Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1857-11-18
o'RTBTNa EPAPKKS q
For the Snirit OF the Age.

Mn. EprroR AS your aim is human
improvement, have a subject for you, al
though it is not exactly literary, poetical or
political but is exactly domestic. 1t has
often oppressed my mind, and now it must
be outspoken. 1t is about wives who have
separate interests, separate purses, and sepa-
rate projects from their husbands. have
been amused mt the assertion of wife, that
this was her money, and that his money
for the butter sold for this money, and the
corn sold for that money. She claims the
money the eggs and poultry bring, and
saws she does not lay it out for coffee and
sugar neither, as he has to provide the gro
ceries. I'm settling accounts with the hus-
band. he declares that these and those items
he has nothing to do with, as they belong
10 his wife's account. The wife purchased
a bureau of the cabinet maker. Iwill'pay
YOU. saws the wife, as soon as | get the
money for my poultry. Never mind the
money, says the cabinet maker, | am ow-
inc vour husband, and the bureau is alrea-
DIV paid for That wont do, says the wife;
he pays for his things, and pay for my
things. have heard men speak Of bor-
rowing money from their wives. have
heard wives speak of borrowing money
from their husbands.
Isn't all this, and all the rest like it, SUI
perlatiyely silly and absurd Can hus-
bands and wives have separate interests
had thought that they were one : but
should conclude from specimens like these
that they were not even partners. l hac
thought that husbands and wives woulC
confer together and enter into each other
views and settle all matters of common con
cernments with reciprocal interest anC
sympathy. | had thought that the hus
bands purse was the wife's purse, thougl
for greater convenience each might keep
separate portmoney. Being a bachelo
perhaps j do not understand the true thee
- ~ rss~trintcs,iul unity. J, 4 knew tie
werv aIking about woman's right, and a
that, III supposed all that is something
that is sAad, when separate farms, sepa
rate tablessSc, would come into vogue
But seriously Z have notion of taking
wife myself; NJ am sure | shall wis
my cake dougl Ness beautiful image {
unity that hive dseamed about can b
realized. ! haze the impression too, ths
my bible enjois the oneness of husban
and wife. Moeovcr, it is pretty philosc
phic notion, that the blending into one (
a man and woman in marriage, is essel
tial to the completeness of either, their di
ferences reciprcally supplying their respe'
tive defciences In other words, either
but half pair Of scissors without the otl
er. Nov, if tlis is so-and It's so-nom
nal marriage. Without real unity-unity
counsels and interest in little and in grei
things, as Welt rs unity Of person and syn
pathy; is a lebellion against harmon
happiness anG nature, as well as again
God; and til. parties in such contrac
must suffer terribly by it. | wish, ther
fore, Mr.. Edto you as aphilosopher, wou
tell your readc, and all the rest Of ma
kind and womakind, just how the matt
stands. | hayc1ersonal reasons which yt
may guess at 70 wishing the world speed
ly set right On tis great subject.
Your &c, ?.
Southampton Va