New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1857-02-09
Marriage---RY CLAIRE,

Marriage, or the relation between husband and wate
has been subject Of discussion from time immemo
rial Husbands, young and old, have tried the'r
powers, unfedged and fullfedged upon it, and yeslt
still remains unsettled. ,.--,-.-. 4
In the Delta Of the 18th Of January there Is Ier
I. by gentleman Of New Orleans who gave some
very copent reasons for the submssio-of the wife in
the marriage state and the full and entire authority
of the husband. Now, perhaps, as the relctsof the
dear good man. may be considered quite as COM
netent to make a few remarks as one who, from his
style Of discourse, should judge to be unshackedo or
at best but little experienced in the matter.
He says: /" The first duty of husband and wife is
I'd respect. love, and be proud of eacltothera All
very well, could it be followed. But pray how is q
wife to be proud" of man who comes home reeling
from intoxication? How is she to respect the man
who violates his oath of fidelity, and who proves upon
intimate acquaintance, obscene, blasphemons and
vulgar? How /" love" the man who, after the first
gloss of novelty has worn off, shows the true side oil
his disposition and she meets with temper roughhess
and illbreedng, where she expected amiablity, gen
teness and good manners! Theory IS very gooo, po'
when we come to practice we often lind ldeasw we nave
cherished that won't answer just as we see Old MAIDS
children and old bachelors wives the most turbulent
and homeest to be met. Being pretty well expert
enced in the matter, say with ST. Paul. marriage Is
very good thing, but sngleblessedness Is petter,
and any one coming to me for advice would be told
| to let well enough alone.
know it is customary in writing upon this subject
to advance very pretty romantic IDEAS that the WE
should be submissive, loving, prudent, etc.; that she
should study her husbands interests, and yet IN no
wise interfere in his business affairs; and that the
IL, tl,ny
all things strive to do her duty wife and mother
but unfortunately Crescent truth compels me to say
that in all my experience, both as wife and mother
| have ever found those husbands the most devoted
whose wives were the most negligent and careless
4 Let wife but count her cents eer she spends them
let her turn and save and scrimp herself that she
may be economical and yet be industrious and in
genious that her husband may be comfortable and
herself and home neat and pleasant, and invariably
her husband is neglected. and the money she has
denied herself finds other outlets that benefit neither
party.
But let the wife be extravagant, spending without
thought let her be exigent in her demands upon hi
time and purse careless of his comforts and her home
an idle novelreader and gddy ball attender, and you
will find her husband ready to meet her demand
and prompt in his attentions. know many, especially
of the lords of creation, that will term me heterodo!
in my opinion, but I contend they are true, NOR
intallibly true than all the Popes of Rome combined
Like the tabled cup, marriage may be pre-
ductive of good or evil, according to the lip tina
touches it but it is too like the garland OF time tina
opens with rosy buds and blossoms, and closes wit
dropping flowers and scared and yellow leaves. Con
patblity Of disposition is the question: and in ou
hurried matches, where boys and girls assume tn
duties and responsibilities Of men and women withou
regard to it, nine cases out of ten must result in gull
and misery. Cato writes learnedy. but methnk
he has never dipped his pen in the bitter well of e,
perience, and without that it is all vague theory