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

".A '"eih sister IS surely her most
natural attendant her best, most proper and
sympathising nurse. They are the offspr;ng of
inc same bosom; have been nurtured at thc
same breasts; carried thro' the stage of boI,,oss
'hiancy by the same hands; and in a great Ine,.
sure made what they are as moral and inteIl;-
gent beings, at least as rational animals. bv the
same fostering care. From the earliest neriod
Vi human action, they have been in the con-
slant habit OF mutual assistance, as well as tho
constant feeling of mutual pain and pleasures
VI common affections and aversions Leisure
"'d 'he desire oil being useful in the one. the
prospect OF comfort III suffering, from hab;tu,,
intimacy and confidence IN the other tho be,,,s
OF both, bring them together on such occasions
nc husband Is the constant companion and as
,oc'a.e OF THIS youthful nurse to his sick wife.
oien totally changed by disease from what Che
was when the fever of love rag.d i'm h;s ,,n,,
VEINS. By their joint duties, they are kent very
'o"s TOO near together. They mutually endea
Vonr To bcguile the tedious hours of their n;oht
v'ghs. They bond together over the bed of
SICKNESS, and unavoid ably come into pcr;lous
contact. The contrast between BLOOMING health
!" one OBJECT, and the paleness, langour, ami
| vi disease IN the other, becomes
dangerously striking. Tie suiIerinps of Tho
sick may be too long protracted for human SYN
patty TO endure in all the requisite lye.iness
ny the long Privation oil a customary eniov,n,,nt
the dearest OF nj! upon earth TO the hea of nan
ana long since declared by able Physiulop;si, to
oc' under certain circumstances of are fem
permanent anu mode OF life at the time neces-
sary tor the preservation of baaith the sanbi,;,v
OF the nervous system becomes often exalted Il,
The utmost height. Under such circumstances
all III them very legitimate excitcucn,s tn ord
nary marriages. un..aiiowe1 love is too ant IN
ina us origin. But what is love, that mighty
passion which holds such irnpeiious sva, in tl,e
human bosoms' TINS enquiry is proper, for mar
riage IS the topic OF discussion, and no ham
Pness IN marriage was ever known which, h,d
not ITS origin and its support in renuiue love
ihe passion OF Love may then be defined with
proprictv on this OCCASION. Leaving the sinh
'ie'ics oil metaphy sic;ans who oy erlook i'm their
ao'i'actons The certain results of primitive Or
ganiHation, IN that neglect they so we'll deserve
Love must, nevertheless, be defined n com
pound affection, and varying emotion. Ii is
compounded OF an animal feeling; a strong SEN
,'ment seated IN the heart, which indeed is the
seat OF all true sentiment, and OF an image
stamped upon the brain sometimes adorned nd
eoloured by the imagination until If becomes am
MOL, at the shrine of which all the facuIt;as
pow; more commonly restricted By sober reason
20 a natural outline and colour. How is if nos
s'oie Tor tins passion TO be genuine when II
arises IN the case under our contemplations
Soper reason opposes the very first emotion
The heart already belongs TO another: To ono
perhaps dcarer than all Others to her. into whose
possession the new passion, if genuine, must at
once transfer 1t. 1t has long been held IN de-
i'gh'ful bondage; it honest and tender it cannot
consent TO break its rosy letters merely because
the flowers have begun to fade In such case
The IMAGINATION cannot ms!ead, for il is over ac
1--WE only upon long or frequent separations-thc
unrefned animal feeling alone re mains. Suc,,
Is The love in which must originate bv far th,
greater part of the marriages between men
and the sisters of their deceased wives
but what Is the difference made by this bill in
the future situation Of youthful or mature y;ves
confined to the bed of sickness and attended
there by more Youthful sisters and ardent hus
"'''"s' AS '''s raw now stands, the help iess ma
iron cannot found suspicion, worse torment
than any disease, upon appearances. ho.vcvo,
elu'vocai they might seem tn her anxious eve
iecannot avoid comparing herown pallid conn
| 'cnance aud half exhausted frame with the
Incoming health OF the companion of her hus
bands attentions to herself The all powarf,,l in
iucnce OF female youth and health ov er fnelirrr,
'hs those o' the man she loves, for that verv sen
slbiIty and susceptibility Of character, cannot
be unknown to her. But she has full conf
dence IN the honour Of her husband; she knows
him t. be inc tpa5lc OF destroying forever fine
peace OF one am the Innocence of aputhe,,
helpless female, both dearcr to him than all
The world besides, by yie!Iine to t-ansi-
tory thpnlse-5he trusts TO the understa n,!ino
Wv M Sie'Si a. tiiS sure ground OF her chastity.
| kePcal the law, and how fatally is her condition
changed-hcr two dear friends are no Iono,ar nm
the tooting together of brother and sister The
relation is so altered, that too strong incl
nation IN one and too much seliiShness in the
other, may IN moment convert them into her
deadiiest enemies. The shield to the honour OF
her husband upon which she SO confidently de-
| pended, Is taken away; the barrier to tie
chastity OF her sister, which would have been
| inpTegnable, is broken down BY law a le-
climate union may be the result of feel
Irgs inspired by that intercourse her mis-
| fortune las rendered necessary. Every syup-
tom of mutua! interest is marked by her vigila Mt
eye. fatal anguish of mind is the certain conse-
quence. Her recovery is no longer the object t.f
their wishes and prayers. She is the only bar to
theF happiness, ana her speedy dissolution becomes
their dearest interest. All restraint upon the
feelings excited by the relation in which her
calamity has placed them, has been removed with
The necessity tor 1T. sure remedy has been pro-
vided by law for the mischief produced by induI-
gence The stain on his honor, the blot on her viz
tue, may be wiped off. Bot more. Otfer-gen.
tlemen will show other pernicious consequences Of
this bill, no doubt The probable euuency of This
single case, and the deep misery, if not guilt, in
voved Iui OF necessity, mt almost every recurrence
were sufficient to justify the Mr. r. intended to
| give.
| MIR. CoIsToN rose ia opposition to the bill and
promised the House to he brief He regretted that
the remarks of the gentleman who had lust SAT down
| (Mr. Randolph had been heard by so small 3,
| portion OF the House--fO he thought them well
calculated to make deep and serious impression.
Mr. o. said, that he had design Of following the
| gentleman from Northampton (MT. UpshurO i'm his
theological enquiries. lie ready, if necessary,
! tn give up that view of the case, and to concede
tnat no prohibition of the marriages contemplated