The New York herald., 1869-12-16
Various Phases of the Socifii Evil.

40 THE EDITOR OF THE HgRALD;--
There are two very poslsivc commands which
"nlgner' law abiding citizens fee. bound 20 respect
above all Others, yiz:-''Thou shalt do no murder y
anu Thou shalt not commit adultery" think the
better deaDlton oi murder the unlawful Killing
OF any reasonable creature being and In the peace
or the Commonwealth by person OF sound memory
and discration with malice aioretnougnt, express
or implied; whlle auuiery, In DrieL means q VIOLA
uon OF the marriage bed. cannot Deneve that there
" any distinction under the divine law between
these crimes; but "a we are taught to believe that
God Is mercliu Judge VIII tie not take into ac-
count tie prOyocatons In each individual case In
Migatlon OF pan i5nnient, as wen aslet The conse-
6eIces weign heavily against the Nfeatest onender
u taat respect a s ". young anu ay me y s,os osaf
AID in tne most Darbarous MANNER sooner than have
my wife selucea my children taken from me, my
home broken up and my happiness destroyed for
ever. Whiie 40 not mean 70 say that that ycor,
unhappy man, who now lies Ia u oathsvne PRISON,
charged with the murder Of his wis's parailour did
Ajustnable thing In the eyes OF the law Is It not
possible that lie mag nave been an instrument IN the
hands OF Cod 10 remove from the race OF tie eartn
creature for whom neither clYn nor criminal law
affords adequate punisrnentY
The only difference In tnis connection between
hold gods have been shattered s that hie tney sat
down and beaonDed their loss III semt-idioc man.
he had The courage 70 rid society OF one OF ils
1oulest and most specious blackguards.
There In social evil growing In this beautiful,
prosperous city OF ours more dangerous, because
more insidiols, tfan the open one o! prostitution.
II IL called By various names, and Is c0untenanced
and upheld IN part By men aud women whose
checks would burn at the thought OF an unchaste
life, but Ike u fever IL has various stages.
end unfortunately its prosclytes lose tneir vigor
of yirtne hs they struggle on towards per
fection. One calls IL s'Comnuat5m,p another by
the euphonous name OF "fouriesl lsfn,n another,
moro sDirnneite, SpirItualism,n and another, mule
blllanthroplc, "Ffee-ioyisn,p but whatever the
han.e all directly or indirectly pave the way 10
ono COnsumination VIZ, the adoption Ol the pet
scheme OF tue famous, or ratn-r Infamous,
French r0ue, Charies FonTier, OF dividing society
INTO small communities Of "alhnities,' living In com
mon. How much, oh Greeley how much, oh
Beecherl how much, oh froihin2hAm -snining
lights OF the prcab and pulpit as you Afe-hAve you
done 10 avert tnls calaJiNyf Your own conscicnces
wIil answer; would not be your 3ccuser. knew
ayoung anu lovely woman, who " surrounded by
oli the Injuries that wealth brings. worshppea By
Kind and indpiqeat husband loved by brlghteyed
cury.lie red child, and natteren and courted oy New
yorK's beat society, N no To-day IL gliding smoothly
down the current OF frse-l0vlsfn, guided ~ master
mind. her affinity, doubtless, whose aVie and ayoued
husband, that beautiful no.ner iron her ptiRhtoyed
lnuAhing child. On, now my heart aches LOT that
woman Oh, how plty that man, ner husband, and
Eet cannot interfere TO break the spell Uld not
teresss BENEDiCk.
Magistcrini Marriascs and National Divorce
Law.
TO THE EDITOR Or rffa HEaALp:-
Ihope the discussion which has been con sequent
upon the mock marriage by Beecher Wi, conyInce
sur LEGISLATORS in Congress OF necessity OF making
the issue Of divorces national matter, instead OF
State for the sake Of uniformity In Lhs reooanaton
Of the grounds upon which tnoy may % styou. ~
~ present aystem conflict OF jurisdiosion n frs.