Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-12-24

o. an extensive acqusintance in that STATE. aud
feel prepared to deny that the exn mil, Of Nj, a,''
iand ought to induce US to pass this hill Nyi',
were tne consequences IN that and all other ta,.s
| winch have no law prohibiting the m,,r;aco ~
SISTERS Not that sisters were corrupted more frc
quently than in this state, or that the po,,o.t,, 49,
virtue vi their women Were inferior To those of o,,,.
Out the consequence was that the intimate A.,
'e"uer acquaintance and friendship which sub.;s,
Gu between brothers and sisters in law i'm yiryn;,
, WHICH aouea so much TO the union of families
IT,, H. '.e happiness oil life, were unknown there
upon the death of her sister, the single sister yea
estransed from the roof of her brother in ,,,
Snc vas for the future placed i'm RELATIONSHIP IN
"" as distant as that of any other female u,r
cure and protection were Withdrawn from her s;.
Ter family, and the great consolation derived rro
.'e aunt countenance and support in Viryirin
were unknown la Maryland. This was :, n.e.s
~ ana proper consequence of having no law pro
"Io'uhs the marriage OF sisters, and which had ,h,
erect OF separating those whom interest end re-
"ho"Sn'p ought to unite. Was this a desirable,
s'ate OIL things: Was il better that the fo,,l .r
nnhallowed lust of those who desired IN fam ,
connexions should be sanctioned by law q, that ,
pure and delicate friendship should continue ,o sh
'' oe'weeh the brother and sister-in-iaw, and the
. care aud a'tcntion of the latter, he con-
''"ueo 10 inc helpless family of her deceased sis
Ter: Mr. C. said he spoke the feelings of his b.,r,
re had once the happiness of being married Ia,
heh ana now looked upon his wif,'s sisters az he
own; nor was ii possible Tor him to view them I'm
""y o'"ef i'gnt' He hoped such was the feeling of
many members of that House. The happin.ss nj
society depended in great measure ON the ;,;
macy and tenderness OF these connexions. Wa
IL desirable, that that tender rcntons,in bo,,j -
dissolved '"'uid De
we mad been called on, said. Mr. C. 10 reI,, tho
s'uf ni ',e law that we might give happiness to
those who had violated it, or were disnnscd ., a.
al 10 81,
demand, should he era tilied at the exnaus, or ,l
rest o, eic community Could one man he re-
fu'teu 20 resign his happiness, that Others migh ho
"' :m happy For one, Mr.. G.. said, he was un
"'i"s W fe'nlnish any portion of his own happi-
ness or mat oil the community, to confer h,r,;noss
on those who had violated the law He Vii ~,
say 'hat the law was necessary TO protect s;,e,,
rom c"rruption-but he would saw ,ha, n, 49,
diminished the sanct:ty of the relationship be,wcon
brother and sster-in-iaw, you diminished ,L $40,
u'y with which she was vewcl.
MIR. LOWELL said ne hopaI u,e II,,,s, ,,,,
excuse the few remarks which Inc w,s -, -,
offer; they should be but few: indeed ,vbe, he
entered The House, he had not intended In t,,,e
any pas, IN debate, which had already bacn
SO elaborate, and SO able. He felt he was r,.,I,
throwing hinselfinto the current of learnny
aud OF eloquence, DISPLAYED nv the bonorr,hlo
i'eHoer iiom northampton, unprepared with his
crude and und;gested matter. to stem tho tnr
of horror and adherence. for tho nr;nc;,ios
contained i'll the bill before the IIouse ard no
he'ihS as he did. that those feelings and senf;
'nehts were participated i'm not onI, bv thoso
whom Inc had the honour to represent upon that
moor but by large majority of the peooIe of
''i.s Nofnthonwealth-he would use his best
e"or's 10 resist the passage of the bill. He
Thought lie could perceive, i'm the vote which
haa Iust been given unon the amendment Offer.
cd by The honorable member from GoocI,,.nI
anisPos'iion lin the House To pass the till. ne
was as'ohished; but that vote had decided hin,
10 exert tis unprepared efforts TO resist IT, Ua
thought 1T unnecessary to follow the learned
gentleman rom Northampton, in his iistorir,
Researches AFTER TIE Opinions of learned Dor
'ois' a''o Tie commentaries Of the Jewish Rabbi
'with view to settle what had been the ooinions
OF theoogions upon the prohibitions conta;ned
| m tn: divine law. With the honorable ,oo,nha
froin AiHerinaiic, he was prepared 10 vio,J
'his part oi me question:, and would have been
wiling To have spared the honorable gentle
nan 'Fori Northampton, al! the Iabour of that
part oi his argument, and concede at once thai
me n''he ia;' continued no such prohibition as
thai proposed 10 be repealed, b, the bill unou
the table. This. sir is a au .sti,;r ne ,,o,;I,
Is question of morals, and as such IL oro;,t a..
nave been considero. in this House | L,,d i;
10 De IN zen able as Legislators, that bcynnj ,h,
ever, aaN BUSINESS OF ti:is House, in prociIino
Tor thc ordinary ex.scncies OF the government
IN ia!iHg take, establishing rOa,.s srr.nt;,o
cfta.'terS, and the vast variety OF business -,
which we are every day enGtgcd we are ,o,u,d
as part OF our duties, 10 protect the ,no,.I.
and watch over the happiness OF tho. u,.onIe
| How can We do this, Unless we have some r.
gard Tor the genius, the moral feelings and oven
1t you VIII have ii So, sir, for the ,,reiud;,es -,
the people, and This, the more especially wbe,,
those preJudiccs run INTO no evil: but ON ti,
contrary contribute, he it ever SO little IN t,.
sum total OF human happiness Sir the inst
luton which Is fitted for genius or pre,ulices e
gentlemen prefer the term, of one people and
Wouii contribute to Their happiness although in
,tseis morally good, might be entirely united
10 the genus and the feelings of another The
piety OF the tiindoo son. which leads him in
| throw his aged father into the current of the
Gangss, or the Indus is shocking TO the feeiinos
OF humanity here. Bat then even this practice.
barbarous as II Is must be regarded; and a wis
Legislator would not at once resist the opinions
and preJudlces of a whole nation, but would ra-
| ther endeavour by wise and prudent laws fo
temper and lead them Alright. Sir, il is a re-
mark no less trite than true that the I,appiness
| OF man does not SO much consist in Tie ereaf
things OF this world, in those things for the at
| taInment and enjoyment of which, we are all so
earnestly abouring, in the glare of Office or the
glitter of wealth. But, sir, il you will ool, into
your own heart, you will find it is made IN of a
| compound ofwhat at the first glance might seem
but irillcs; in the kind Offices of friendship. in
the silent and transformations Comforts of bonc.
Yes, sir, the very term brings comfort with it:
and into this little world of every mans hanri
l mn ti,n Yaa..t 80 l L