Democratic Sentinel, Volume 5, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 January 1882 — The French Burial Law. [ARTICLE]

The French Burial Law.

Under the new French burial Jaw the right of a Frenchman or Frenchwoman to choose his or her funeral rites begins with their 16th year. Until they attain that age they are to be buried with the ceremonial of the church in which they were baptized, unless with the consent of their parents they have been converted to another faith. The same general rule holds good in after life in every case when they die without a written declaration of their wishes, which must be deposited at the mairie within twelve hours of decease. In case of physical inability to sicn such a document, a declaration to thafr effect bearing the signatures of two witnesses will be accepted, but the witnesses must neither be doctors, midwives, n'lrses, ministers of religion nor members of religious orders. Strict provision is made to prevent any disrespect being shown to civil funerals by the local authorities, and all ■who oppose the execution of the wishes o r the, deceased are liable to be'proceeded against under the penal code. The new law, which consists of twelve articles, is an interesting specimen of Freni h legis ation, securi ig to our neighbors across the chapel that ftbeolute liberty of coo-

science in matters of sepulture which even the present H* use of Commons lias not yet seen fit to concede.— Pall Mall Gazette.