The Shasta courier., 1858-02-20
Thoughts ON Divorces.

We recommend a perusal of the following re-
marks of the Rucifc newspaper to some of the
fast husbands of California:
We almost daily see much senseless scribblng
under this portentous little word MANY write
without feeling, without knowledge against the
law of divorce, and almost ever associate it with
the unfaithfulness of the wives of California
Never did richly feed California lawyer pre-
sent more one sided view of case, than these
newspaper scribbers send broadcast throughout
the world, regarding the many divorce cases in
California. The faculty that men have of re-
naming on dry land themselves, and sending
women into the slough of public odium-this
constantly harping upon the wickedness of the
wives of California; and the sympathy shown
for the poor deserted husbands, have made ty-
rants OF many bad husbands, and wretched wo-
men of many wronged wives.
Who, that has seen much of California society
as it is, has not seen many wives miserable, and
silent in their misery? There is nothing harder,
for a true, noble woman, than to speak of the
faults of her husband-save to endure existence
with him when she knows him unworthy of her
respect or love-when nothing remains of his
better self? Yet she endures-wil remain away
from the dear home--friends OF her youth--the
only ones now who could soothe or comfort her
in her distress-to make happy the home of her
unworthy husband, praying daily for strength
His home must be her home; she has prom
ised to be faithful; and though every ray of
pleasure and earthly comfort is shut out from
her; though she is crushed by his tyranny, his
neglect, his love of such companonship and
such practices, by her pure soul loathed, still
she strives, she will be faithful STILL He fears
nothing he has nothing to fear from her, though
he worse than crushed her beneath his feet he
knows that she will not take the step which
will class her among the "infidel wives of Cali
fornia," as long as her duty bids her struggle
on.
But if his fckleness his inattention to bus-
ness. his prodigalty, at last rob her of home,
and she gradually finds herself dependent on
borrowed means, literally supported by his
friends, then her woman's pride is aroused and
who, that is noble, will not say lis a noble
pride? Then she feels strong in her own power
to be ndependent-strong to act-to gain for
herself an honorable support, away from him
whose business has made her loathc him. But
even then, when duty bids her no longer remain,
her woman's heart would whisper, stay if sim
gle word, or act, or glance, could remind her of
him to whom she gave her youthful VOW But
if he. in his ignobe selfishness, is ready to Law
upon her already crushed heart. publicly, the
charges due to his own baseness and extrava-
gance, her purpose is strengthened. And ask
you, Christian wives; ask you, Christian hus-
bands ask you, moralist; ask all honorable
men, would you condemn law that would pro-
tect her from such companionshp? that would
protect her little earnings from him who would
spend them to his own misery and disgrace and
would lead her back to him, ard rivet the chain
that binds her to him and say to her, "Wife,
obey your husband in all things, for thou hast
promised to be faithful ! wherever he goes, like
dutiful wife, follow him ?'