New-York tribune., 1870-12-03
MARRIAGE And DIVORCE
MISS EDGARToN's LECTURE.

Miss Lillian J. EdgartOn appeared last nlght,
for the first tme with her new lecture on Marrnge anu
Divorce, before New-York audience steinway Han
was moderately allied by an unenthusiasuo company,
evidently curious what young ana rosy cncoAou
maiden could offer for their instruction subject so
foreign TO such experiences OF life as she mas YET
or suffered. Miss Edgarton charminsly attireu;
and as she appeared unattended and unnroduceu upon
the platform her youth and beauty made most la'or
able impression This neither the matter nor tne "'',
Of the lecture fully sustained. She lacks inc ora'o'
magnetism which enables some ladies' III inc lcotuo
field TO fire and sway audience WIN ther own ou'u
sasm and TO a good many It must be confessed the
address seemed dull As for its substance-wel, we uo
not generally look to the young ladies on the platform
for that matter we did not always look to Their masculine
prcGecessors-for profound and original thought OF
even for the results OF careful study MlSs h"sa'on
said some striking things, and the tendency Oh All To
said was pure and ennOblng No one VIII De lJuIeu py
her appeals for sacred regard Tor the sahcy vi
marriage and more absolute recognition Of It's indl'
soluble character; and many, 1t is to be hopeu may Dc
bettercd.
Miss Edgarton defined the emotions with which man mas
regarded woman from the moment Of her creation ASIDE
from pure sefshness his first sensation was that OF pity
Then came the feeling Of chivalry the romantic ci"
the OF justice which rules now. 1t behooFes
70 10 it that this sentiment shan be tully de
veloped The air Is filed with the Of social hypo
chondriacs. Marriage il in a transition statei 1t must
either advance to the beauty Oustce ana ORDER or oc
degraded TO a rule OF license. For herself, she ddnt
ask for political equality, but for domestic and
social equality, with all its consequences ana
incidents. The ancient theory OF marriage was
that of inequality under ecclesiastical sanction
That theory continues practically in force, but
has divorced 10 from the ecclesiastical authority
She considered the true theory TO DO that Of
the perfect equality Of man and wife. OF old, woman
was the property of mansayery in the most repulsve
form the very price Of her existence. The pOydn-
drOus spirit as regards mans ownership OF woman ne
lecturer thought, still guided the marriage relations She
asserted that woman was maze ioi man. III I'm. is me
case" said Miss T., ",hc's not a purchase con-
Ini,,oSeo oo SS co,n,ii1onind soT witch
dared to shoot protest at the head Of this lawyer its
When She heard this protest she felt that womans
hour had come. The idea of husband and one wife
devoted to each other Is the idea defining the only Para
disc possible on earth Every woman must have one
heart respond to hers; without home woman is a
ailitics Is equal TO his Tduay would he possible now
il 10 not for the traditional theory that the husband
tion and power; there is possibility that woman will
over uSurp mans positions All that woman wants Is
accepted, and that il through genius or necessity sLa
en,er mans domains he shall cease TO expect man
Miss EdgartOn wanted several new LAWS on marriage.
When wife turns artist or 2uthor she ought 10 IlFde
tti,i ~ a, Lind Sbn e5neciaIlv wished an amend
Congress power over al marriages and di-
vorces, thus insuring au equality IN law in
all the states She THOUGHT that the failure of husband
10 support his wife should be- deemed criminal otrnse
and properly punished. divorce for such cause },
disgrace. II wife supports the family her earnings
should DE safe from the husbands tOucn If he can't sup
port the family ne ought 90 be put IN prison. sle be-
heYcd that the wives left unprotected by law abused
by drunken husbands made slaves by tyranuical ones
the cause of all the CoHvusyc agitation among the
WOman's rights people - an agitation which
viii grow more vehement and clamOrOu3 until
Justice done. she dcplJrcd the dlcncss of women
"a mode of life which makes all Young men dislnclnCd 20
marry Girls should Dc educated To- sppOrt Themselves
and boys be trained for marriage H5 vel qIh With
TIE best intentions In the world, Mrs. IL. j. Stanton
taught that the individual sOyCro glty OF woman is
sacred than any earthly tie Miss EdgauOn thought
that the individual gnty OF woman WdSdecluedy
less sacred than her sovereignty wife and mother
(Applausel "Let encourage individuality in order 10
secure the highest acknowledgment. The day that
marriage is left to the regulation Of the
parties 10 ~ only, IS the day Of
doom 20 mothers and chdren Radcalsm In this direc-
ton death 20 the family. When divorce Is granted
10 should not take effect for several years, giving time
fUr reflection. We d-unuOr marriage Whru We advise
divorce the means for reforming u. Every divorce
increases dl-COntent-lay, creates it, Miss EdgariOn
Thought thIt ihc reform Ot marriage depended upon
great many things which She rcrcd in Gctalthc better
education Of and daughters, feminine attention
given 10 housekeeping, PHYSIOLOGY, BRAIN ana frank,
sincere and honest dcmoduOr Treating his VII as his
equal mIu viii find her an equal true dydeg OF sJr-
IJI md of ily.