North Arkansas

THE COURTS.

Interesting Decision. -- The Supreme Court of Alabama has just decided an important principle in relation to the validity of the Forms, without the legal sanctions of marriage. The question presented was whether such a conspiracy had been proved as was punishable by law. Several persons combined to accomplish a wicked purpose. They forged a marriage license, showed it to the young lady and her parents as evidence of the good faith of the suitor; and one of his associates falsely represented himself to be a justice of the peace, authorized to perform the rites of matrimony -- whereupon consent was yielded, and the usual ceremony was repeated by the pretended magistrate. Afterwards, the cheat was detected, and the parties to it were indicted for a conspiracy. The only one found was tried and convicted in the Circuit Court of Butler. On points reserved as novel and difficult, the Supreme Court has delivered an opinion affirming the judgment below and indicating by the numerous authorities cited, that marriage, being a civil contract, is valid where the persons united declare their intention to be husband and wife in a formal manner, in the presence of witnesses, even though no marriage license has been obtained, nor the usual ceremony administered by an authorized person. This, says the Tuscaloosa Monitor, will open the eyes of those who sometimes in levity undergo a mock ceremony of marriage.