Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-03-04
ALEXANDRIA.
-,,7,,nNEsDAY MORNING, March 4.
f" TO sHEw
TO SHEW q
yr1y age AND BoDY OF The TINE
nc xoNM AND PRESSURE.

~. evils. from the committee on the DIS
.of Columbia, made the following report
=. House of Representatives, on Monday
last:
comm;ttee for the District of Columbia,
ins ssbon we're referred the petitions ot3lane
Wa.s;ns, praying for Divorce from Will
nestins her. husband, and OF DAVID
nSsL nraving for Divorce from Ellen his
wife. submit the following Report:
r,s only object which the petitioners can
view is to be enabled, respectively, to
nav nav. into new contracts of marriage. Were
only cipil restitution, the courts OF
,Da sonld be open to all parties, seeking the
las NOW prayed for, for alleged breach OF
he marriage contract but 1t Is some hihS
s,ore--it is a a1oi,e ordinance, and has such
mn mr., nr5nounced, BY the highest legal as well
.n;r;,u,I authority. The competency OF
a. b,,o,an tribunal to dissolve its sacred ool-
~ nav well be doubted. The justice or
saGcy onder any circumstances, OF weakening
r. ,apctions OF All Institution, upon the Purl-
~ &c wh;eh depends the very fabrlck OF socle-
- ;tse,l. NAV be boldly denied. Divorces are
rot merely the effect OF corruption OF man
nero they are the cause also. lney hoid out
,or,n,.t;ons to crime which human lnhrnllty
s.nnot # all times resist. They hold out IN
centiyes to that adultery which they arc Called
i n remedy, Extreme cases may indeed be
nu,--but thew are rare both parties are Sc
negaly in fault. Snail a very tew individuals
WHO present themselves IN quesuonaoie
shape, be debarred from contracting second
marriage. or shall til foundations OF society be
loosened for their special accommodation
Shall the heaviest public injury be encounter
ed for the convenience Of those, who, Tor the
most part, nave shewn how little romance IS
to be placed upon their virtue or discretion!
Shall Incentives 10 nuptial inhdelity be pre-
sented to the great body of soclety tor the per-
sonal gratihcatitn of a few unfortunate mem
bcrs, diffnsing dissatisfaction and dlscontent'
where but for the deccittul hope OF divorce
thev had neyer been known !
The frequency of divorces may be taken as
an unerring criterion of the Geprayity OF mo-
rails. A respectable authority has declared
Mat from the reformation 10 the commence
meEt Of the 18th century, there had occurred
ony four instances of Parliamentary divorce,
bu. in the present reign they had increased to
the enormous nutnhcr ofl93." Its notorious
tht the crime which is made the ground work
OF the divorce, is frequently committed with the
most =" Deliberate AID nn5iasAiaS indTerence'
for the purposc Ct enabling the ad0lterer and
adutreSs thereafter 10 iutcrtnarry. Your COM
mlttSe-wil not attempt to pursue the SUBJECT
iarther. it is calculated to inspire the most
solemn reflections They are opposed to d.
vorce upon principle as tending to excite ia
my discord; as bearing hard upon the weak
or sex, whnil it IS especially incumbent upon
US to protect and TO cherish; above all, as
weakening the matrimonial tie, upon the
ssanetlty oi which depend "sll the charities OF
Father, Son, and Brother" The committee
vii not enter iato the question how rar It may
De wise or polite 30 hold forth to the world
MS District as al asylum for those who wish
% omam dissolution from the marriage VOW,
Lacy v!si content themselves with submitting
we following resolution
'hat the PRAYER of the Petitioners ought
moi tobe granted.