American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1857-04-25
THE CLANDEsTINE MARRIAGE, All, II ,,E,l


I THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE.
The fashionable world is laughing
and groaning over the marriage aof a
merchants daughters, to- heryfather's
coachman, in New York. The case.
was under investigation in the courts.
of the metropolis last week, when the
father, who feels himself insulted and
disgraced, put in the plea of insanity
on the part Of his daughter, in order.
to render the marriage, null and void.
The insanity "dodge" having most la
mentally failed in the case Of Hunting
ton, was thought to be aeplayed out"
and it remains to be seen whether it
will avail Mr.. Boxer, who docs not
pretend that his daughter is insane
except as to her liking for a, handsome
young fellow, whose great crime seems
to be that he is poor ard Irish born
The 3Philadelphia Joa1aal justly re.
marks y 9s.i'79 .setg sia7 ~ 9f'fi aG
These are novel reasons for tho allie
CATION OF insanity, which will hardly
receive grave attention from q sensible
court, The father does not seem to
have any faith in their strength; forit
is now asserted that he secretly made
an effort TO get his daughter away
to Europe in the Persia, but was pre-
vented by the vigilance of Jehu, the
coachman, Under the circumstances,
the best 'conrse for the afflicted father
OF q wayward child to pursue, would
be to accept the inevitable John as his
sontin-law, put him through a refining
process in an academy, and such society
as will admit of his pretentious pres.
ence, and endeayor to ,naturalize him
among the upper ten" Considering
the ways In which, much of the money
in that exalted circle was accumulated
ranging from dealing in green gro
Gerry articles to the sale of quack med
icines-allthis fuming because an heir-
ess condcscended to marry "coachy,"
has strong SAVIOR of, the ridiculous.
lnEngland. where "blood"is is subject
Of continual boast among those lucky
enough to possess the sangninous ele.
ment of nobility and pride ofrank is
Kind OF second nature among the lords
and ladies', such terrible ado might at
least be in character, although instan-
ces are not wanting even there, of
shigh- -born''maidens condescending Ito
WediwithFfootmen and nsalets. without
society in general kicking ups such a
a adjust. but here, in3 Democratic
America, where the origin of most of
onrmoneyed people is generally known
and where the fundamental. principle of
our political organization is utterly
repugnant to the idea of an aristoeracy,
such conduct as that, of the New York
upper crust, in reference to marriagc
between q merchants daughter and
coachman, is ridiculous. The daughter
may have committed a folly, and, most
unquestionsblyit was her duty to consult
an mdulgent parent ON whose bounty
she vas necessarily dependent, before
taking step SO deeply duplicating his
honor and happiness. But when the
deed was done, and Jehu, tho, groom,
was the daughters legitimate husband,
deliberately chosen, the father should
not have balanced his dollars against
common sense, and given the affair q
notoriety through the courts of law
much less have talked of insanity, be- 4
cause his child married an aspiring Celt
in humble circumstances. AS it is, the
merchant is alaughing stock, and Jehu,
the ,coaclman, has with him all the
sympathles of the public. John will
get his wife, an education, and perhaps,
in his time, he may object to one of his
children marrying member of his orig
inal profession. Who knows? Stran.
ger things have transpircd among the
strangest'of all fraternities- GA
merican aristocracy"
SITTING IN CHURCHES. Tho habit
SO usual among US, which seems to de-
mand that the men should sit near the
doors of the pews in the churches orig
mated with the early settlers. Among
them the men always sat near the pew
doors, SO that in case of an attack from
Indians they might be ready for ac.
ton. An American writes from Lon
don that in the churches he has atten>
dod there, whoever comes first, wheth.
er gentleman or lady, takes the further
seat in the slip, and those that follow
I'LL up the remaining seats, preventing
the awkward disturbance which occurs
in our churches at home in the process
of filing in and out by the males, in
order to isolate the women at the far
ther end of the pew.
Tho custom among us is one that