Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-08-08
Mr.. cAVM.

Mr.. CIVIL.
The arguments just advanced by our
friend Meanwell, have certainly truth TO
recommend then but am, nevertheless,
inclined to believgtthat there are more In
stances of misconduct on the woman's side,
than he seems wiling to allow. For my
own part / had frequent opportunities OF
observing, that the man VINO marries Sc
cond time, having already young family,
lis likely to repent Of his imprudence. The
wife, if old, is unwilling to be burthened
with the charge Of another woman's chill.
dren, especially if she never knew herself
the tender feelings of maternal love; she
makes 30 allowance for the faults of youth
they interrupt her domestic occupations,
and she cannot but behold, with degree Ct
envy, their fathers affection for then-he
+, is therefore necessarily tormented with COM
plants of their indiscrelion, ,udeness, or
earelessnesse Her temper is perhaps ayarl-
cous, and, consequently, the expences of
their education and maintenance is consider
! ed as dininutlon Of her property; she
conceiyes that they. do not treat her with
sufficient respect, and, if the father inter-
feres, his children conside1 his affection ali
.cnated from them and hatred against the
woman who has thus robbed them Of pa
rents indulgence msensibIy gives rise TO
| thousand petty Disturbances. IT the mo.
ther-ln-law happens to be young, the case is
still worse: a second family is likely to
( spring up, and theii little patrimony is vast
| ed by obese additional claimants. Endless
strife and cayiilngs ensue between the chill
dren, each Jealous Of a parents regard, and
each considering lhE Other as one il the
way. What must be the feelings of father
under such circumstances? His life is a
scene of perpetual IMITATION and anxiety,
| and il cannot be doubted tut he is infinitely
the most to be pitjed j EEe family.
NR.pz t1D.
| Before / express ms opinion On either
side. I will venture teSiy the case down in
different light. Jtwil suppose the chill
| drcn 20 have attapcd tie age Of discretion
| before their fathrr maks second choice.
| | will imsgine4Shem living in competence
and nygsogether, enderly. attached to
! their fa,hsr.g md equal so to the memory
| Of their .rolher-7yet, on sudden, the
scene is Sgfanged, neg member is intro
d,ced--gct her be endowed with VARIOUS
a.,;abls qualities, yet shall we find tina: the
,b;,drr are injured, and their home rem
d4,es uncomfortable 10 them. The boys
/ ,,1y.bnger frd comnaaioe N their renlain-
" paren his attention is engrossed by a
fnfy Object, his confidence isgradualy with |
j draut sard the remonsrances. bis sons,
\ however gentle, appears dIsobedirnt and
! ,mpertmcnL The girls. accust toned to re-
Sylate the household concerns, and consult |
LAytJy ihGiirr rather - every domestic az
| rangement, fad the autfp1rv usurped by a
stranger, and themselves Arrceuea in lhe;, J
| fathers affection their sIuous inclinations
| are no. longer consulted: ii rot the wishes
| OF his children, but OF his wife, that must
| be considered; the servansmust obey her
comnands, and she dau6htfs seem rrduc-
ed TO mere domrstics. Noiis this Ill thc
.unwclcone addition of a nH family, per-
|, haps, renders it necessary to them to GUT
the paternal roof. and seek Il. means abroad
of a geuteel maintenance, exposed to various
ills, which they had neverIknown bat for
their fathers indiscreton. they hud them
selves cut off from all theirexpecta:ion are
alienated from their fatherl thoughts and
no longer solicitous to plesse, suffer them
selves to deviate from the p,th Of rectitude,
which they would Otherwise never have
quilted.
CAPTAIN RATTLE.
From what has been ALREADY advanced, it
appears to me that a man who has family
by his first wife, is to be dstmed imprudent
If he ventures to take a seo1nd yet, | cam
not butthink the argument: absurd, and coz
trary to every liberal sentiment. Ii is nata.