The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-11-26
HFANrICIDE In INDIA
Tbs Murder Of Female Infants-Its causes and
Consequencss-A Native Memorandum"
and Explanation Hereditary Gus
toms Bhndly Adhered 10
Remedial Measures

Lal the Mir Moonsii VI INC OnjaD Secret2riat, has
lust been published by the Pualap government. In
april 1867, the Punjab Government offered, through
the Lahore Anjuman tor Literary Society reward
OF five hundred rupees for the best essay on the
suppression OF tlantcide. Among the essays sen
IN was one by Mardan Ally Khan, a former o1icla
OF the Punjab, and on The merits OF this essay thu
Mir Moonsai was requested to record his opinion
This he did, and he also wrote I'm December 1863
Q very elaborate paper, treating Of the whole sub
Ject In connection with tine which 1t Is, IL
his opinion, exped!ent for the British Cove nmenl
TO adopt. THIS paper, 1t must be remarked, was
written before the recent legislation on The subject
the tenor OF which, far IL goes, appears 10 DC
entirely in accordance with his views.
PundiI Moti Lal commences his memorandum py
combating Il statement contained IN Mardan ANY
kn,.uis essay that wherever the crime IS perpe-
Irated II is dictated by the heartess cruelty o. tne
men ana IS not approved by the Wonien." rms,
he SAYS ~ true 10 a extent only, and he eX-
presses neileI taL the lat Ter are as mucn III not
more parties 10 The tnan Their Steiner accom-
Ulces Tue wemeu exercise great influence IN op-
position to their male relatives anu he submits that
the atrocoas and abomnaule cfime or female IN
fantIciUe could not have existed Tor day IL The
women had set their faces against IL. zine pro-
baDiity seems TO be-" he says, 'that the man or
men Who nrst perpeifated TINS dia1ollcal crime
furcibly crushed down all opposition on the part
OF their female ieatyeS: aud he 9s1ribes the con-
linuance oi The practce 10 the supposiion that the
evils which We're alleged 10 follow tue preservation
Of female children were depicted TO them tthe wo.
me4) IN the most VIVID colors, ana again eAagger-
ateu 10y their own maginatIon; anu IMPRESSIONS
formed by them have been retained with a tenaclty
peculiar 10 womankind, ans led them to ACT against
iuelr own lnstnct.' The perpetuat.on OF the crime
mas been attributed TO prlde OF race and the heavy
expenses attending the marriages 0. daughters.
Ihs me Puiidt thinks, Is by no means correct. II
prle Of race mad anything 10 DO WIN the dessruc-
ton OF female children, there should never have
been tine when female chiidren were preserved IN
families where they are now Killed; bu5 by all ac-
counts the practice, Wherever IL originated, was
adopted III consequence OF sucl pride having been
injured. Not all The proud kalputs, nor all tle
khatn tribes, nor even all tAe families cem-
posing any particular sections or trises, de-
stroy their daughters. The people VINO practice
the crime now do so because IL was uone by their
iurelathers and for no other reason. The writer Is
particular on this point because government, by
their concilatory measures, seem to admit in some
slight degree the validity OF the plea, or any rate,
respect Tor neir feelings for otherwise, instead OF
me- ely ADVISING them TO ignore such pride, and
inviting them mutual consultation TO sug-
gesC and carry out such measures as might
remove all inducement 10 destroy their femaie
children, rhe government should by tins time
have themselves taken the most rigorous and
enectual for the complete extinction OF the
cr.me.n With regard TO the expenses attending the
marriage Of daughters, that, says the Pundlt, Is
pleaded as an excuse Tor the destruction OF female
chid only by those who prcatice 1t. In all Hin
doc families OF Responsibility q heavy expenditure
Is incurred on the occasion OF daughters marriage,
and the de ire TO do SO ls he thinks net only lauda
ble Uut natural. But 1t Is not necessary to incur
marriage expenses ont OF proportion 10 the means
OF The parents; aud even II the parents should find
themselves IN diiculty when the time comes to In.
nag IN such cases. and loans are easily obtained on
favorable terms. Even admitting the Inability Of
parents 70 pay the expenses they are required 70 In.
cur, the proper remedy Ia that the amount
OF sucn expenses should ne reduced. The
interference Of government on this point is,
he thinks more injurious than beneficial, be-
cause people are impressed with the idea that the
government, among other causes, admits heavy
penditure on occasions Of marriage as one OF the
causes leading 10 female infanticide. Government
says the Pundlt, Fought clearly and plainly 70 ignore
tins cause OF female infantcide, and TO make no
I'm
as remedy against this crime.h His argument, in
the abstract Is that the particular families tribes
oil d Class Which practice the crime not placed
IN orse position than other families or tribes OF
the same class wac recOu rom the crime with hor-
ror the true cause lies In the moral turptude and
frucuence OF those families when practice the
Crime, and the mosL vigorous measures should be
taken III respect to those families and tribes to erad
cate ths most arociOus practice.
