whom he has forsworn himself. One
might infer from these dangerous and disgraceful possibilities that but
few of the married ones who, from whatever cause, were discontented with
their domestic relations, would be long restrained by any other than the
highest exceptional moral considerations from availing themselves of the
relief so variously attainable. It must be borne in mind, however, that
an honorable action for divorce, openly and honestly undertaken in any
State, involves more or less public exposure with considerable pecuniary
outlay. These two considerations, in the present lax tendencies of our
divorce laws, constitute the chief bar against a wholesome "popular"
adoption of the legal remedy for domestic troubles; while their potency
has invoked a class of fraudulent practitioners whose insidious business
it is to procure dissolution of marriage for any or no cause, "without
publicity," and at a cost suited to the most limited means. In other
words, New York has been, and still is, the headquarters of a villainous
divorce ring, by the audaciously fraudulent practices of which the
solemn marital covenant is made a despised and brittle toy of the
law--to be broken and discarded at the will of the vicious and
depraved.

Lord Howell, for fifty years a judge of Doctor's Commons, pointedly said:
"A knowledge that persons uniting in marriage must continue husbands
and wives, often makes them good husbands and wives; for necessity is a
powerful master to teach the duties it imposes."

These sinister traders in domestic infamy, secret libel, and suborned
perjury announce their business and addresses in advertisements in which
"success is guaranteed," "no fee required till divorce is granted," "no
publicity," etc., while the decree is warranted to be "good in every
State,"--in confirmation of which last assertion the divorce
specialist's private circular frequently contains the following extract
from Article IV, Section I, of the Constitution of the United States:
"Full faith and credit shall be given in each State to the public acts,
records and judicial proceedings of every other State."

The question may arise, and it is pertinent, who employ these divorce
specialists? We answer: All sorts of people. They may be dissolute
actresses, seeking a spurious appearance of law to end an old alliance,
and to prepare for a new one. They may be frivolous, extravagant,
reckless, misguided wives of poor clerks or hard-working me