New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-01-29

Lord Eldon, who had his own private views Of
prcroestive and judicial dignity. sent young gen.
tlcman. who had eloped with one of his I.ordshps
wards-in- clancery, TO the Fleet Prison. and kept
him there for great many years, Notwithstanding
the most strenuous efforts made by the unhappy
lover 10 purge himself Of the contempt. The bride
the Lord Chancellor packed off to Scotland. where
she soon died of broken heart. This severity OF
the Chancellor has been much blamed, and espe
cslv in view of the fact that Eden eoped with his
own wife. He was very impartial, however. aud
hardly forgive his own daughter for similar indis-
cretion. We suppose that he came both iudirionsy
and iudically TO the conclusion that Jack aud Jenny
should not BIZ permitted, before arriving ut legal
wears of discretion tath0ugh these the law has
made sbsrrdly few, and without thu parental sane
tion, 10 enter into the most solemn Of social con-
tracts. He thought that marriage should be de-
Gently celebrated, and in order He Was, 70 cer-
Tain extent in the right, although in the ease above
cited he acted npOn his opinion to al extreme and
cruel DEGREE. Although both man and woman should
h. SLOWED the largest liberty in the selection Of
wife or husband liberty which, in The name Of
II,
does not follow that the same freedom should BE-
accorded to boys sDigirls, Moreover, persons of
either sex do in equity some duty TO rheir
respective families. No gentleman would care,
should think, to rsshly compel the mother OF his
bride to receive him as son-in-law. No daughter.
save under peculiar Circumstances, should compel
her parents 10 assume and unpleasant relations
When il is clearly apparent thar the opposition to
the desired union is unreasonable. and that time
vii not probably remove il. eopemen;s stratagems
and matrimonial msneuvers may If Necessary he
r,sorted TO: although in such cases. nine times out
of ten. they would not be necessary, because two
,ersous Of proper ace, and who are under NJ legal
disabilities. having perfect right in sw to be mar
lied had better be married in the face OF the
world. Nothing Is gained by the childish romance
If conceameut or fight. Parties in proper posi-
ZION 10 contract msrrisce, wbo certain of the
affection of each other, and of the e1pediency of
he alliance, so Tar from being afraid Of acting
on,n,v should De- ashamed OF the cowsrlice Vi
running away.
We have slresdy alluded 70 the singuary loose
condition of our laws relating to marriage. Any
body can be married TO anybody BY almost anybody,
# ,ny time and anywhere. We have nothing left
of the old system of banDs intended by the ecclesi
astiesl laws of England and France TO prevent
clundestine marriages and the marriages Of minors.
Even in Massachusetts, which long adhered TO it,
the system has been abandoned. First, the ban
ming or publishing from the pulpit for three sue
ec.siye Sundays custom Of great antiquity, was
.iyen up. and the intention was posted in the
church entry or upon the church door, Then the
church gave up all claim Of authority in tho affair.
and the contracting parties were published for
a certain period Of time in the Offices Of the Town
aud CITY CLERKS. Bu! now notA.ns is ueeted TO