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Show THE LAW OF MARRIAGE. The recent conviction and sentence sen-tence to the penitentiary of an Iowa man for marrying his step-daughter, has revived tho discussion of the matrimonial laws. It is argued that there is no consanguineous relationship relation-ship in this case, and that tho law which makes such a union criminal must be in the nature of a mere arbitrary ar-bitrary concession to theological tenets or to public opinion. In illustration, illus-tration, the statutes of certain states will not permit any man to marry his mother-in-law. But in tho same states a man may marry his mother-in-law's sister, that is.hia wife's aunt, and may marry his wife's niece. A general revision of laws so contradictory contradic-tory and ill-founded is demanded by eonio writers a revision which should bo founded oa general principles, prohibiting only such marriages as science has clearly determined to be accompanied by results detrimental to the weltaro of tho race, as it is contended by high medical authority author-ity that the union of near relatives has been actually proved to bo. The question thou arijes as to tho nearness near-ness of relationship to b? regarded as within tho range of the prohibited consanguinity. It is long since the marriage- of first eoLisim was denounced and forbidden by both church and state; and if such unions are in oprxilion to physical lawe, why are not those of second or third cousins aUo objectionable- on this score? Indeed, tue whole human lace is within the range of consanguinity, consan-guinity, as id shown in tho following Startling paragraph fro-u the O.-uri'r. Journal: In ionu'l;;i:ij .v.-r a ro oi SiD-r ti jnn ln-li ;ii th. Aur rkan citi.au tuny count hie lincii nii',-:t.rs in tin- year 1672 a', alout forty mil;..i,-. w::o mako up tiio prf-f.t f million. .fur Cur-.lry tuay fieri, t' nrvUnv, mi kij..v- dccoivlanti Ivriry-liv-' or moro m-tiun m-tiun off. Wh'Mi ivq rv il t th it it oft-;:, tappers thtt fuurgenoratiuf-s ut a lamii', aro living iu world at oio lini?, twontj-iivt) or thiny Derations do not t tec oi to involve a wry (treat lapse of time, dot to rornovo biood r--Mioii3 vary far from each otliar. Ot'nir.wity, ali thoto anticipated turru,;i fan not lt inivtluou., t-ut, in r.i:i,.m down our line and noti'itf t ho com:uiii((!iri(t of tho biood O'jr posisrUy, wimn does incst bgio ? |
