Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1828-04-19

Sl9) Attcr the death Of Horiensius, Marcia
was again married. TO Cato. These examples
might be multiplied 10 a great extent; but we
have deemed IT enough TO select few cases
by way OF illustration, eNher remarkable IN
thenseves, or on account Of the individuals
principally concerned
After having closed his historical 'exanina-
tions. the writer proceeds 10 remark on the
present condition OF women, and makes the
following observations, which are equally hon
orab!c TO his head and heart.
But the disabilities incident to a married
woman are not designed for her beneti, and
t,rotectloni but tor the sscurIt OF her husband
Hence her contracts are not voidable merely
upon given contingency, or nt the election OF
her husband, but with few exceptions, they
arc absolutely void; and this simply OH tl'e
ground Of tho suspension Of her legal existence
during the covcrruro. For this monstrous
doctrine of orr law no better reason can be
assigned, we ina g.ne, than Bingham alleges,
namely, the right ofihe stronger (COrerture
1929 l, is sanctioned neither by justice, nor
plblic policy nor the exigeucios Of social life.
On the contrary, IL IS a principle. whosc an
tiquity is its only commentator, and which, IN
It's operation, has involved the courts in con-
tnual embarrassment.
Il is unjust. because it throws the wife and
her property entirely into tho hands Of her
husband anI loads to acts Of oppression on his
part, and OF suffering on hers, as numerous as
they are remediiess. Il is idle 10 apprchcnd,
that 10 allow aer any separate and Independ-
Ont rights would occasion domestic dIsscnsIon,
or imp1It that reasonable re-omInence.whlch
ought to belong to the master ot the family
The experience of the great body Of the civ
st.,oA 80, of ,tae thA
verso. The knowledge possessed by both par
ties, that each retained valuable rights. not
withstand,ng the union Of persons, would nee
cwarily promote mutual forbearance and re-
spoct. II is not enough TO say, that because
man has more experience of the world
greater knowledge OF md aptitude Tor busi-
moss, therefore woman should be deprived Of
legal exis,ecce. All the advantage OF las SUI
perior sS III is attainabIe by allowing him the
government of his FANNY, and the admlnistra-
ton of all the property belonging to him and
his WIFE That the extent oi her disability IS
against public policy, and contradicted by the
cxgonc:cs Of society, clearly appears; he cause,
for three centuries past, the Law IN tins re-
spect has been constantly making progress
from the barbarous severity of its original in
sttution into an improved state, more conso-
nant with tho complicated relations of proper
opinions and feelings ofa ic,tered and cultl-
waited age, in which woman has ceased 10 be
tho maiden, ard has ssen Up TO be the
choicest companion OF man.
There is so much good sense and justice in
the foregoing, that We cannot but hope that
the subject will arrest the attention Of legsli-
tors. and that WOMAN, may at no distant Pc
riod have her rights secured TO her. There is
neither reason or jistice in the law az it now
stands. and we cannot SEQ why a womaa should
not hold her property daring her coYcturc. as
well as while she remains feme sole 1t Is
true iha, she can secure herself, by vcs;ing her
personal, in real estate but even then, she laboIs
onder disadvantages to which she should not
he subjected.
As tho law now s;ands how many hundreds
there are not, who have felt all the evils re-
sulting from q law which is but a remnant Of a
barbarous age; how many hundreds Of the
softer sex, have lived to see thoir properly
wasted, by the cupid.iy and trcachery of those
with whom they have inauspiciousy blended
their fortunes and their fates, and in the end,
been reduced from state Of ease and ee-
gance 10 a state of utter misery, wrctchcd dncss
and disgrace.
We knny Of case which is precisely in
point, the bear contemplation of which should
induce tho lawgiver to rectGy an evil, which
is so alarming in its extent, and dreadful in its
consequences.
f.. - soco =, r L. J,.
acquaintance Of ours, who at an carly age was
married. to the man she loved, and on whom
sho lavished a handsome fortune. She was
young, giddy, thoughtless and passionate; he
was artfu, designing, tr,acherous, and knave
TO the very core. At the time Of the marriage
Of the parties, the lady possessed about fifty
thousand dollars in stocks, which Of course, by
the laws Of tho land, the moment that the
marriage covenant was consummated, fell iato
the hands Of the husband AS soon as he had
thus possessed himself, he commenced course
Of extravagance and dssp p.tion, and in a few
years the wife, already surrounded by an inter-
estlng group OF children, saw the rapid decrease
Of her sufficient fortune, and shuddered as she
contemplated HE work Of ruin. In this stage
Of her distress, when it was not too late for
tho husband to be just and generous, sho beg
gcd him to restore to hor, what remained Of
the wreck of ruin. for the support and oduca-
ton Of their children. But 10 her entreaties
4e turned a doaf ear, and mady squandered
away the last far;hing AT last, having been
reduced to poverty, the support Of the family
fallen upon the wife, and TO enable her to
tho interesting duties which had now
devolved upon her hands, she commenced
aching q school with decided success, and