, 1871-12-25

ing which is not marriage, but hayino,
reached which it is marriage? Is it
where two meet and realize that the Iowa
elements of their nature are larmoni.
Gus. and that they blend into and mako
one purpose Of life? or is it where a
soulless form is pronounced over two
who know no eommingling over life a
hopes?
Marriage must consist either of lovs
or of law, since it may exist in form with
either term absent; that is to say, peo-
pie may be married by law aud all love
be lack ns, nd they also be maSied by
love and lack ali sanction of law. True
marriage must in reality consist entirely
either of law or love, since there can be
no compromise between the law of na-
ture and statute law by which the form
er shall yield to the latter. Law cannot
change what nature has already deter
mined. Law cannot compel two to love.
1t has nothing to do either with love or
with absence. Love is superior to all
law, and SO also is hate, Indifference,
disgust and all other human sentiments
which are evoked in the relations of the
sexes. 1t leeitimately and logically fol-
lows that if love have anything to do
with marriag,, that law has nothing to
do with it, and, on the contrary, if law
have anything to do with marriage, that
love has nothing to do with it, And
there is no escaping the deduction.
Considerable dissatisfaction was here
manifested by the audience, but after
some kissing and cheering commingled,
the speaker continued:
l do not care where it is that sexual
commerce results from the dominant
power of one sex over the other, COM
pellihg him or her to submission against
the instincts of love, and where hate
or disgust is present, whether it be in
the gilded palaces of Fifth Avenue, or in
the lowest purleus Of Green street, there
is prostitution, and all the law that a
thousand State assemblies may pass
cannot make it otherwise.
I know whereof speak. Ihave seen
themost damning misery resulting from
legalized prostitution. Misery such as
the most degraded ofthose against whom
society has shut her doors never know.
Thousands of poor, weak, unresisting
wives are yearly murdered, who stand
in the spirit life looking down upon the
sickly, half made up children left be-
hind, imploring humanity for the sake
of honor and virtue to look into this
matter, to look in o it to the very bot.
tom, and to bring out iuto the fair day.
light all the blackened, sickering de.
formities that have so long been hidden
by the screen of public opinion aud
sham morality.
1t does not matter how much it NAV
still be attempted to gloss over these
things, and to label thom sound and
pure you, and each and every one Of
you, know that what say IS truth, and
if you question your own souls you dare
not reply: it is not so. If these things
to which refer. but of which I shuddep
to think, are not abuses OF the sexual
relations, what are2
You may or may not think there Is
help for them, butI say Heaven help US
if such baabarism cannot be cured. I
would not be understood 20 say that
there are no good conditions in the pre-
sent marriage state. BY no means do
say this; on the contrary, very large
proportion Of present social relations
are commendable-are as good as the
present status of society makes possible.
But what I do assert, and that most
positively, is, that all which IS good and
commendable, now existing, would ron.
tinue to exist if all marriage laws vera
repealed tomorrow.
At this last remark about marriage
relation nearly half the immense audi.
ence rose to their feet and hissed most
vehemently, while the other half oaoer.
ed tumultuously. Subsequently Mrs.
Brooker, the sister of Mrs. Woodruff,
interrupted the speaker with the ques-
ton" How could you expect to be re-
cognized in society unless you knew
who your father or mother VAST" A
policeman attempted to put Mrs. Brook.
er out, when tremendous uproar en-
sued.
Mrs. Woodruff. who had shrlnk back
timidly with her manuscript during the
uproar, came forwaId and sad boldly,
"Yes, am free lover! believe
have an inaiienable -;ehs to cfcnge my
husband every day il Ike. trust
am understood. for mean what say,
and nothing elsa. 7 eiaim shnt freedom
means to be tree.
Mrs. Fair killed Criitanden. Why ?
Because she believed in the spirit of the
marriage law; that she had better
right 10 him than had Mrs. Csittenden,
to whom the lar had granted him; and
rather than give him up TO haT:. to whom
he evidently desired to go, and where.
following ais right to ireedom, he did
go, she killed him. Could c more per :
/ ~. = Toe