Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1903-10-28
FOREIGN MARRIAGE LAWS.
Regulations OF Divorce and Matri-

mony Ira France aud Germany.
\ paper was presented to parliament
in 1894 containing returns in which an
outline was given Of the marriage laws
prevailing in foreign countries. says
the London Chronicle, especially the
ages at which marriages could be con
tracted. the laws Of prohibition, the
hours in wh'~1 the ceremony could
be performed. aud the fees charged.
Returns showing the state Of the law
on divorce I'm the various countries,
especially the grounds on which
divorce could be obtained, and the
cost. were also included In the cor
respondenee.
In Belgium considers bl. amendments
were made in the ma rage Laws By
new law In 1896, which cheapened
aud slmpl'hed the formahsies preEim-
mary to marriage. A similar policy
was pursued in France in the same
year. and the position which marriage
occupies In that country as a family
institution Is as wei exempllhed by
the modification introduced into article
151 OF the civil code.
Where children Of n family have
attained the majority fixed by act 14s,
they must. previously to contracting
marriage, request in an instrument
couehed In respectful and formal
terms the advice OF their father and
mother. or that Of their grandfathers
and grandmothers, when their father
aud mother are dead. or Incapable Of
manIfesting their VIII
In Germany the imperial law Of
1875, which regulated personal status
and marriage throughout the whole
German empire. us been embodied,
with notifications, N the civil code
which came into force on January /.
1900 The marriage Of English women
IN foreign countries has recently been
the subject Of discussion, and it is
interesting to observe. that. under the
civil code English subjects domiciled
In Germany are subject to German
marriage laws. while English subjects
not domiclieA In Germany are
subject to English law. But
the most sweeping change has
taken place in the German law
| Of divorce. The laws Of the separate
states have been annulled and the
| principles regulating the divorce law
for the whole empire are now con
tanned in the civu code At the same
| time the reasons for divorce have been
largely altered, and may be prodtabIy
compared with the narrow limits OF
/ our own divorce laws The new Ger
man law recognizes not only divorce,
| but separation. which has all the ef-
fects of a divorce. the separated par
ties. however. not being allowed to
contract new marriage, and being
able at any time to resume their con
tucal relations
The plea Of "insuperable aversion. &"
formerly allowed In Prussia, is 10
longer permissible under the civil code.
An extension OF the grounds Tor
divorce has occurred in Norway, where
| by the criminal law amendment act
Of 1902. either party can apply for
| a divorce Il the other has been
sentenced to Imprisonment exceeding
six years, or e period Of uncertain
duration. or TO Imprisonment exceed.
ing three months for any crime com
mitted against The petitioner. or for
any act by which his or her life has
been deliberately end fingered, or. I'm
ally, sentenced to any Imprisonment
Tor crimes Of an outrageous or uuna-
tural character, by the prescriptions
Of tho same Law husband or wife can
apply for divorce Il either has been
sentenced for yagraRey. insemperanee
or other III conduct.