New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-03-06


think most of the partially civilized pagan world
regard this solemn contract to ceave TO each other
til death as the very esserce the vital element OF
Marriage.
Now it il not here necessary that should prove
this better than oDy possible substitute suffice that
insist that whoever would recommend such sub
stitute should clearly specifically set forth its ma
ture and conditions, and should call it by its dis
tnctive name. There may be something better
than Marriage; but nothing is Marriage but q
solemn engagement to live together in faith and
love till death. Why should not they who have de-
yised something better than old-fashoned Marriage
give their bantlDg distinctive name, and not ap-
propriate oursl They have been often enough
varied OF our premises-shall we never DO able to
shame them out of their unwarrantable poachipgi
/ am perfectly willing TO see all Social expert
ments tried that any earnest rational being deems
calculated to promote the well.beiDg of the human
family; but insist that this matter of Marriage
and Divorce has passed beyond the reasonable
scope of experiment. The ground has all been
travelled over and oyer--from IndissOluble Mono
gamc Marriage down through Polygamy, Coucu-
binsge, easy Divorce to absolute Free Love- man.
kind have tried every possible modification ana
shade of relation between Man and woman. Ii
these multiform, protracted, diversified, innnitely
repeated experiments have not established Inc su'
periorty of the union of one man to one woman Tor
life--in sbort MarIioge--to all other forms OF
sexual relation, then History is deludmS ml't'
and Man has hitherto lived in vain.
But you assert that the People OF Indiana are
emphaticaly moral and chaste in their domSsuc
relations. That may be: at all events, nave NOV
vet called it in question. Indiana is yet young
Sate-not so old as either you or land most OF
her adult population were born, and think most OF
them were reared ard married in States which
teach and maintain the Indissolubity Of Marriage.
That population is yet sparse, the greater part Off
in moderate circumstances engaged in rural indus
try, and but slightly exposed to the temptations
born of crowds luxury and ideness. In such cir
cumstances, confluence would probably be general,
even were Marriage unknown. But let Time and
Change do their work, and then see! Given the
population of Italy in the days Of the Caesars, with
easy divorce and believe the result would be like
that experienced by the Roman Republic, which,
under the sway of easy divorce, rotted away and
pershed-blasted by themildew Ofunchaste mothers
and dissolute homes.
If experiments are to be tried in the direction
you favor insist that they shall be tried fairly
not under cover of false promises and baseless pre-
lenses. Let those who will, take each other on
trial; but let such unions have distinct name as
in Paris or Hayt and let US know just who are
married, (old sJle) and who have formed unions
to be maintained or terminated as circumstances
shall dictate. Those who choose the latter will of
course consum1nate it without benefit of clergy
but do not see how they need even SO much cere-
mony as that Of jumping the broonstick. "Fl
81 love you so long as I'm able, and swear for no
logger than fbis what need is there of any
soemDity to hallOw such q unioni What
HbertDe would hesitate to promise that much, even
if fully resolved to decamp next morning. II man
and woman are to be true to each other only 80
long as they shall each find constancy the dictate
OF their several inclnatous, there can be no such
crime as adultery, and mankind have too long been
defrauded of innocent enjoyment by priestly anath
emas and ghostly maledictiOns. Let us each do
what for the moment shall give us pleasurable sen
sations, and LET all such fantasies God, Duty
science, retributiOn, eternity, be banshed to the
moles and the bats, with other forgotten rub
Dish of bygone ages of darkness and unreal terrors
But if-as firmly beLeye-Marriage is a matter
which concerns not only the men and women who
contract it, but the State, the community, mankind
If its object be not merely the mutual qualification
and advantage of the husband and wife, but the due
sustenance nurture and education of their children
if in other words those who voluntarily incur the
obligations of parentage can only discharge those
obligations personally and conformity, and TO that
end are bound to live together in lose at least until
their youngest child shall have attained perfect
physical and intellectual maturity-then 1 deny
that q Marriage can be dissolved save by death or
that crime which alone renders its continuance
impossible. look beyond the special case to the
general law, and to the reason which underles that
law; and say-NO couple can innOcently take
upon themselves the obligations of Marriage until
they KNOW that they are one in spirit, and so must
remain forever. If they rashly lay proiane hands
on the ark, theirs alone is the blame; be theirs
alone the penalty They have no right to cast il
on that public which admonished and entreated
them to forbear, but admonished and entreated in
vain. Yours, HORACE GREELEY.
Ner. York, March s. 1860.
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On Friday morning published column leerfrOm
OF the coast Of Africa full OF important