The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-02-15
Clin ging to the Shadow While the
Substance Passes.

The verdict Of Petit Jury has made
quite reputation for itself, and the
outcome of bill before the South
Carolina legislature is now making
rapid strides towards similar noto-
riety. Our Solons have agreed again
and again that We may have smallpox
and famine and six cent cotton, or
anything else that we please. but this
| one decree remains 6xed-we shall not
have divorce in South Carolina. We
have won a uniqueness in this matter
which makes Us without an equal
among the States. We have come to
pride yourselves upon the fact that no
other State is just like South Caro-
lima, We are in love with this dis
| tinction. 1t is a great thing to be
distinct; it is next to being distin-
guished. Upon this basis, therefore,
our legislators fear to take any step
which looks the least doubtful. The
dear fellows, so careful of our vel
fare, fear lest there may be hidden in
the grass 8 secret path which will
Head the feet of the venturer over
into the kingdom Of divorce, a thing
which South Carolina cannot brook.
Hence not even a license law can be
enlcted in the State. It may be Tro-
jan horse; therefore it must not be
admitted We are not told that Ii
cellse law contains special evils within
itself; but then it may lead to di-
vol,ce law, and that fact would kill
even the lien or the dispensary law in
our legislature. That other States
have divorce law makes no differ
enee to our law makers; that divorce
is allowed by the Old Testament and
the New Testament for sufficient cause
does not enter into the argument as
weighty factor. Both Christ and
Moses are wrong when set up along
SIDE Of our modern law-maker. The
most devout religionists among US will
accept religious rules laid down by
the Bible which are much harder
upon them than the one in question;
they can play devout in many matters,
in all matters, if necessary.
and boast Of our civilization
founded upon our Bible, and then
when they come together to make
laws, there is a sort of toeit under
standing that the Bible is right
about everything except this one mat
tel. Of divorce.
$50, in order not to-haye any divorce
-laot even upon scriptural grounds.
We must not have license law for
those who wish to get married. If we
have such a law, it might lead to
divorce law, and this fact >kills it.
Meanwhile, the preacher and the JUS
tite of the peace are made judges to
say whether two people shall marry or
not. Upon them the responsibility
rests. The ease with which two per-
sons can enter into the marriage re-
labion beguiles the unwary and un-
thinking, and much evil results.
Having no license, We virtually have
divorce law. A clergyman in this
State says he knew The same women
to marry three diGsrentsmen on three
consecutive Sundays. So it really
seems that while we have no license
law and no divorce law, We have
something worse-we have polygamy,
and this means the constant rupture
oi. home life, the bringing in of
world OF miseries and a blight upon
ollr civilization indescribable. But,
then, our Solons SO order. The one
e7il. they tell us, is divorce; other
evils are not to be considered. If poly
amy abounds. let it abound if family
life is broken up aud destroyed, let
il go; all amounts to nothing as long
as our statesmen, when they go abroad,
can lift up their white right hands to
heaven, land cry aloud, "We have no
divorce law in South Carolina.
Meanwhile, those who know tie facts
mock at our civilization and make
sport of the wisdom of our legislature.
G. C. B.