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

SPAN they have ducnnas, and jealousy windows.
aud all the guards and cautions of mmanly sus'
picion. Aud what is the consequence. WHY.
'"e richest beauty which thcy can boast may he
wh'sticd from any balcony i'm the country. This
ooecuon, SIR, IS founded in a double distrust. dis
honor'ng alike to both the sexes 1t pres,,ppo.
SEES me extraordinary fact that nothing but on
por."'''y Is wanting, and that there is neither a
ieciinr oil honor in man nor power of r,s:s
lance IN woman sufficient tn Withstand ovcn ill.,,
nai''wed in'nnacics of the family circle. The
oolecton Is worth nothing, unless tho corrup
'o' winch IL supposes, Is ut last highly probable
and trust that few who hear me. viii ,IImy
themselves IL entertain an opinion so unf,your
ao,e TO The purity and stability of public morals.
nu, SIR tue principle Of this objection. is
equally wonderful for another reasons il tcn.Is ia
establish an Indirect mode of I.o;sl,,;nn r.ho,i,
without precedent in this land. Its protested
ooiect Is 10 prevent the seduction of the wite,s
sister, by her brother in law, and instead of at
ta;h'ng direct penalty to This crime as in all
sni'ai cases, 1t simply f,rbds the parte, to Mace
themselves within the danger OF co.ntni,tipor IL
Hat wonia De thought of Us, SIR, if we were to
pass lav proie,scdlv to prevent murder and i,
o'uer 10 attain that object, silouIi simply make
II penal were ANY man not to bring M his chill
oreh IN the observance of the ten commandments,
- Is "rttlcn In those comm niinents, ssI'hon shall
% no MURDER" ana whatsoever obcys them. viii
be IN no danger of Incoming murderer. Dut
we think Ii mirc wise in this case TO saw th,t
blood shall be answered with blood; we cudca
vonr to prevent the crime by punshino The Ell;
ninal b. attac'litg tn. saac,ion of t!c law To-
the office Itself, and moi 10 the motives and in
ducern n, wh:c'i may lead To it. Ti,, cases ara.
strictly analogous IN principle. Hit be the oh
lect OIL gen ienen tn prevent seduction ,c; lhcm
bring IN bill to punish it, and will unite with
uie,n ~ attaching to the law, the ,,iost severe
ana rigorous sanctions; hut let us moi select the
hard case before us, for the establishment of This
unique principle, this solccis.n in leeslat;o,.--
l am unwilling to legislate upon the prin,.;,le
that all the Inen and women III Virginia are cor
rnpt ana even IT were compelled TO assume th;s
d'sgraceinl fact, should be inclined TO suhiect
thein to more rigorous restraints, than those
winch can serve only To keep them out of the
way o. re nPta:ion The objection when ana
Used, is simply this: If n man BE- pcrmi,eJ &,
think 1t that his ,viic's sister NAV bccmn
MS WIFE, he viii certainty sc,iucc her We wis.,,
10 prevent Tins seduction, and therefore we WI,
iofnii nun To think 1t possible that hi, wife,s sis
Ter may become his wife. I;ut if he chooses IN
disregard our prohibition, we will not punish
h''rl' being content that we have given him due
warning, land let the sin a,.I lis consequences
be upon his own head" Surely sir, there never
was an argument SO insultinsiy particular and
So exqusltciy absurd in its principle.
but II II De possible, sir, that this objection
can DE gravely urged, it is susceptible of the
,hos' satisfactory answer upon the ground of fact
utterly deny that any such consequence can
result from the marriage in question, as gentle
men nave supposed. SIR, 1t IS not in our power
To ie@islate away the natural passions of man
Human desires have never vet owned aileri.n,o
TO human laws. The strong nature with, no
cannot be subdued by any positive prece,ts-
lie c'notions are involuntary. and her impulses
are irresistible. In spite Of all that we can say
against II, the warm curront of the blood will
nave us course. w hen the subtle flame once
enters INTO the heart, 1t pursues its mad career
In utter acorn of all human restraints IL does
not consult The statue book fo, its object NOR
VIII II submit to be confined within any limits
winch may be prescribed to it, b. a cold and
calculating policy. This, Sir, is our nature. and
II WOULD be wise IN us to f,iloy thu. counsel which,
II suggests. The forbidden tlcsite will spripr
III th2 hca'f and Il there be no hope that il may
ever De ia"iu'iy Indalgcd, it will soon learn to
oVericap your artificial barriers, 10 acco,npIisl,
lis object at the hazard of G. ery conseouencc
out, sir IL you leave to man under the Influence
81 TINS feeling, tue baie hope thai it .nay be lay
iuy ihduiged even al distant ,iay, Won present
10 nun the strongest possible motive of forbaar.
ance; for no man is Sd bestially sensual, as TO
Wish TO stiipratc before hand, the woman who
may one day, become h!s wife. This reasoning
sir, Is founded in The principles Of our nature =
dca desi!es The existing iaw has direct tenIen-
cy To intlamc then. The bill before yoI on the
contrary, soothes by the hopes which i, eDcour
ages, and presents AT the same time, a motive nl
toTbearance and generosity, " hiCh no honoura
bic mind can resist.
Bot sir, II there BE- any force in this objection
II appIcs a correctly to any other woman as to
me "iies sister. 1t goes upon the principle that
an Irtrtlate and confidential association between
the sexes, VIII necessarily lead TO debauchcries.
AM IT is merely 6esa'Ase OF the intimacy which
usually prevails between a man and his yiGe,s
sister, that they forbidden TO marry. The
rea'on would Apply with precisely the same
3rce, to the wi!e's Cousin to her ultimate friend
10 the husbands cousin, or the busban. rs jnti
rate friend, and to all and every woman whom
Il zen lsh'p or accident, might bring within the
conn 'entia' familiaries of the husbands fires;de
III ms DC the principle of our law why should
we restrict II 10 particular case? Let US cover
at once the whole ground before us and we sI,a
ind ourselves involved in this strange absurdity
that those osty 10 hidden to marry who have
the best possible opportunity of being correctly
known to each other! Those whose virtues have
gained upon US BY daily and hourly observations
VINO nave laid hold Of our hearts by an undisguis.
ed displays OF Character; whose habits, opinions
and feelings unite barrnoniously with cur own;
who are endearci to us by habit aud by a lonc-
an intimate and Cliaste communion of souls:
these q these alone forbidden to US " lille we
dare venture on weiluci< at all, We are coinpclI
cd to make our observations at a distance: TO
conri behind the masks of artificial life. and 10
stake the happiness ot orr existence upon I'm,
desperate hazards of an uDtricd character.
Permit 'ne nov, Mr.. Speaker TO offer to your
console zion. ftvu A.