The New Marriage Law

The legislature of our state has taken an advance step in relation to the marriage question. Certain laws have been en acted upon this subject which seem to Lave been eminently needed and, we are asked by our authonties to cali the atten tion of the officials who are qualifled b; the gtatates to perform this service to ac quaint themselves with the provisions o the act. There are not nany change from the oíd law to be noted, but one a Iea6t is radical and revolutionary. Unde he oíd law the officiíting clergyman or tnagistrate was held responsible for the ntire contract. He was obliged to know hat the parties were of the legal age to nter into the partnership, that there was o legal impediment to the union of tbe arties, that there was no blood relationtiip existir.g between them, and that there was no fraud intended or concealment esigned. The penalty for the violation was a forfeit not exceeding five hundred ollars. Some of the provisions of this et were quite minute, as for example the pecification six of the relationship within which the marriage contract was Ilegal. On the part of the man there are seveneen instances specified of such limitations, nd as many on the part of the woman. 'hen there were other provisions equally minute and binding. In order to ascerain whether the parties came within the imits of the law, the official who was uthorized to perform the ceremony might lace them under oath and record their estimony. That there was much carelessness in his matter is a well known fact. The lergyman or magistrate often took it for ranted that the partiee who presented bemselves for marriage were legally qualfied, and often no questions were asked. lometimes there were difficulties in the way which were not easily removed. To e too minute in the investigation would mply discouitefy. And frequently there as been too much haste in the periormnce of the ceremony, which has led to ubsequent censure. There is one provisión in tbe new act which goes into effect within a few weeks, which removes the responsibility out of he hands of the person who officiates and )laces it upon the civil officer. The ►arties proposing to enter into this conrRCt are required to procure a license rom an officer entitled to issue the paper y law. And with this document in ïand they go to the clergyman, as before, which is his warrant to perform the ceremony. This is a new feature in our state, rat has for some time been the practice in other adjacent sta'.es. It makes the whole ransaction public from tbe beginning, and does away with all secrecy. There can e no more " quiet " marriages, and the request often made to the minister - ' Please do not mention or publish this"- will be out of the question. It seems a ittle odd at the start, but we will soon get used to it, as have our neighbors in Illinois and Ohio. Persons authorized to contract he marriage should procure a copy of the aw at once, so as not to expose themselves o censure from violation.