The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-12-11

The views Of Governor Blease Cd
marriage and divorce were brought
forcebly in an address delivered be-
fore the Governors conference on
Thursday afternoon. Governor VIM:
II. Mann of Virginia had just finished
a discussion of turning the trend OF
population from the towns and cities
TO the country, and referred to the
great work being accomplished by the
BOYS corn clubs, giving statistics as
to the corn yield accomplished by
these young farmers. Governor Blease
said:
"Mr. Chairman. I shall not under
take to discuss with the distinguished
governor of Virginia the question OF
raising corn, because South Carol!na
holds the worlds record, and as to the
quality of his corn, would not for a
moment discuss that, because al
through prohibition South Carolina
we have examples of the quality o;
his corn, shipped from the Capital o
his State by his wholesale dealers.
No Divorce DEGREES
But, Mr.. President, the other
question in which South Caroline
- stands alone, and in which, in my
opinion, she is superior to all thi
States of the American union, written
in the fundamental laws OF my state
by a constitutional convention, com.
posed of men of both races, in 1868
and even more emphaticaliy in 1895
by the white people of South Caro-
lima, are the words: No divorce from
the bonds of matrimony shall ever be
granted 1t may be sir, a hardship II
some cases, and possibly l might re.
fer to cases where other States might
think it was right, still I say to this
audience this afternoon, and l say II
with pleasure, that the only correct
rule, followed both the Biblical inJunc-
ton ard the injunction Of man, is that
which South Carolina follows when
she SAWS: Those whom God hath
Joined together, let no man pu'
asunder' If there be one thing in the
American union that is disgrace to
American civilization, it is the sale OF
American womanhood for wealth: il
there be another, it is the wholesome
and unwarranted granting of di,
yorces because, forsooth some women
or some man has not got as mucf
money by their marriage as they eX'
Dected when the marriage ceremony
was performed. am glad that we have
no divorce law in South Carolina, per
sonally, and if you will look to the
rear of this hall and pick out the
best looking red-headed woman IN this
State, you will see why l object per
sonally to divorce. But, Mr.. Chair
man, when you lay down the law yol
will reap the harvest that the dis
tinguished governor OF Nevada mas
pictured to this conference.
"My state stands alone. We gran
no divorces we recognize no dl
vorces. If a man leaves the state O.
South Carolina, or woman, and 3oe:
into another State and obtains a dl
vorce from his wife, he may come
back into South Carolina and live, bu
if he again marries and moves bacl
within the State with a second wife
we hold him and his wife guilty o
adultery and punish them according
ly: and if there are children porn u
the union after the divorce the su
preme court of South Carolina ha
stated in their opinion that they ar
4 illegitimate and can not inherit TN
property of the parent. That l say
may seem to some of you hardship
: but, my friends, it is far better tina
Z in a few instances some good womal
NAV suffer or some man may be caus
! ed to suffer. than to lay down Law
= which would bring, and which !
bringing today, in disrepute the Sol
emn bonds of matrimony, which onl,
under any conditions or any circum