New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-01-28
MARRIAGE AND DIVORCES p A

On the ground tbat eSpfc <eed Indifference 70
the issue Of discussion between him and an
ether party. l did sot express any indiHer-
eBee to the infor, cation which ! sought from
Nm. BY tbs expert bubble he gracefully
vsves ssize queries to which it 10 s'rnpiy ''o-
poss8e Gr him 70 reply, without committing hnesn
-, i,~x,,.hye seo.enee 20 conclusions which ne
Nseems either mot to have the willingness or INC
"A svev II would be cruel 10 insist any farther %
~ ~, lame. pass Before doing 20, however, snce
\. .bsyues "6.IIacies and misconceptions upon my
.,t,e,e ana refer. me obiqueiy TO his replies 70 Inc
<s..v,,, hermit me 30 rccsptnlstc the positions al
-h,.h no hss tsrried temporarily while boxing the
circle of possbiifes 10 ba discussion quote from
Mr. Jsmess various articles on the subject
Position 10. l. Marriage means nothing more and
.sstiug less than the legal union Of one man and one
-cusn for life" IL does not mean The voluntary union
- te psfies their mutual consent to hive together
IrssH pSaeito, during peesure0 " but simply legay
~ socially imposed Obligation 70 hive togethef @@'a~e
Sias during he"
That 10 TO cay, If understand, that II Is :" the base
,esal bondage or outward force" which character
bes the union and not the internal or spiritual UNION
sfloying hearts which constitutes the marriage.
po,ifsoa Eo2 eft Ia evident 10 every honest mind
that eonjzgei parental and social ues gener@y
can 10 ssfAy discharged Of the purely diaoohc eis
6gured by their own inward divine and rrcstioe lowell
sea-" aHo doubt there is avery enormous clandestine
violetion Of the marriage bond Illegal bond, OF course
% be defined MErragel, at the present time Inc
only possible chance for correcting IL depends uponfy
legiroapg divorce; .... because in that case, you
place the inducemeDtt 10 mutual ldety no longer IN ne
base Fal bondage Of the parties merely, but IN theirre
eiprocsl inward sweetness or humanity; You must
know many married partner who, If the marriage IN
stifufon" THE legal bond were formally abolished
tomorrow would instantly ennul that kgat Abolition
again BY the answering cOnsanoy Of ther hearts and
yves" That Is, without marriage.
Pos.toa No. 3. ~ have. .-....... commended Tor
sreater freedom Of divorce these grounfs;.
but had no idea that ! was thus weakening the re-
spect for Marriage. seemed 10 nyself 70 be plainly
strengthening IT," &c. IL seeined 70 me the while that
was saying good word for Marriage as was ever
said beneath the stare"
To resume: These three positions are, if language
mesDs anything, ss follows;
l. The whole and sole substance Of Marriage is the
Issa! bond or oHt0ayd force which unites the parties
sr life
q This legal bond or outward force il daoolical
element and should be wholly abolished and dispensed
with
g. BY dispensing with Marriage altogether-tha, Is,
with all outward form legal bond you do thereby
strengthen the respect for Marriage, and purify and
ssncty the institution -
Position No T. Goes step further, II possible, In
sbsurdy and proposes not merely TO allow parties 10
uninarry them selves cd hb,un hut to still further pu
rfy what remains of Marriage offer the whole Of !. Is
abolished by turning dsorderiy members ont NJ they
turn members out Of church See last article pdssi0
Position No s. Intreats Of the Editor Of The %
sra 10 let him OF from the Observation-Disclosures to an
swer my interrogatores and, TO make verb OF one
ofhis pet subssaves he cRle fishes by fnnl plunge
into me0sbysicel mysticism.
When writer claiming distinction as philosophy
cal estsyett Is content TO rest Ills reputation upon
collation. OF his ayowed positions such as the above
cullod from his statements made duringt courst
of single discussion, he shsll not be compelled by
any shade etimproprie,y on my part to undertake
the dsesieiu task Of disenanslng himself from the
perplcxipg ombragiio.
Dbmifsing ar. james, permit me now TO pay SOM
attention to your opinions You at lcas think hay
the pluok stand by your conclusions unless yo'
are fan " driven on from them
You affirm, with great TRUTH while you deplore II
that this Is prseminenily an age Of "lndviduslism,
wherein the Sovereignty Of the Individual that ia
"the right Of every TO do pretty much as he pleas
es"is already generally popular and obviously gain
ing ground daily Let us then, define our positions
mistake In assigning you yours. you are quito com
potent 10 correct me lcu declare yoursc rcdconst
against this obvious spirit of the age You take your
position in opposition to the drif-l think you Will
find Il the rresistble dril of that social revolution
which you recognize rs existing and progressing tow
ard Indvduasm aud the Sovereignty 81 tho Indy
You rightly refer Free Trade Freedom OF the Finances,
Freedom from State systems Of Religion and Educa'
ton, aud Freedom Of the Lore Relations to one and
the came prnoipc end that principle you recognize rs
the Split Of the Ase,he spiit Of this the most pro
eressive and advanced age in the worlds history To
this element Of progression you put yourself In hos
tile altitude You rightly say ths, all these varieties OF
Freedom find their basis and elemen IN that idea Of
individual Sovereignty which seems to us alike de
struotive OF social aud personal wellbens rejoice
ths, YOU so clearly perceive the broadth aud eoPro
hensiveness Of tia, principle, and thai all the ruin.
questions Of the day merely branches Of one ana
The same question namely wheilcr the Sovereignty
IT the Individual what Is the same thing, the indi
yidual iixt Of selfgovernment be true or false, az
consequently whether IL be safe dangerous pru
cple This viii greatly barrow the nits al the dis
cussion besides il is much easan 10 reason aaoa
general principles with one who IL capable OF grasidn
them than TO be carried ocean Of particulars
apparently different, bet really belonging 10 the sam
category.
This came principle Of individual Sovereignty, whic
10 YOU soeas destructive alike Of social and persons
weIlbelng is 10 me the profuundest, and most Ssi0'
bic, aud most trsnscendon,ly important principle
political and social order and individual well BEN
ever discovered or dreamed al Now, then We diliei
Here 81 the viy start, Is ~ illustration OF lndNiinaliy
or ,lversy u opion and growing oai Of that Of az
ton also We are both believe, equally honest tower
OF ihe wolhcing Of our fellow men; but We bone q
sior ircm dyenity O; organization, intellectual dcye
opmon past eNporls0ecs, a., WHO, now : the iegt
mate umpire between usi efTfu thsi there IL none
the universe | assert essential pcsrace. asscs
he doctrine Of nor.IterveuiiOa bc.wces individual
precisely you DO, snd ioE the seine reasons tas
DO between nations tle principle a peace soa hlIns
nv and good fellowship. Upon my principle atm
your complete Sovereignty 20 think and act :. No
choose or must clrnn INV ownts 10 hkewse. G al1
and sdli, The hight 10 der. TIL + SIMPLY ne who's
Cit Nocoll.sion. no intervention can occur be;woe
uF, SO ioEg bolh set q the principle, and only n pr
vent Intervention when ether attempts 70 on.0rce OF
---..suiops .>oa tie o,her How, now, l. q W.A .?a
principle, Yea d,icrmins you teias judgS tha' IN.
opinions are mineral thai the action growing OR
N...A b. n.--- IN