The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-06-22
A Premium on Vice.
From the Tribune.

From The Tribune
When Bishop Colenso attempted to coax
the fetich-worshipping natives of Southern
Africa into the Episcopal Church, he found
himself obliged to choose between two evils
either to entirely abandon the work of regene-
ration or to tolerate polygamy. Believing that
half loaf was better than no bread, the
Bishop laid his monogamistic scruples aside
and received his black sheep, together with
their very peculiar institutions, into the
Christian fold. Now, if Mrs. Frances D. Gage
is to be credited-and we see no reason for
doubling the statements of so clear-headed
and conscientious a woman-a difficulty dis
tently akin to that which Bishop Colenso over
came is likely to be encountered by Christian
teachers among the freedmen of America. Our
difficulty consists in the endeavor to regulate
marriage according to law. Illegitimate in
itself, slavery knew that legitimacy in any
foim was to be dreaded, and hence brought
all its immoral strength to bear against an
institution that was well enough for white
folks, but not at all necessary for Triggers"
The latter did not go into society," therefore,
why defer to the prejudices of Mrs. GrundyP
Now, however, we have changed all that
''Niggers" have been transfgured by the war
into colored people, are even considered as men
and brothers, and in course of time will be
dulgent mrsters. Society being in some little
danger of coming in contact with the former
chattel Mrs. Grundy is becoming interested
in the question of marriage, and throws up
her hands in holy horror when told by Mrs.
Gage that the black women of the Sea Islands
very persistently object to legal ties, whereas
the men are strongly in favor of them. Is it
because the women are more depraved than
the men Not at all. Are they more tickle in
their affections, and are they opposed to mar
riage because of its imposing the cleaving
unto one man for life No, again. Thousands
of black couples in the South have known no
| other marriage ceremony than the acknow-
| ledgment made in their own hearts before
| God, and yet have lived as faithfully as though
law had made the compact.
Why, then, this objection on the part of the
| women, who ought to desire, beyond all else
that their children should be honored in the
eyes of the world Let them speak for them.
selves. ''We don't want to be married in the
| church, " said one woman to Mrs. Gage, ''be-
cause, if we are married in the church, our
husbands have right to all our wages, and
can do just what they please with us p The
| question is not one of morality to the freed
| women. According to the reasoning of their
/ untutored minds nothing but mischief can
| accrue from the performance Of ceremony to
| which they have never been accustomed. Of
/ what avail to send teachers down South for
|
riage, when the taught can prove that it en-
tails the most outrageous injustice Men adj
vocate it for the very reason that it gives
| them a tremendous power, which, having been
reared under the benign influences of slavery,
they will be likely to exert with unexampled
tyranny "Nancy is likely hand, and ought
| to be working in the field instead of nursing
her own child, /" was the grumbling complaint
made by eolored man 70 Mrs. Gage because
she insisted that Nancy should remain at
home and perform the duties of a mother,
rather than be converted into money-making
beast of burden. Is it matter of surprise if
Nancy sets her face against law that places
her at the mercy of stronger party
AT present, then, so far the treedwomen are
concerned, there is premium upon vice. If
the marriage law, which is alike for both white
and black races, does not meet with equal op-
position from the former, it is because women
see in il the only avenue to responsibility, and
men are enlightened and manly enough in the
majority Of cases not to take undue advantage
of the broad margin accorded to them. Black