Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1869-05-31
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There is nothing more curious to
remark in the worlds progression than
the advance of liberal ideas in Europe,
and especially the strides that simple
equity toward the people is taking in
England. The day for class legislation
has not only entirely passed away, but
such special privileges as caste once
gave are rapidly being Invested. Men
of all shades of opinion, who were not
given to going far below the surface Of
things, looked c~uriously upon II grea,
Rebellion, rs it continued from day to
day, and year to yeas, rs a mere family
quarrel for the possession Of the an
cestral acres, castle aud furniture,
They could not see that it, more than
almost any other war in the worlds
history, was q battle for ideas-that the
great question, whether or not the
people themselves were fitted to govern
their W affairs whether'o or not they
could live and prosper without the aid
Of kings and mobiles, RAJ being decided.
When Lee surrendered after Richmond
fell, the question was forever deter.
mined. France acknowledged it, by
withdrawing a monarchy from Mexico
England, by extended franchise to hal
h]ouseholders and the disestablishmen,
Of the Church in Ireland Spain, by
topping over a throne Cuba, by
attempts to throw off the old rule
Ireland, by her futile efforts to be free,
Wherever the people had been crushed
by hard laws, and wherever oul
strength and prosperity were known
the great principle of freedom for the
entire people, for which We fought, wal
quickly felt and acted upon.
Under the leadership of Bright ant
Mill, England has gone further forward
in the adoption of more liberal laws il
Ave years than might have been ex'
pected of her in half a century. First
in the matter Of franchise then, in 8
more liberal policy toward Ireland ant
after that followed q score Of lesser
advances in progress, all tending te
benefit the mass of her people, and te
make them moro truly free. Among
these minor reforms is one WHICH latel,
occupied the attention of tho House o
Commons. II is entitled the " Married
Womeu's Property Bill" 1t is to &
into operation on the first day of thu
year 1870. Among its most importsn
provisions are the following A married
woman shall be rs capable Of holding
and conveying real and personal prop
erty, Of suing and being sued, rs 1t sh'
were II single woman. After the pas
sage Of this act, every woman who
marries may hold all property, real o.
personal, owned or acquired before o.
after marriage, free from the control o
her husband and her income from thu
profits Of any business, trade or EN-
ployment, are to be considered abso
lu,ely her own, free from the demand:
Of her husband or his creditors. The
husband, however, is no longer to be
made responsible for her debts, whether
contracted by the wife before or after
marriage, nor is he to he held response
BILE for any damages committed. by her
Where the wife dies without making q
will, the husband will only take the
same share in her personal estate as
the wife now takes in the personal
estate Of II husband who dies i~ntestate,
These provisions are in nearly exact
accordance with many Of the laws o
several States of the Union, and doubt
less had their origin from that source.