Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-09-13
JEWISH MARRIAGES.
Unions Of UncIes and Nieces and Of
First Cousins.

r MARRIAGES Of uneles t6fnieces are not
ahowed In any part of the United
States with a single exception. and
that made to Jews only. While first
cousins may not intermarry in
number of states, yet such marriages
are usual. and rabbis of little and long
experience frequently disregard the
law, probably without knowledge of
the serious consequences. and the same
is true of Jews of all conditions and
length of residence.
While the Talmud permitted, nay.
"o""n mended. marriages between uncle
and niece (probably because of a ten
uer soilcituue for the daughter of
ones sister perhaps widOwed). such
marriage is now everywhere prohibited
in the United States. but such mar
riage may be contracted by Jews in
the state of Rhode Island There the
prohibition as to marriages cor
responding to the Levitical table of
degrees, by statute running back to
1898 does not extend to or in any way
affect any marriage which shall be
solemnized among the Jews within the
degrees of affinity or consanguinity al
lowed by their religion.
But the exception really inures only
to the benefit of residents. for non
residents when returning to their
domicile are likely to inflict misery on
themselves and innocent offspring for
offending the laws of their own states.
The avuncular marriage has been
prohibited in most states for many
years, but disallowed by statute in
,, some only during this generation &c.
g.. New York;. This may account for
a widespread popular belief that in
some states it is still allowed. Gen
| orally relatives of half blood are on the
same footing as those of the whole
blood
1ntermarriage of first cousins is pro-
hibited in many states, and the list is
growing. The states which now forbid
them are Arizona. Arkansas, Illinois.
Kansas. Louisiana. Michigan. Missouri.
Nebraksa. New Hampshire. North Da-
kota. Oklahoma, oregon. Pennsylvania.
South Dakota. and Wyoming. Mar
riage is prohibited to those nearer
than first cousins in North Carolina.
Minnesota. and Wisconsin,; to those
nearer than second cousins in Indiana.
Montana. Nevada Ohio. and Washing
ton. -....
In some countries sum marriages are
void; elsewhere and generally they are
merely voidable. They are eitheRinuli
and void from the beginning or may be
annulled even when contracted outside
of the state wherein ,the contracting
parties have their domicile or resi-
dence. while penalties at home await
those who go out of the state or coun-
try to evadc the law. Generally min
listers who perform such marriages ex-
pose themselves to fines and other
penalties
marriage is said to be void when
il is good for no legal purpose and its
invalidity may be maintained in any
proceeding in any court between any
parties whether in the lifetime OF or
after the death of the supposed hus-
band. whether the question arises d.
rectly or collaterally marriage Is
said to be voidable when the irnper-
lection can be inquired into only dur
ing the lifetime of both husband and
wife
Until it is set aside it is practically
valid; when set aside 1t is rendered
void from the beginning. So that the
danger to marital happiness. the blight
to be put on the lives of innocent on
spring, is so serious that these con-
sanguineous marriages are fines to the
parties as well as to the minister,
Nor can one escape the letter ana
violate the spirit of the law by pro-
ceeding to another country or state
where such marriages are legal. This
is also prohibited by statute and regu-
larly by the decisions. A Federal de-
cision not reversed makes the marriage
Of uncle and niece legally celebrated in
foreign country Illegal here, despite
the comfy usually existing between
countries in this espect.-American
Hebrew.