The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-05-19
FREE DIVORCE.
The Demands of the ShrieIrinR SIsferhOOd
Onlnlona Of Hlrn. Ill. H. SInnfnn.

Opinions Of Mrs III. ID. sfnnton.
In the course Of rather remarkable address on
Tuesday evening In New York, Mrs. Stanton said:-
A jury should be selected from gentlemen who
understood unacy or better yet the case should be
telligent honest women. The property right which
men claimed in the persons Of their wives belonged
to the dark ages, and we should have revision of
our laws which should give an equal partnership in
the marriage relation. She knew OF women in this
city supporting in asyums husbands who had be-
come unatics through dssipation and vet the law
compelled these wives TO maintain the relation,
aho, moreover tnat however happy some women
wadiDg I'm deep water. She said that Ex-Governor
Jewell OF Connecticut told her that there was one
application for divorce to every four for mar
riage in that State. She also stated that there
were sixteen thousand divorces granted in
Massachusetts last year. She believed that
divorces should be granted at the viii OF the parties
Marriage should be the outgrowth of intellectual
sympathy, and any other union was one OF degrada-
ton. She quoted Humboldt, John Milton, Jeremy
Bentham, Ritter, Charlotte Bronte, John Stuart
Mill, Charles Dickens, and Others I'm brief passages
to support her views, and they were very nge-
niously selected She declared that when Mrs.
Richardson left Mr.. McFarllnd, she took the first
step towards virtue and self-respect, though her
conduct afterwards did not altogether meet Mrs.
Stantons approval. Mrs, Richardson should have
in New York, where justice would have been
reached at some time. Right always prevailed,
stated that there was more misery 1iiT; in in
civilized married life from the present code
Of laws than from any other cause, and
daily against it, and endeavor to have those who
contemplated such relation make a truer, nobler,
and happier marriage than those which we have all
seen. All the laws of marriage one-sided, and
whelly in favor Of man, and they must be changed.
No pair could live together happily unless their re-
lationshp was equal In power and influence. Per-
sonal excellence on the part Of individual men was
all that preserves the happiness OF any married
man, and not the protection OF the laws "Be ye not
uDequally yoked together" the lecturer believed,
referred to this especial condition OF subordination
to man. Mrs Stanton here gave a sketch OF the
law which she thought should be passed, naming
the following as additional causes for divorce:-
Wilful desertion and neglect for three years;
continuous and repeated acts OF cruelty Tor one
year preceding application for divorce. Mrs.
Stanton would limit these to actual residents OF the
State for five years preceding the application, and
would otherwise simplify and enlarge the present
restriction. Mrs. Stanton thought that the Leglsa-
ture should make an entire revision OF the present
equal to men in all respects, and legally annulling
the marriage contract whenever it had by the mis-
conduct OF either husband or wife prs"tt,,al,v no
come dead letter. Marria"-t, and maternity were
the most serl's topics that could possibly be dis
cussed by society. Women should be taught
how to marry She believed that the same
laws which improved the condition of the lower ami
mails could be applied with excellent effect to the
human race Muscle should be cultivated in women
women was wise for man. SO long women marry
for position and men to satisfy their lower natures so
long will marriage be unhappy. SO long as women
are pecuniarily dependent upon men, so long will
women be degraded and miserable, and live in hor-
ror of their daily existence The personal sanctity
OF the female was less respected among civilized
men than among brutes and until there Is q change
Children idiots, and lunaties people our country,