Democratic Sentinel, Volume 5, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 July 1881 — A Uniform Marriage Law. [ARTICLE]

A Uniform Marriage Law.

Speaking of the necessity of a uniform marriage law the Observer says editorially: “Here a great reform is, urgently required. The iriterests of morality, humanity and social economy demand a reform. The subject, is of sufficient importance to justify aeon vention of Christian philanthropists; an international convention, certainly an inter-State convention in the United States, to put before the civilized world, and particularly the American people, the importance of uniform legislation on the subject of marriage and divorce. ; In this country divorces are granted and marriagep made legal under circumstances abhorrent to morality and social policy, but they are' recognized as sufficient in States that will not of their own motion incorporate such laws into their own statutes. Hence a conflict of laws in the same nationality, where by travel and change of residence the population is constantly

commingled. We know that ministers of religion, when called upon to perform the marriage ceremony, are frequently troubled to know when the parties are disabled by law from contracting marriage ; and when one or both of the par ties hate been divorced by Connecticut law the minister is at * loss to know that this law is so recognized in New York as to hold him harmless if he proceeds.