New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-03-05
MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE.

cir: Nhen 1 peAned my aticie upon III
yorce, did so at your own challenge. More
than once you expressed q wish to know my
opinions and hence Jour readers, and myself
slso. without any great assumption On my
part, might fairly suppose that you would not
consider writer whom you would thus bring
before the readers of The Tribune, IS uttering
"pOor trash" In this article did nor o.
trude my own personality, nor that OF any other
individual. | said nothing OF the relative duties
OF either wife or husband. met the contract
of Marriage only as State regulation. said
expressly that I treated the condition in its
external aspect only.
Now, these being the facts of the case, will
you tell me whether even the Isolated paragraph,
quOtedin your structures upon me yesterday can
be honestly and fairly tortured TO the eonstruc-
ton you give Il, l. there cnJhng N the whole arte-
(evtn admitting II 20 be poor tTAh) which generous
mind could Constne into advocacy upon my psrt,
Of perpetual system Of domestic dlscord; Of ~
r,foly reprmhbdln- curtain lecturinc, and al that
o0ious and petty household warfare which prevs ent
a. it H. every good and EAgnaninious heart must and
will eouoenni
Menspeak out Of the abundance OF taer hearts, &C.
oOrdng TO the words Of Jesus "a Leather Stocking
would ssy according 20 their gifts aud therefore u -
but cidh hncs the part of writer 20 feel ayreTct
when be misunterstood But does seem - me that
subject Ike ills Of Divorce should BE- mes IA
truly CsrhoLc spii If you ssk the opinions of wo-
nan, do hot why you should turn upon her with
sort Of personal spleen. simply because she being
prcsumes to tLk absirsciy, sad asks no svors
fOT beTsef woman, but i willing 20 Dc put N po-
siiion where she should be thinker ony. had
hoped the time past when unfair weapous would be
consider ed jssiihabiein argument bal hoped that
generous appreciation OF human motives was growing
mo public isvor In the old cnivnirc days men delight
cd 10 end "ioemen WORTHY Of their steel Amongst
sGvsges only u the practice to Willy AMI abuse an
enemy tortured the stake. and editor, be VIII,
nay stand in that uncnviablc lght say tais
Nor. ~ .orrv~ ,h,a azF-r"
wish TO follow Up this subject Of Marriage and D-
vcTce more full, If the columns OF TIE Trbaae are
o,en To- ne have been favored with many let,ers
from ecrnos minds rcquc Inc nc % Do 40 and m gnt
II the p1oic thought Il largely drawn 10 the
consideration OF this and Kindred subjects Men are
beginning 20 think that women should be allowed 70
present their 10 their own way. Prejudice Il
yolCne the still small voice OF wOmanly per-u t-ion.
srd purer, higher sense of human rights IS opening
20 The con mon mind.
Hahe1to Woman has had no voice in Legislation.
An he ndons of the civil compact have been male
without any coucurreuce en- her part Nm have made
laws and determined tn penalties OF their violation for
her well himself an sac has had nohngta do but
obey blindly sulsT the consequences. Now she -
bcaniin 20 feel that in submitting 90 this sided
legislation she ha been f herself and 10 her brother
al,o She grows appalled, at her apathy, and won
deTs that she should have been deaf snd blind, and
helpless the purposes involving human good
Evcry cuhs hfeued and truthful mind engaged In any
effort ~ reform must be ideal in ~ tendency. IL must
not merely speek OF the exiting grievance, but must
exhibit cleo that progressive tendency 10 he true AMI
the beautiful IA hertut in man himself Hence such
one cannot DO mere do unntis He cannot be stormy
vtuperaive sdyocate OF any one fragment q reform.
He must be able 20 cast asldc much that - accepted
BIZ the masses around blm, much rubbish - NJ
oVn mind He j. more desfous thar tru should pre-
vaii thsn his own particular opinions. he swl.Ing
that bis own theorec, however, precigus - n'ell'
should III go by the boart, ~ be tnat some
hing better may supersede tlen. he y chilihke In
his Truil loving. he detects q hlmc IN himself a3
readily O. ore In hi nogbbor lie il wiling 20 10 no
ing ami les tlan nOting, tnsI the grei purpoles
Of human good may be advanced Il n not thiI ism,
nor that which hes beating his heart but tao voice
OF God himself, citing upon him, saying where arr
thou" VII, The earth i drinking thy brothcrs blood
and the cir Is hllcd with his gr0ars, AMI hs mighty
struggles couyulse the universe Slch on' so listen
IA T. cannot be sient, man or woman far less viii he
thrust his petty personalry IN the round
end ca truth into the back lie may be vilitct aud
mifrtprueut d, but 20 are oil who d4re 10 thlnk con
tIsry to received opinions.
