Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1856-07-25
NUMBER II.
X RlC III Nj OND WHIG.

DIVORCE IN FNGLAND

DlNohCE IN ENGLAND.
he amended Divorce Bill comes again before the Lord.
'i'' evening we presume that it Is unnecessary ws
should diate upon it, provisions or recapul. a, nh
the arguments which have been advanced sr :, a., -,
it. The fact is that Engis~ omen do l.hour
ds'dvantages; that they subject to iniu.,i, ,,
ana wrong without remedy and Nithoat sutuo,, w
are not no" speaking OF those sentimental grievance. which
nave been recently Paraded by certain champion. mora
adventurous than discreet. We think this champion.hio
mas done Tar more harm than good 1t has conured nm
fictitious ~rong- for sympathy ~hen real wrongs aoup
and because the condition of some woman xs v..
'u' sought to make the condition Of all men harder
SUI hAd eonenied itsel with battling the omen and
Acknowledged vices OF faulty system il .onld b. t.
ell the sympathy and support public opinion on IL, i
But instead OF this, It set with an audacious
Tor transferring to wives all the pecuuiary privileges Of bu.
oAh1s without transferring the pecuniary responsibilities;
at the same time. According the scheme uiv,. . .,
he 'B"omerS, or Amazous, anything els. nor,. ma.
cuinr, as Tar as touching the money-ch,--t ar
ue Neht OUT we're to snbside into OF the most
tender ana helpless wonAnhood as soon a. a, ,r..
uui oi payment vas started They we're 10 run CON, g.,
To the stream OF custom, privilege and nutbo,i,v L ~
,ng anu eathg their cake too BY new ln.lve ~,
Law the poor husband be iealou.Iv Earo. y.
strictly excl ludei from any participation in ,bo ;i |
earnings but, though precluded from .,
ue ens''es oi us own partner he be admitted IN
the fullest privileges Of paying her debt. eitbst +; -
or by purse. Such was the adventurous -cb,,,o ~
ed Tor avergrg the wrongs Of women and ,,.,.,.. %
the harmony OF the domestic hearth But IN. I'm, his
Lotu LlSDhuRsr has Introduced has very diesrsnt l
Ject IL deals not With extravaeant exc.n,io,. ~ ~. ~
ed injuries but with real hard, tangible wrong. I, =
NOT MAKE law Tor reversing the natural relation. of III
uiaFfeu men ana women but SIMPLE for r-uaI,in. 81
unnatural relations Of those whose married I iS ~
erNIse be hopeessly and helplessy wretcbsd T. % S'a
not propose TO so" the seeds OF mutual suspicion 5I.c
anu contention between couples who in the u,tnt. c
OF events, would be trusting and symnatb.,;. 49,, se
crate those whose only tie is that which bind. he ;
10 tne oPp5essor, the injured to the wrong doer
In introducing the bill the great Conserv.tiv. pc
ner reminded their Lordshps that A. the l,w uc -.
woman may be married to a man who !. ~ oros s..t'
less eHtaVAgant and cruel Who not content iii ,h
SIN OF adultery adds TO it the cowardice and harh; -
personal violence no less than the extortion of selfish
e1travagance; yet from this man. even tbougb ,;,i 80
icion guilt aud branded by iclon's doom ,Ls i,a
cannot be efectually separated unless in the r.s.
OF vice, the husband has complicated iI .i ,
cest Then, Indeed the Law is merciiul ami If hs %
ma the means to support costly suit tbr ,u go
the wife from further pollution. But uudsr IN a -
OF -'n shame, and suffering short of this il piyrs S -
a'd offers no enduring shelter The wifi, i Grked bi
oohnu or NE, TO the man who has insuted her i;.
cy, violated her seli-respect and il may he L,iLt
fortune on his gross OF guilty pleasures She has indeed h
shadow OF protsconin the Ecclesisst stcsl Co, -,
y = miserable phantom Though the partial divorce birb
a' venerable tribunal can decree to extent imuars
the personal unity OF the marriage bond it does NOT zen
10 aHectthat other unity to which bad husband. rnsv
Se' nigher lmp"rtance-the unity OF property Sbord
tue vile whom cruelty or infdeity has driven TO the p
cinct, OF this court, and Who through it, d,in P
stored 10 tile immunity OF a f,Jaias sole coina into b
session Of property not strictly settled she the, fn II,
ner P'ivEei l. mockery and deusion the unity With
sue iouy hoped had been dissolved again stnrs into ~
stance To yea her With its eXactions uud ,L. s,II
whose more active annoyance bad been suspend., t-
uae resumes he former aggression and ,poliaion
Such Is The cole remedy attainabe by the i,;,,
Wife remedy which leaves her witIout ,b,
aud almost without the form OF reparatiou Rn, M
woman ~ho has so slight hold the law. svmns,I
when injured, offers too palpable mark TO the il -;
not only when she i convicted but even wber J rs
pected OF doing wrong. She may be condemned nb,i
~ court to which she has been cited on tb 60
Tence oi witnesses whom she cannot examine bv ,b col
nsion OF wicked husband and a yindc,ivs - ''
name may be soied with nfany thousand cIr; iie'
o5seu "ith all the soemuity of the highest truth and
Judgment obtaned by perjury aud colIusion -,
bunal may succeed in inducing another IN J;, 'e '
tie iltle and privilege of a wife " VI
Is 10 put an end TO such anomalies a. these that
Loru lyndhursts bill has been iraned 20 give ,eI -
olsn NOT only when outraged by the ncestuous ad,ta
~ winch now extorts divorce but also nb.,, ,,;,,
Her certain circumstances Of peculiar aggrayaiop to
the cruelty OF brutal. the infdelitv of rross - y
tue contamination of ielon husband to break anJ DO
uoy that hgment of anity which they have f.It o, a.
"'s a'u 'he mockery; and 10 restore TO them tbosa
G's ol Sheh their legal protectors have proved them
e7 suen weak ana unit trustees. More tlan tbis h
proposes TO give both aud women whom ,s,or - -
49, s'e mas rendered unworthy and unfit 10 maintain
~ eA'eal sehoance OF union-who cannot lor ger liy-
together without mutual disgust and loatbiog-tb tb -,
oi rsa.hing that separation which nature and rIi,
ueuanu a, less t1ghtul cost than our present I,~s
vNo't AGAIN II proposes TO Eliminate gradually
ousn not permitted to abrogate posi,ivey thnt oil
ous acton Tor damages, which has been 80 long the sb
ana nlot OF our civil Jurisprudence That hin of III
KIND will be opposed, il has been onnnsed bf ',s |
uouo' mat may be delay ed is only too possible
put that 1t will be ultimately opposed successfully we b
e'e 70 De most improbable The House of Lord. b,. n,
majority OF voices and preponderance Of reason aresJy
pronounced against system which affords questionable,
pro'ecnon to the morality OF the nation by making il i
oe 'or prosecuted wives TO get rid Of bad husbands
sy Pet' ana equally impossible for injured husbands
10 Ett 'id ct Dad "ives, except price which is TO tb
noo'iy OF the people, not merely oppressive but pr.
I's; ana We have no reason for doubling that il will
abide 10y the Sisiom OF is previous decision '