The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1870-05-20

lrTOin the new loIh llheo, 4"aS i''I
At the regular meeting Of the Sorosis
last night at Delmonicos, after the
usual tea-drinking and reading ofessays'
Mrs. Burleigh presented the following
resolutions:
WHEREAS, The history of all ages has
shown that the ownership Of one human
being bv another is detractive Of the
best qualities of both, and subversive of
the interest Of humanity; therefore,
Resolved, That the assumption by a
husband of the ownership Of his wife,
as illustrated in the recent Mcfarland
trial, is shame to manhood, an in
suit to womanhood, and a deep disgrace
upon our civilization.
Resolred, That the bringing into
court of letters purely private and per-
sonal, having no bearing upon the case,
and the wanton abuse of noble, high
minded men and women, of blameless
and unsulled lives, is an outrage that
merits the reprobation OF the whole
civilized world.
RESOLVED, That we profoundly sympa-
thize with Mrs. Richardson; that we
believe her to be an innocent and deep.
" injured woman, whose greatest fault
was an error Of judgmentin remaining
so long with a man who had forfeited
every claim to her respect, and out
ragged every instinct of her womanly
nature
Resolved, That in the unfaltering de
votion of Mrs. Calhoun Runkle and
Mrs. Sinclair to Mrs. Richardson a
woman wronged and outraged, they
merited the hearty commentator OF
every true nature, and made all women
their debtors.
These resolutions were strongly en-
dorsed by Mrs. Mary F. Davis, Mrs.
Cutler, Mrs. Croly, Mrs. Tappan, Mrs.
Patton, Miss Larned, Mrs, Foote, Mrs.
Harland, Miss Fuller, Mrs. Demerest
Mrs. Filley, the President, and indeed
every lady present. The utmost ex,
element prevailed. The question, ii
was asserted, was not so much that Of
Mcfarland as. Richardson as that OF
ownership in marriage. The decision
of the Jury was not that Mcfarland did
not kill Richardson They knew that
he did. 1t was not that he was insane.
They did not believe it, or they would
have taken out a commission OF lunacy,
deprived him of the guardianship OF
his child and sent him to an asylum.
1t was that he owned his wife, body and
soul, and that no one had the right 10
come between him and the working Of
his will upon her. The resolutions were
carried unanimously amid storm OF
applause. Mr.. Clymer then presented
the following:
Rcsolced, That the late Albert D.
Richardson, in offering honorable mar,
rage to Mrs. Mcfarland in her distress
and misfortune-instead of the insult.
ing protection" too common in such
cases-acted in courageous, noble and
generous manner and isdeserving ofthe
esteem and admiration OF every true
woman.
This was also carried.
Mrs. Croly and Mrs. Cutler were
then appointed committee to draft a
resolution on marriage, and presented
the following, which was carried unani-
mously:
Resolced, That while we reprobate
any expression that tends to convey the
idea of ownership in marriage, we dis,
tinctly encourage it, As holy and
God ordained institution, based upon the
equal interests, equal affections and
equal rights Of the contracting parties,
and that the recent change in the mar
riage ceremony by the Methodist
Church, which substitutes for the word
"obcy' the words "you mutually
agree is in accordance with the en-
deavoring spirit Of the age, which is
tending to equal justice in human rela,
| tons
The Club separated at a late hour.