Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1907-08-03
MR.. MAoHEN ON DIVORCE.

citation at the jamestown Exposition
on Wednesday, State Senator L. II.
Machen, Of this city, read paper on
divorce. Discussing the proper age
when young people should marry, Mr..
Machen advanced the idea that common
sense of the civilized world was sdvanc-
ing the marriage age, and said in part;
The reason is not far to seek. 1t Is
becoming more and more manifest that
marriages should not be wholly the out
come Of impulse or love at first sight,
and entered into unadvisedly or lightly.
On the contrary, it is recognized as being
something with which the reason may
rightfully concern ITSELF Boys and girls
10 the first flush of adolescence are
prone to sudden and violent attachments,
which usually subside with the cutting
of their first wisdom teeth, More and
more it is coming to be understood
that men and women in selecting their
life partners should exercise a certain
amount of common sense and some slight
degree of caution if mistakes OF the most
distressing nature are to be avoided.
That maturity not only of the body but
of the mind and character Is necessary
for making wise choice in such mat
tiers must be admitted by all.
That such qualifications are not
usually attained before the age of twenty
one most persons will admit. Then
should that age be fixed by law as the
manageable age? Pfehaps DOT; and
yet 1t might be urged in favor of such a
law that it would probably prevent many
Of the matrimonial mistakes resulting
from the heedlessness of youth and
might thus obyiate the necessity for many
divorces. 1t might be said that those
who would be happy if married under
that age would have character and self
resraine enough to wait until they reach
their majority, while those marriages 10
which postpopement would be fatal,
would probably be unhappy in any event.
The wisdom Ofparents, the circumstances
of the parties, lack of opportunity and
public opinion, all serve in m st cases to
postpone marriage to proper sgs, but
it is worth considering whether the
State should not tx an age nit at some
where near twenty-one for bota sexes.
The marriageeble age at common law
was fourteen years for the male and
twelve years for the girl. 1t is not
generally known that this absurd con-
dition is retained in Virginia by a
statute (section 1854 of the Code).
there having been no change in that
respect since The Code OF l849. Nearly
all the States have advanced the mar
riageable age beyond what it was at
common law, Eight have fixed the age
at eighteen years for the male, and
sixteen for the female while a dozen
more prescribe eighteen years for
the male and sixteen years for the fe-
male. OF all parts ofthe United States,
Alaska is the only one which requires
the male to be twenty-one and the fe-
male eighteen. Perhaps that is as high
limit as public opinion will now toll
crate.
1t seems anomalous that the State
should prohibit its children from MAX
ing binding contracts as to most mat
tiers Of small consequence, and should
allow them, without restriction, to en-
ter into the most solemn of all obliga-
tions, in whose faithful lulfilmeDt the
State is so vitality interested.
A girl may bind herself to man until
death or divorce separates them, but she
may not bind herself to pay for an auto
mobile which she has purchased. A boy
may select a wife at an age when he is
mol deemed competent to help elect q
justice of the peace.
II may be said that the law at present
contemplstes only the marriage OF adults
except 10 those cases in which the par
ent or guardian may give consent to the
issuing of the license. But it must be
clear that this system may work grave
injustice both TO the infant party and to
the State. The parent or guardian
may have selfish reason for wishing
the child married. The law does not
permit parent or guardian TO consent
to the execution by an infant Of deed
or mortage of property of the slightest
value. Why should the law allow such
consent that the child may mortgage his
or her future? Moreover, this consent
is frequently given upon the impulse OF
the moment, without due consideration
and under the fear of an elopement or of
some other tragedy.