Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1840-04-01
Miscellaneous.
From the Boston Atlas.
THE MARRIAGE Law.

OF this Commonwealth, which denounces
certain men and women as criminals for |
a mere difference of complexion, releases |
them from the civil obligations which in |
other cases attach to The holy relationship |
Of marriage, and robs the children of such |
persons, not only ftheir purse but al.
so of their good name One would sun.
pose. that such manifestation of regard.
on the part of the House, for the rights of
human nature. for the sacredness of the
marriage institution, and for the protec-
ton Of the innocent from aspersion and
robbery, might receive the sanction of all.
who have heads to appreciate, and hearts
to sympathlse with. humanity. But the
Advertiser, Of Saturday, contains whole
column in condemnation Of this act of
simple justice. That respectable daily.'
does mot think il reputable to our Leols-
lature that proposition to repeal the law
should have passed one branch and .can-
not yet believe that it will receive the
sanction of the other
Were it not as well if the editor of the
Advertiser would leave the members of
the Legislature to Judge for themselves as
to what is 'reputabler The Senate, not
less than the House, has some regard for
Tepubicanism. The Advertiser cannot
yet believe this, and therefore doubts if
the former will sanction, in this matter.
what has been done by the latter.
AS to the reason assigned by PROM
inent member of the House COR his vote
in favor of the repeal which is so very
unsatisfactory to the Advertiser, / will
say for that member, that he assured me.
that he kneto the Law 1cas most inioui.
toas IN us Effects His hatred of inioui.
~, therefore, in the absence of all other
considerations, should have been sufficient
to induce him to vote as he did.
In the excited discussion concernino
the repeal of this law, nothing is more
observable than the inconsistency of those
who seek TO sustain it. They declare that
there is an instructive antipathy betwe@
the races; that union between them Is
grossly unnatural &c. &c. Yet in the
same breath. they utter fearful predictions
OF universal amalgamaiioI, if the restraint
OF this law be taken of. If there is an
instructive antipathy between the races. Il
will take care of itself to a certainty. and
needs no law to help it. If there is mot
such an antipathy. no act of Legisla-
lure can either create il, or compel it 10
be assumed.
Al meeting In New Hampshire con.
corning admitting colored bows to the
same Academy with whites, one of the
speakers sold, If we educate these color
cd lads, and allow them to become mer.
chants, lawyers, &c., the next thing we
know they will be marrying our daugh.
ters. Amer prolonged appeal to preju-
dice, which he called argument, he con.
cluded by saying, Social equality be-
tween US is totally impossible The two
races won't mix together any better than
oil and water A plain old fashioned
man arose, and made this very apt reply !:
thought you said just nov you was
afraid they'd marry our darters. Ifthev
wont mix any better than lie and water.
what are you afraid onP
This hue and cry about samalcama-
tion IS merely specious appeal 10 pop-
ular prejudice, for lack OF argument. A
shrewd Yankee can dispose of it by an.
swering two brief questions. Can an act
Of the Legislature prevent you from mar
Tying woman whom you choose to mar
ry2 No. Could the act of ten Leoisla-
lures compel you to marry a woman
whom you do not choose to marry2 No
Then leave matrimony to regulate itself
There is no occasion for a law that water
shall not run up hill.
We are told that under the operation
ofthis law We have enjoyed state of So
ciely obviously purified and elevated, in
consequence Of the absence of those mig
lures Of population. which prevail where
no such law exists
Is Massachusetts purer than Vermont.
New Hampshire, Connecticut, and other
States, where no such law exists?
Can she in fact truly boast of an alb
sence of such mixtures!
Ifa census of the colored population Of
this State were taken, it is more than
doubtful whether one tenth would be found
unmlxed black. Among the Cav Head
and Marshpee Indians is there one in
twenty Of unmingled blood2 The results
ofsuch census would be stubborn facts
for believers IN instructive antipathv.
And where, on the whole surface OF the
globe, is amalgamation more rife. than
in The Southern and South Western half
Of this nationg A friend of mine was
told by'John Quincy Adams. that, on din
ing with one of the late Presidents of these
J United States, bright mulatto son Of the
President stood behind his chair 10 the ca
pacity Of servant. Andthis Distinguish
ed gentleman, in bis place on the floor of
Congress. i understood to have inquired
IL il were true, as he had been informed
was the case. that the countenances Of
larnn nnlrnhorn az Ahn nln 70. -. :. IL.