The Municipal code and the Provincial government act, being Act no. 82, entitled "A general act for the organization of municipal governments in the Philippine islands", and Act no. 83, entitled "A general act for the organization of provincial governments in the Philippine islands" as amended by the acts of the Philippine commission down to and including May 31, 1905, revised and codified by the Committee on revision and codification appointed by the governor-general. Published by authority of the Philippine commission.

THE MARRIAGE LAW.1

OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES MILITARY GOVERNOR IN THE
PHILIPPINE ISLANDS.
[General Orders, No. 68.]
MANILA, P. I., December 18, 1899.
The following provisions respecting marriage shall be in force
in these Islands from and after this date.
All laws and provisions, general and particular, and even Repeal.
those customary, which are in conflict with this order, are hereby
revoked:
SECTION I. Any unmarried male of the age of fourteen years Persons eligible.
or upwards, and any unmarried female of the age of twelve years
or upwards, and not otherwise disqualified, are capable of consenting to and consummating marriage.
SEC. II. Marriages between parents and children, ancestors Prohibited marand descendants of every degree, between brothers and sisters of
the half as well as the whole blood, between uncles and nieces or
aunts and nephews, and between stepparents and stepchildren,
are incestuous and void from the beginning, whether the relationship is legitimate or illegitimate.
SEC. III. A subsequent marriage contracted by any person Subsequent
marriages.
during the life of a former husband or wife of such person, with
any person other than such former husband or wife, is illegal and
void from the beginning, unless:
1. The former marriage has been annulled or dissolved.
2. Unless such former husband or wife was absent, and not
known to such person to be living for the space of seven successive years immediately preceding such subsequent marriage, or
was generally reputed and was believed by such person to be
dead at the time such subsequent marriage was contracted; in
either of which cases the subsequent marriage is valid until its
nullity is adjudged by a competent tribunal.
SEC. IV. All marriages contracted without these Islands, which.Foreign marriages.
would be valid by the laws of the country in which the same were
contracted, are valid in these Islands.
SEC. V. Marriage may be solemnized by either a judge of any Solemnization.
court inferior to the Supreme Court, justice of the peace, or priest
or minister of the Gospel of any denomination.
SEC. VI. No particular form for the ceremony of marriage is No particular
form.
required, but the parties must declare, in the presence of the
'NOTE.-At this date, May 31, 1905, an amendment to the marriage
law is pending, proposing the reduction of the age at which persons may
marry without the consent of their parents or guardians to 18.
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