New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-03-03
RUNAWAY MARRIAGES.

The Legislature of our State every winter
attempts some tinkering Of our laws respect
ing Marriage, but generally succeeds in doing
very little mischief We urge no action at all
on the subject but, whenever any change
shaH hereafter be made in these laws, We ask
that provision be inserted for the discour-
agement and repression Of Runaway Mar
riages.
The popular notions on this subject, fomented
BY the yellow. covered literature of the day,
are exceedingly lax and mistaken. The young
Miss who elopes from the parental roof to mar
~ some sdveuturer who was probably un-
known to her last year. is often represented as
girl Of rare spirit, who does remarkably
clever and admirable thing. We hold, on the
contrary, that, in great majority of cases,
her elopement is unwise gddy, ungrateful, i'm
modest, and evincss lascivious appetite and
reckless disposition Why should she desert
and distress those who have loved, nurtured
and cherished her through all her past years,
to throw herself into the arms Of a compare
tive stranger, who has done nothing for her.
and whose protestatons of affection have yet
TO undergo the first trial 1t is every way
unworthy of pure aud gentle maidsnhOod to
do So
We can imagine but one excuse for her
elopement-nSmey, the efforts of parents or
guardians to coerce her into marrying some
one she does not love. To avoid such fate,
she is justified in running away; for no parent
has or ever had right to constrain daughter
to marry against her will. But where the pa
rents are willing to wait, the daughter should
also consent to wait, until her choice is assent
ed to or she attains her legal majority. Then,
if she chooses TO marry in opposition TO her
parents wishes, lei her quit their home openly.
frankly, in broad daylight, and in such manner
as shall kindly but utterly preclude any pre-
tence that her act is clandestine or ill.consid-
cred No one should be persuaded or coerced
TO marry where she does not love; but 20 wait
q year or two for the assent Of those who have
all her life done what they could for her wei
fare no daughter should esteem hardship
There is some truth TO be told about the
common run Of masculine providers BY night
about garden walls and under bedroom win
dows, in quest Of opportunities to pour seduc-
ing batteries into the ears of simple misses;
but We have not time TO tell il now As
general rule, they are licentious, goOd-for-noth-
ing adventures who would much rather marry
living than work for il, and who speculate on
the chances Of bringing the old folks round
after year or two. 4 true man would not
advise, much less urge, the woman be loved TO
take a step which must inevitably lessen the
respect felt for her, and violate the trust re-
posed in her by those who had loved aad cher
ished her al her days.
The marriage of girls of fourteen to seven
teen years is very prevalent cause Of per-
sonsl and transmitted evil and suffering. Pre-
maturely taxed with the care and nourishment
of children, their constitutions give way, and
at thirty they are already on the dosnhil of
life. Eighteen is the youngest age at which
any one should marry; twenty TO twenty-three
is much better.
There is very much important truth re-
lAting to Marriage and kindred topics which
ought to be pOpulanzed through = series Of
cheap publications, responsibly issued, and
made accessible to all. For want of such. all
manner of qusck issues, designed to puff this
or that 'invisorstor or other swindling con.
eOctiOn, are asplentiful IS the frogs of Egypt.
Let the public beware of the whole brso5