Alter combating several minor suggestions Pundt
Mol Lal proceeds 10 discuss Sertdl7l those which
have been put forward as the most important RENE
dial measures, WIZ
Fasl-Prohibtion OF early marriages
Second-Improvemenr In the treatment OF daugh-
law and other relatives or the wife's husband.
Ihud-kemarriage or widows.
Foiatl-Prohioltion OF polyyamy.
Ftffh-Fcmale education.
With regard the prohibition OF early marriages,
he thinks the government very properly declines to
interfere in matter OF this kind IN opposition t.
the wishes and prejudces Of Its subjects, more es
peciay because early marriages are enjeIned by the
religion OF the people. The ABOLITION OF such Gus
tom must therefore, If desirable, be lett to the peo
pie themselves; but ne expresses a hope that TIN
day is much nearer when female infanticide will b.
reckoned as a thing OF the past than the time whel
early marriages Will have been abandoned. TIT
real objection against early marriages seems to b.
based tile fact that the girl in or the dealt
81 the male child, being In her childhood is. accord
ing o the custom OF the country, consigned Il
wdOwnood for her life without chance OF remarrlage
Such cases are greatly TO he deplored, but it hal
that death does not ann his shafts az male chill
dren aone for IN tns runan N the year iSd77s
tween the age OF one year aud fourteen wa
or, and among the males of the same age 900
Thus he argues, 60 case whatever is made on
Justify the suggestion that early marriages ouit
be prohibited with The view Of preventing the de
siructon Of female children. the i'll treatment re
ceiycd by daughter-in-law at the hands OF Thu
m0therinaw lac dismisses as unworthy OF muci
consideration. II exists more in imagination thar
In realty, and is certainly not sufficient incentive
TO female inl&nticde. The most important measur,
suggested Is the remarrlage OF widows; but III th
M worse than the disease. No rght-thlnking maj
would raise his voice against the desirablty or THU
measure being adopted; but the native socety-a
least that OF Inc PunJab-s net yet prepared FOR it
''The great mass Of the population" he says
1.wnoSe feelings are now decidedly hostile TO III,
small body OF female inianticiies, but even more Sc
Ieoy go over to the enemy and swell thel
RANKS the first glimmering Of the sus
would sooner or later usher In the remarriage o.
widowsn Pclygamy he dlsmisses by the remark
poorer people, that il does not affect the classes ad
ucted 10 The crime, that 1t not known to lead to
such crime among the Mohammeaans and that it is
not one with which the governm can interfere
authoritativeiy. Regarding the influence OF female
education on the crime OF female inlantlcde, Dc
believes thu no education Is required 10 convince
2other ~ me e,sorTitg or the sin or taxing the .(i
or her OtcTl ddHgleT III it be said that education
Is needed not 10 reveal to her the enormty of the
crime, but TO impress upon her the meretricIous
mature OF the motives which paradcd before he,
eyes as prompters OF the deed, lrepy that we can
not wait Tor the time when female education shat
bear such fruit. The most sanguine advocates o.
female education VIII admit that IL must requir,
several decades TO expand to any desirable disnen
Sions. In the meantime, shall we soothe our con
sciences by distant hopesP Shall we console cur
selves with the bare reflection that we hav,
initiated measure which, though Intellectual as re
CARDS several generations to come, shall ultimately
eradicate the crine and thus explate the blood tina
must be SHED In the iBterimr Tae Pundt objecE
strongly to the suggestion that female children, DorI
In suspected families, should be presented with
medal BY the government with the bust Of the Queer
impressed thereon, and regarded par etcetlenc
as daughters OF her Majesty. 1t Is doubtful whetne
SUIT 9 measure would lead TO the preservation o
~ nves Of the girls, and tue government would b.
expected by The parents TO pay the expenses OF tne
marriages not, indeed, TO provide for their main
tenance. In dealing with female infantlctde grea
t