Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-01-20


were all coming back IS fast as they could.
The following is from an article in WILLIs's
American Monthly Magazine, on the law OF
property with respect to marriage:
As 20 women themselves, the operation OF
the law is So far clandestine, lovers rarely en-
tightening their misiresses Oh this subject, that
few know that by marriage, all their properly,
excep, house and fed, is transferred, by the
law Of he land, absolutely to the husband, that
the gifts Of the fond father, the earning OF the
wife, belong to him, all the income OF wo'
mans real estate, all tina, accr"es TO her, before
or az er MARRIAGES. his, not merely possession
common to both, but exc lusively his, liable TO BE-
seized by his creditors, his TO sell, 10 oequea'h,
TO give 10 a Hindoo or HoUentot, ii he SO
please: that a q married woman, so Far from
denomnating, with truth, hoys,-even the fur
n,ure her her gave her ,--oannot, according
to law, apply 70 il the term ours; she mus ask
leave and means however we althy she may haue
been, to bestow an aims, or gilt. BY law,
the afiuence Of he richest married heiress,
dwindles into q mere claim for necessarirs. An
honest courtship, congruous 10 he law, should
begin with lesson Of philosophy.
"what riches give us, let us now inquire, fire.
Meat fire and clothes; what more meat, clothes and
Is this too little' would you more than live"
This would be no more than suitable prepa
RATION for the legsIizrd dit,y Of Robin Hood,
"What's yours n be mine,
What's mines my own"
The property taken from the wife, may go
into The hands Of kind and providcnt husband,
or fall into the possession Of an idiot, tYrant,
a miser or spendihrift; il may pamper mis-
tress, or be s,aked at . gaming table; be aissi
a'ed by the 'ntemperaie, or take 10 itself the
wings Of desperate speculation II may pay
not only the deb,s OF the husband. contracted
IN he credit Of il, bu, the debs Of others, for
which in moment of creduIi'y, or vaniy, he
may have been bound. The meat, clothes,
and fire." are very uncertain. If not exhausted
by an, Of these means, il may 60 TO heirs,
One wife is no: the legal heir Of the fortune
she carries into her hu.band's hands) by no
mean The object Of choice, to hsr from whom
| he law has wrestet it, to the unaIlied. o The
| unkind, TO The injurious,
What a long list would he discerning Dia-
biz Boi,eu1 make out Of The splent'ie, nerv-
Gus, broken hearted wives, rendered so by the
operation Of this law! How many quiet and
happy faces has it darkrncd wi h discomfort,
or w,h.red prematurelv with repining! Un-
der this antiqua,ed law, how many amiAple wo-
men have become the prey Of BeverIeys! How
many exchanged the ease and dignity OF inde-
pendence, for the perpetual irritation OF en-
barrsssed circumstances, or even the moi.iiy-
ing condition Of hopeless debl! How often
has the selfish or thoughtless husband squan.
dercd, what the affectionate father straiened
himself to give! How frequently has the scanty
pi,tance, amassed by minute savings, fruit. Of
the lasting hand and eye Of the school mistress,
the s.ams,ress, or the female domestic, been
aban6 oned, by this law, to the swift exPendi.
ture Of the idler and hr proAigate! The rich
heires, become poor; is more piied than these;
but property like the sybilins verse, increases
IN value as i, diminshes in quantity. How
m any inher,i ancrs has mis- law transferred 10
strange blood? Under its operation, who has
not seen one decayed, paernal threshold pas.
10 strange feet! Trees planted by the hand OF
providen, consanguinity shed their fruits into
the laps of strangers! How many children has
il robbed OF Inc educatio and training 10 which
their mothers fortune entitled tnem! How
ef,en does the dear earned subs ance Of an aDx-
ious md Iaborious life, insts ad OF mlnis.ering
comfort or ease 10 the beloved daughter, tend
only 10 painful tisapI ointment, which
Stamps wrinkles in her brow Of youth,
With cadent tears, frets channels in her cheeks"
How often does j, Operate only to uni her for
the indulgence into which the husband VIII
plunge her.