attention to "funtlHjucutnl mon ais .
rhr specific guardia. 3 morals how
eN"I is the Church ~ how has II
proceeded Ia this iuattoG OF divorce.
with the singlr exception OF the
Cuurch of Rome Many of tn" clergy
do not hesitate To cuuntcuaurr rrce
divorce 10y sharing ~ the pleasures OF
Sorirty which tolerate the practice
Is not, then, the Church making ~
self substantially partner. an ahcttcr
of inldllty through the neglect nf its
ministers TO dcnouurc all such mar
rlD.rS aS wirkrd aud spurious and an
athrmatiIn2 rs immoral aud corrupt
the Soricty which rrcOguiZrS thrIuy
The evil IL evil there he Is not ~
thr legal facility for divorce. but In
the social sentiment which iuStilirs II
and thus infcrcntially demands IL
where il is tot allowed by statute law
II iS the sentiment Of n society too.
which Processes Obligation 10 Christian
principles. or. at least patr0ni2Cs the
Church aS requisite tu cnnl nlpntioual
rcSpcctahilitN The time was whru III
vorCp throughout the Union cast u 81
sorial cloud on all those who took nj
vantage of IT. more especially women
A divorced woman. no matter how In
nocent otherwise of offence against
, the marriage relation. suffered in rep
[ niation. hut socially opinion has
/ changed so completely IN the last gen
GRAFTON that divorces are now taken as
matter of course aud treated as en-
tirrlv iuStiiiahlc
So long. therefore. rs that new srnti
ment exists and it shows a tendency
! to grow more aud more liberal, how l.
/ II possible to prevent facility of d
vorcc by law Law Is the expression
of public sentiment. and such senti
ment in even the most exclusive so
cicty of fashion is indiSputably II
favor Of the freest divorce possible
Men and women divorced in State.
where there is the greatest fncility NJ
divorce allowed 10y law have no ditli
Guilty in tnding ministers to MARI,
them 10 new mates
II as President Patton says. thu
is u question OF fundamental Christian
morals. the Protestant Churches. still
so powerful In mold ng so ial seutnrn
seem to be lax in the performance o
their duty as the especial constitute,
guardians OF morals. As things are 20
ing on now with their tolerations. |
not actual assistance. marriage will
lose its sauctity entirely in few gen
erations if religion does not at one
rise aud put Il stop to the declining ten
Z denPy