THI-: rumen AND ITS CEREMONIES. 



passing along. Yet to this day there exists ;i law <>n the statute-book, wliidi d-< lares that all 

 marriages on Chilean territory not pei formed in //,,- <-lnircli lire illegal, and of no effect ; and the 

 children Imrii of Midi \\edlock illegitimate ami inca|.adtatril from inheriting property, except 

 Midi portion of the t'at her's estate as is guarant ied to all natural children. 



It is still tVesh in the minds of many what heart-burning and hitter words mark<-d the mar- 

 of a Charge < I 'Alia ires from the United States, only a few yearn back; nor is it doubted 

 that his controversy with the archbishop expedited the demand for passports and his return 

 home. Why he should have; condescended to cominnnieate with any one hut the Minister of 

 Foreign Affairs, or have permitted any priest to deliver letters to a memher of his family 

 against his wishes, may appear somewhat extraordinary in a national representative; but it 

 was prohahly one of those occurrences in diplomacy unpardonable in the code of Talleyrand 

 a blunder discovered only when too late. It is understood that the marriage had been pro- 

 hibited by the archbishop on two grounds: first, because the Catholic church does not permit 

 re-marriage by divorced persons during the life of a previous husband or wife, as the case may 

 be; and, secondly, because the Charge was a heretic. These causes of interdiction were made 

 known to the lady. Herself and a sister were unprotected orphans of good family, though poor ; 

 and the offer was too tempting to refuse, even though the ban of the church might be expected 

 to attend its acceptance. Fortunately for the lovers, the presence of an American ship of war 

 at the port afforded opportunity for the Commodore and a suite of officers, including the chap- 

 lain, to visit Santiago; and, for the purpose of giving to the wedding as much of an offic al 

 character as possible, the foreign diplomatic corps assisted, and the ceremony was perfo: 

 under the " stars and stripes," with all honors due to the occasion. One would have suppooed 

 that the very reverend prelate would suffer the matter to drop after this ; yet such was not 

 the case; his persecutions of the lady seemed just to begin, and his letters tell her, almost in 

 so many words, that she is living in concubinage. As well to show something of the temper of 

 the head of the church, as because it advances a doctrine fraught with interest to bachelor 

 diplomats who may hereafter represent their countries in Chile, one or two paragraphs are 

 quoted from a letter written to the lady, of which a labored defence was subsequently sub- 

 mitted to Congress by the Minister of Foreign Affairs. 



"I cannot doubt, because it is public and notorious, that you have proceeded to celebrate with- 

 out the presence of the curate, and contrary to the will of the church, a soi-disant (pretendido) 

 marriage with a gentleman of distinct religion; and, although this proceeding gains for you the 

 love of a fellow-being, and gives you possession of earthly goods, neither can accompany you 

 beyond the tomb, that point where your soul casts upon itself immense responsibilities in the 

 presence of our Saviour. 1st. You have proceeded to perform a matrimonial act with one who 

 is without the pale of the Catholic church. 2d. You performed it knowingly, notwithstanding 

 a direct impediment that annuls the marriage ; and which is, without the presence of your 

 curate and two witnesses. 3d. You have consented to associate in divine ceremonies with Pro- 

 testants, by permitting a minister of that sect to celebrate this soi-disant marriage. 



"In the first place, if the church regards matrimony with persons of different creeds as pre- 

 judicial, even when these pledge themselves to educate their children in the Catholic religion, 

 and previously solicit a dispensation, how will it regard a violation of its prohibitions, the con- 

 tempt of its laws, and abandonment of the sacred interests of innocent offspring? Will the 

 acquisition of earthly goods sanctify this outrage upon the church, and calm the upbraidings of 

 conscience? Will God bless a union associated with such transgressions? If you do not 

 experience sorrows in this life, your apprehensions should be the greater ; but it cannot be that 

 the Saviour will reward your past good deeds with transitory happiness, and reserve the scourge 

 of justice for eternity. 



"In the second place, you have given your hand in matrimony, despite an inseparable impedi- 

 ment; and for this act, in the eyes of religion, you are not married. Chapter I, concerning 

 the reforms of matrimony, by the Holy Council of Trent, expressly declares all marriages null 



