Records of Marriages. 75 



consin to require clergymen to make out certificates in bad 

 English. 



It is further worth considering whether it is the proper bus- 

 iness of clergymen and justices of the peace to make out such 

 certificates for record in any form, and whether it would not 

 be better for Wisconsin to do like other states and require all 

 parties desirous of committing matrimony to obtain a license 

 from the county clerk, who shall biennially make a record of 

 the full names of parties and parents, as well as of age, occu- 

 pation, residence, birthplace, and nationality of both bride 

 and bridegroom. The clerk might then, if satisfied that the 

 parties were legally entitled to marry each other, give them a 

 license, which would be returned by the minister, who would 

 simply note down the time and place of the ceremony. The 

 clergymen of Wisconsin would be much indebted to this asso- 

 ciation for relieving them of the present necessity of acting as 

 police magistrates and detectives. At present, ministers have 

 practically to marry almost anybody that applies to them, a 

 custom greatly favoring runaway matches. Indeed, Wiscon- 

 sin marriages are becoming a proverb in adjoining states. 

 This is made still worse by the conduct of ministers them- 

 selves, in occasionally omitting to make proper returns, when 

 so requested by the parties. The writer was twice invited to 

 solemnize marriage without making the returns required by 

 law. In both cases he refused. In one case the parties finally 

 gave consent, but in the other a more accommodating parson 

 was easily found. But if both bridegroom and clergyman 

 were liable to be fined heavily for lack of a license, they 

 would certainl}' have one, as the minister would insist upon it 

 for the bridegroom's sake as well as for his own, and before it 

 could be obtained all needed opportunity for making full 

 records would be given to the most competent person, the 

 county clerk or register of deeds. 



These officers might then be required not only to keep a 

 general record, setting down the ages of parties married, in 



