Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-05-04

Robert Dale Owen and Horace Greeley are
writing letters at each other in the Tribune
on marriage and divorce; the FIRST arguing
that discordant marriages should be dissolved;
and the other that divorce should never be
allowed but for a single cause--a physical
violation of the coutract--and then only dis
solved as to the innocent party, compelling
the other to live farrow life. Il is pain
ful to notice that the exigencies of his case
have driven Horace to treat the authority of the
prophets with disrespect, and that too, while
affecting the EXTREMIST orthodoxy. He dis
poses of the law of Moses in this summary
way: II hold the law of Moses (not the Deca-
logue, which says nothing of divorce,) to
have been local and temporary in its applica-
tion.n
If discordant couples can only be kept to-
gethcr to tear each others eyes, by destroy
ing the authority of the Scriptures, they had
better be loosed. The world can probably get
along better withoutmatrimony than without
the Bible; and how long will the authority
of the Bible stand if each takes the liberty to
pick out such passages as suit him, and set
aside the rest as Temporary in their applca-
ton ~
There is nothing in the Setting apart Of the
Hebrews as the chosen people, to indicate any
temporary purpose. 1t is stated in the Scrip
lures that Gods purpose toward them
changed on account of their rebellion, but the
intent for which they were originally set
apart and provided with divine laws for gov
ernment required perpetuity to work it out
and demonstrate the power and glory of God.
lfin6delity to the marriage vow can only be
avoided by infdelity to the Bible, then we
must begin to think of free love as an inevi-
table future dispensation.
But Mr.. Greeley's religious view of the
question is not less singular than his moral
aspect. He says; -l....
| "My idea was and is that Marriage is right
fully made indissoluble IN order that UNIT and
unreal marriages may not be contracted"
When persons commit crime it is regarded
as proper to punish them, not only for their
reformation, but as a warning to others. II
to commit marriage is a crime, it might like
wise be proper that the offenders should be
made to suffer, as a warning to the single;
but neither legal, moral, nor religious prin-
cipes justify the punishment of innocent
persons as warning to society; and certainly
the life some married people live can not be
regarded as having any reforming influence
on themselves.
1t seems by this that all the sanctity of the
holy bonds of matrimony, and its consecra-
ton of the twain to each other in one flesh
till death shall part them, are only for q
terror to those outside of the ring, "that unfit
marriages may not be contracted" very
scare-crowish kind of holinessl
Mr.. Greeleys view is like that of most o
those who preach the consecrated sanctity o
tie which binds antagonisms and unites il
many cases innocence to gross depravity an,
crime. They fear that society is to fall t,
pieces if an unhappy couple are separated
and argue as if all married couples were re
pellant and ready to fly asunder if it is made
possible; therefore they refuse to look at the
merits of the case which demands relief, but
treat it as legitimate and necessary victim
to appease the matrimonial juggernaut.