The New York herald., 1869-05-10
e u r q p E..
ENGLAND.

The Abolition of Capital Punishmcni-Ths
Rights of Married W0mcn-HOw Noble
man Regards American Morals.
LONDON, April 25, 1859.
The humanity men are busily at work about these
days endeavorlng TO accomplish two great Objects
the abolition OF the punishment OF death for murder
and treason and the disenthralment Of married
women. bill has been introduced IN Parliament
making a radical charge In the present laws In
relation to the rights OF married women. and seek
ing to give them independent control their own
property and earnings. or course this proposition
has awakened the alarm and Indignation OF those
highly respectable old gentlemen who believe that
England as she was century ago Is all that
England ought ever 10 be, and who are Mortified al
the thought of any departure from the obsolete
ideas that used to prevail when our ancestors
wore perriwigs and carried swords by their slides.
the bill before the House took occasion to hold
up America as warning to those who desired 10
thus revOlutiOnlZe the position OF husband and Wle
under the glorious British constitution. and declared,
among other stupid assertions, that IN one American
State he had been reliably informed, out Of every
thirteen marriages ten ended In divorce. lie conSid-
cred Tie American laws In respect TO married fe-
males as an encouragement TO conJugal inildellty,
and was evidently impressed with the con-
viction that an American wife must be
person Of very doubtful reputation. AT
the same time the condition OF married
"
speakers. who advocated the reform. as well as by
the London journals in their comments upon the
Parliamentary proceedings; ana as tiese parties ,,l
own country thau Beresiord Hope Is IN respect TO
society in The United states we may .airly accept
tneIr statements as correct.
The married woman IN England, they declare, h as
no proper protection against brutal or Spendthrit
husband, unless she should happen 10 be wealthy
and wise enough TO secure strict marriage settle
men before she goes to the altar There Is W nc sure
recent law by which poor wife may, under certain
circumstances, procure from magistrate an order
which protects her properly or earnings against
husband from whom she Is separated; but this law
Is narrow and restricted III It's operation as to
be of little practical utility. woman, therefore,
who happens to unite herself with brute-and the
English husband Is by no means fiattering speci-
men OF humanity a general rule-becOmes his alb
ject and helpless slave. He may strip her OF all the
property she possesses and IL lie has secured enough
to enable HIM to indulge IN the luxury OI beating her.
blacken her eyes and kick her into the streets
Should she have enough independence and energy
left IN her to earn her . own LYING sh ne may @,
accumulated IL little property or gathered lew
household goods about her. repeat the former ope-
ration, enter her house, take possession OF all she
has and once turn her into the streets, penn
Now. the glorious British constitution which
BeresIord Hope reverences regards TINS as one OF
the rights OF man, as the privilege OF the stronger
SEX who for the sake of society ana Tor the protec
ton of property must be recognized rs the head OF
the family. The picture Is painted by the hands OF
British artists, and must be true TO the llie. Few
Will be able to believe with Beresiord Hope That
such state OF society is conducive to virtue and
cOnjugal fidelity, or that the utmost IL
cense that eau be gwen to divorce Is
not preferable TO the Tightening of the sacred bonds
OF matrimony by such strong cords as these. Besides
1t is Il well known fact that while divorces IN Eng
land may not be so readily obtained as In the United
states the voluntary separation OF married persons
far prevalent here than on the other side of
the Atlantic While conJugal intdelity Is unhap-
PLY only too common IN all classes oi English So
the contemplation OF that vice-s0 familiar with ITS
face-tnat some OF their public journals have not
been ashamed to Ink II with the highest character
IN the realm; character which all honorable
foreigners revere as pure and unDlemished-as q
mOde OF virtue in wife and OF devotion In a
mother And 1t Is gratifying to know that the first
lady In England sympathyses with the women and
wives Of the country and Is eager for the passage
OF the law which seeks to raise them above the
level OF chatels and to offer them some inducements
icI sell.re5pect. The law in Its entirety may not
prevail! present but there is no doubt that there
Will be some movement IN the direction OF reform,
If 1t be only the enlargement OF the power ut present
given to magistrates to grant orders OF protection
to married women. .'f. r-~ ~.
Proposed Atlantic Cable to the West Indies.
The following paragraph, having reference to the
projected cable to the West Indes 10y way of Florida
and Cuba, Is from the Liverpool Albion of a recent
date:-
Among the distinguished people who arrived IL
Liverpool within the past few days from the Unite,
States was General W. +. Smith, who, during til,
civil war IN North America, was one Of the mos
prominent soldiers on the Northern side. When tit
war terminated General Smith, like the majority O
his friends in arms turned his attention TO CIVIL pur
suits, and for some time past he has been President
Of the International Ocean Telegraph Company,
whose lines extend through Florida to Havana
General Smiths object In visiting Great Britain Is IL
arrange with Sir Charles Bright and the British and
various colonial governments for laying down q
series OF submarine cables from Cuba TO Porto Rico
st. Thomas. Martinique aud Barbados, and thence tC
the vast continent Of South America via Demerara
Subsidies In aid Of the line have been already voted
by most OF the colonial governments, and at present
there every prospect OF the line being ready FOL
working next year. These West Indian telegraph
lines will be Of great importance TO the government
and commercial communities OF Great Britain, "a;
they Will bring us within regular telegraphic com
mlfntcatOn with most of our West lnuan colonies
while 10 the latter they will be OF ncalculabe benefit
In every way-soclaly, politically and CONNER
ciay.