The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1870-06-09
LETTER FROM MRS. J. G. SWISS.
HELM. Y
The Mcfarland Murder,

The Mcfarland Murder, III
EDITOR JoURNAL.-I owe to your
eaders an explanation that the failure
# my promised letters has been owing
o continued illness, and that this aud
he two former are each a violation of
he doctors orders Of rest and quiet
'est, that hari ,st of hard work when
he harvest is ripe and the laborcrs
lew! Let me escape it for an hour to
sa1l their attention to the moral of the'I
Mcfarland murder. A coarse man,
nineteen parts animal to one spiritual,
aided by al the customs Of society,
succeeded in inducing 4 pure-miuded
woman to become his wife: After the
irrevocable step, he adds to his former.
coarseness the :beastiness of habitual |
drunkenness aud the objectionable |
crime of habitual idleuess, thus depriv-
ing her Of the one compensation the
marriage proposed to give, in lieu Of
her ri ght to tho use Of her own head
and hands which it compelled her to
surrender. He ceased TO be what he
was when the marriage contract was
made, and failed to comply with the
only part Of that contract which could
be regarded es any equivalent for what
he reoeived-the control Of her person.
IN any transaction, between man and
imam, the failure Of ono party to fulfil
a vital part OF his agreement releases
the other from the obligation to per-
form his; but in this case the party
failing, 50 far from releasing the other
from her part =of tho performance,
loaded her; in addition, with the duties
shsAhaa voluntarily assumed.
Instead Of being the sbread-winner'
Of The family he organized, this coarse
creature converted himself into sponge
to absorb the proceeds Of the un-
wifely, uuwomanly exertions his wife
was compelled 70 make to find support
for herself and little ones: He occu-
pied his brute force, not in contending
with the forces Of nature or 10 COMPETE
ton with men, to supply his own ami
NAL wants, but in guarding the proper
! ty he had fraudulently acquired in his
'wife's bone and sinew. Through the
cunninsly devised statutes Of men, in
Church and State, aided blythe glamour
Of romance and poetry, she had "giv.
en- him her hand" Is little dreaming, as
most young girl. do, that she. thus be.
came his personal property and endow-
ca him with tall she can acquire by
her labor, service or act He under.
stood the bargain better, and knew that
the counter Obligations he assumed
were only binding in SO far as he pleas
ed SO to consider them. When it suited
him he began to develop the resource.
Of his acquisition, and applying the
thumb screws Of physical wants
a mothers love and woman's pride, sci
her to work and laid himself back tt
have, a nice time with his boon com
panione.
La, She was valuable servant. H,
had drawn. quite prize in the woma.
market =; for she could earn a mucf
better, Living than vast majority o
tho women who support their husbands
and no wonder he was anxious abou
keeping possession. No wonder that {
jury of his peers decided that he wa
justifable in shooting man who wa
in any way auxiliary to her escape
No wonder that the pro tenn editor O
The JOURNAL, himself no doubs ex
pectiDg to have a wife of his own som'
day, should think that "Richardsot
got what he deserved" No wonder 81
many pious men are exercised in thei
minds about the the "purity Of the DO
). nestle hearth" and "the sanctity O
the marriage tie" What would be
come of female chastity if men shoul'
disband their present grand army OF
ganization, for compelling feeble, over
worked woman to submit to embrace
more revolving than the coil Of an an
aconda? Is it not business vel
! worthy Che wisdom Of every "gray
= Beard 'eld," the cool strength Of al
niddle-aged men, and the fiery cou,
age Of air our youth, to stand watc1
- aud ward our recusant wives and qua,
antee the marital rights Of the McFa,
8 lands Of therace? Does any decen
'han require the aid Of all other me
Is compel his wife's obedience? an
!, fwhat are our marriage laws but on
, universal combination Of the men G
} Peach country, to compel every woma
ito "submit to her own husband" an
;, thus relieve I'LL from any obligation
J, |iender themselves personally attractiv
j after tnarrisge?' In the good old day
1Fof negro slavery, all tho white: nal
citizens 'were,- willingly OF uuwilliugl>
\ members off, combination to secur
every 'slaVehtlder in'his sacred right q
foggiug his own slave. Severe pena
Il tieswsre attached to any!ast aiding q
= abottisshis esoape,=aud when one
i the eh'valty :holse.whipped any sol
iswomansior any fault, real or imaginar,
u all the manhood of this country stoo
1 all. l>An- Wko E.-al.-rl :I