This question oi marriage is ono UPON which MI are
mcre less d rscd 10 speculate Some viii ten You
this Il marriage and that ID not marriage distinction
crew IN uut OF their mcHtl coo ,ttuioO L may b.
or ihsrefse OF general application. Wsrelhe mar
,ilgc relation pospC ned more mature age IN both
ilc than Is ordinarily the case, tower mistak woui
be- mao ., and much Of mi-ery be avUited. Among
people where no elias IL peculiarly pr.ylegei wlers
pputy IL DIVIDED aud su6dIyded, 20 that great estates
10, readily buit ~, where the uln trnei women
Eas social privileges uuSnuwn q her si-'cr- ~ ohcr
ccuitic tie nece sity for labor Is nearly equally d.
y.dcd between the sexes ind therefore The rcmnnesa
ton should also be equalsed. Women have married,
aud do stil marry Tor support. iew s,ntiirrttss
my deny th but the majority among US know so a %
be The tact. | have heard hundreds OF women, ShO
cone 10 me with ther many 30 acknOglsd q . tn3
fact More than this-Cl am treating upon lelonS hui
agonies-of The slow whitening hie otthose wholyc
without JOY, and meet death without regret aud N re-
fore csnn. write with dove quill npon rOsc eayrs)
More than the, these same mi-erable women. ser
wearing their velveis ard diamonds often also wearing
the plain garb OF the middle ella Sc, eature cruel
singing contempt harsh brutal treatment, from men
who have sworn inthe presence OF God ant witnesses
10 cherish and prote lem, ant they endure this BE-
cause tlete support them, feeding the body and
cOihBg the back De called asnpPoFL Tasy euiure
year, Of egony and le,zci IMMUNITY because,
thoud they attempt an escape, they would have NJ
means OF support Should they, feeling their degrade
ZION, attempt 10 withdraw 70 msrronly secluon, de-
sire 10 their virgin he aud live tor Cod aud tao
children he may have given them, these mea reiuse
10 support item they exact the Shylock penalty aud
nothing il left them buI notwithstanding nope beyond
life Oflega tebssemeDi and misery They have not the
courage, the ability nor the trust In God esscunal 10
work out their own salvation and these msn have not
the msgB0niIniy see into the weariners anu mkery
Of such a lie-have no reverence for human soul,
thus giytn w by the lRw wholly into their keeping.
Tie law ha. made her his not mutually and eqaa
luf he i hbs egaiized property, and ne mas riga,
legally % her EutmSsOn- Our Drotaefs may sneer a,
US and idcule efforts At ssinctPsSOn but Ia dung
The tey esst contempt upoa their own mother vile
and tistfT.
Tie time must come when women NlI tod manso'ly
rather Than marry Tor support, for there eau be ~
bon6see more terrible than thl- II the relation prove
VI genial 70 the peres position more serye, thsa
that u unloyiag wife no poor, miserable wfetca
who walks tie pave, ubVyIs, GniOy-d, hJpeie.s AMI
hepless more degraded In the eyes OF Infinite purity
than che And yet this . marriage. The STATE reco5
uizes IL SUCH and when the State has done this la,
doIe aI has any night 10 Do. The matter - then D.
Ia
each CHER 81 4 very well. ihsy not. 10 legala
ton can make them 80. What them shall they live
in perpetual d-cord Snail they make the relation one
OF inquiry and MISERY God lorbid. II this 4 the re
sulr l. Is because one or beth IL defcient 10 m1znsnim
Gus Views Of lnr Code laws superior % hunsn
laws The latter msy have made them one when the
forer 6isannEls the union. Let them then. ignore the
exisrual forD-let them be as brother and sister help
ing each the other in all ths i aud earnest m life.
90 Ia ssy they viii be entirely happy n this aspect,
DO not cay but that the soul may psne for companOn