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"her granddaughter, or stepdaughter, brother's daughter, sister's daughter, or wife of his brother's of sister's son," and that no woman shall marry in the corresponding degrees.

The only persons who can by law celebrate the rites of marriage are 1st, a Minister of the Gospel who has before a County Court produced proof of his ordination, &c., and given bond; 2nd, persons appointed by the County Court; and 3rd, where the marriage is between persons belonging to a religious society which has no ordained minister, it may be solemnized by the persons and in the manner prescribed by and practised in any such society. Every marriage must be under a license, which is to be issued by the Clerk of the Court or Corporation in which the female to be married usually resides. The consent of the father or guardian, or if there be none, of the mother, is necessary to the marriage of a person under twenty-one years.

All marriages between a white person and a negro, and all marriages which are prohibited by law on account of either of the parties having a former husband or wife then living, are absolutely void, without any decree of divorce or other legal process. The general rule in other cases is that a divorce to be valid must be decreed by the Circuit Courts. 

I. The Assistant Superintendents of the Bureau in this State will ascertain what colored persons were, on the 27th of February last, within their respective Sub-districts, cohabiting together as man and wife, and will make a registry of such persons, now married by the operation of the above quoted law, as nearly as possible in the manner above provided for the registration of future marriages by the Clerk of the County. They will also ascertain, in the case provided where the parties have at the said date ceased to cohabit, in consequence of the death of the woman, or any other cause, what children of the woman are recognized by the man; will, with all their power and influence, endeavor to obtain complete and honest recognition in such cases, and when obtained they will make a full registry thereof.

II. The Officers and Agents of the Bureau will take pains to explain to colored persons who were at the above date cohabiting together as husband and wife, that they are firmly married by the operation of the law, and will instruct them in the duties and obligations as well as rights and privileges of that relation. They will also cause the above quoted laws to be read at all religious and other meetings of the colored people until they are sufficiently informed of the important change effected by legislation in their domestic relations.

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