New-York tribune., 1872-04-25
THE LAW OF MARRIAGE.
WHAT THE REV. JOHN WEISS THINKS OF
MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE-JOlNT EDUCATION
OF THE sFXFS-MARRIAGE A DISCIPLINE-A

MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE-JOINT EDUCATION
OF THE SEXFS-MARRIAGE A DISCIfLINE-A
NEW KIND OF DIVORCE COURT.
lFRoM REGULAR CORRESPONDENT or THE TRlBUNkI
BOsTON, April 22.-ln these days of the keen
discussion Of social problems, when the questions OF
marriage and divorce engage all pens and are cnnVae"
rs warmly in the drawng-rooms of Murray hh as III
the Massachusetts State House, every wellcohsiuere"
utterance Of man who really thinks has it's own claim
upon our considerations Surely, therefore, no apoos3
needed for calling attention TO brilliant paper ont''e"
"Tne Law of Marriage" read 10y the Rev. John weiss 10
an unusually cultivated and thoughtful audience
assembled day two since in Mrs. sargent p"riorS'
THIS ouestio1 of marriage is great social problem
and the married persons are the hrSt 10 appear WIN 'e
demand for Its soluton-their suspicion that there Is
,ntate somewhere since their reasonable expectations
have not been generously fulfilled. If Nature means
ANYTHING more than merely TO set her man ana woman
raircd # she chcrishes the hope Of deghung
them by surprises Of divine companonshp aIter 'hey
have hurried into her baited trap she Las in so many
eases overratcd her ability please highmnded sonis
that cry of the captivcs ESCAPES continually fr"h
the cided bars, and il piteOus suit before society,"
What is the matterf Who is in faultf can the
iault be remed!edi II not, can the hd-
viduals be released from IFS bitter influence without
letting loose worse calamity than their presently why
should the difference between the feeling BEFORE mar
riage and the feeling aferward. between Illusion ana
Illumination be so constantly thrown in our facesi
This is natural and largely inevitable The disastrous
ness OF utter ignorance might indeed be mlugcd E Ie
education together Of the sexcs-but stn there would
remain a certain glamour OF love- fnd the ante-natrhno
nia period would belong to glltterinc Fancy the days
and years aferward sober Fact The lover exhausts
words to tell his beloved how fair she appears 10 MIN
sothed with what grace, embodiment OF what lnhoeeh'
splendOr, He faults-how should he'
tic regards her with eyes that are remote
from as the earth from the moon. BY and 10y lie VIII
nave nearer View To her. in turn, he appears an In
sorruptibc champion in golden amor sent into the
world 10 her natural protector who calls her ancei
pecause he is prepared TO treat her angecaly' no"
ran she penetrate those cerng armorpaes, or see III
her hero anything low brutal or cheap or petty but
after marriage she discovers that the respondent knight
NJ being very much eugOssed in business, has one or
two low tastes perhaps-that hardness and cruelty are
not inseparable from his strength. And he, too dscoV
ers that she Is human bciu who had ancestors. and
who has inherited various traits. Imperccton is equal
iy annoying either side. II cOarseness Onends, so
does trlviaity. The worldliness OF the parlor
rs as bad ~ that OF the street. His ambition
to make money or fame il no more exactlng
uan hers for nne establishment. and gowns
and Jewels that move the envy of weakminded neigh
pors But these faults are part Of the great pan ana
natural infnty the chief agent to develop maturity
out Of youhuness and the spiritual out of the natural
Perhaps tie bcrcS matrimonial discOnents arise from
The half unconscious msconceptOn that happiness not
growth is the end OF marriage, and the fOrgetfunesS
that human nature is unversa-that there would have
peen humanity In whatever angel, weak places in the
arnor Of whatever Knight. The mutual ignorance out
Of which come the great expectations which experience
~ so sure to dsappoiEt, would perhaps as before su-
yested, he modified by educating the sexes
together; and to fear any i'll consequences
from tls course ls 10 pay compliment to the in
nate purity daughters the native manhood OF our
sons. Failing TINS co-educaton. the only alternative
which society offers to the ignorant choice o. youth is
he postponcment OF marriage 10 later period Some
what wisdom may. indeed come with ripper age; but
ilru furirv Of
lion. ont OF which the misleading ignorance chiefly
springs II is impossible for two people thoroughly to
xnow each other until they have been tested by the ex
gencies Of united life No plan for mix ID education
,f the sexes, and pOstponcment OF their unon can
aver train them to seek each other with misplaced ard
nonstrous forethought Illusion of youth is the de-
berate sagacy OF God who does not appear to under
stand our dissolute vearnug for uninterrupted bsses
But when the fond moments of illusion drift away,
and the headand Of character stand bold and bare shall
the married state have alternative but dividing ha
tired or pi;fu olcatonl Is there nothing but mutual
exile Of the heart mutual expedients to keep the
peace Is the low Of marriage only an arrangement FOR
the Of establishment and the education
Of cldrCnf There a nober destiny for all souls who
live together. however the satrical sentimental toll
sration Of the age may fail to perceive it, There are
house that swing charmed thresholds, and
into safety hopes. calamtes, weaknesses The
nome which is the inyolable asylum of defects,
)f iailures-whOse gate strict loyalty keeps
this the home Of two lives deeply nterused that
ali faults may use their picks its pavement in vain.
But there question that marriages, even when con-
iracted in the purest faith sometimes develop such
radical Of temperament that the air Of
she house becomes oppressive. Perhaps the children
see no ckering, but they nsenslby imbiDe quarrel
hat is noi,lc,sy urged by impacabe contrlretv The
sources OF their early culture which ought TO be kept
fmpd and sladOTess are continually disturbed clouds
olow over and chill them they know not whence.
Why should these discordant souls be kept togeherl
what II they separate, Will become of the
children the fashion 10 ask. Simply cannot
than present. Let them escape, either
with the father the mother, from the fatality Of
both INTO neutrality where the ideal Of domestic har
moy may vet put forth its buds There can be doubt
that the OF the Commonwealth do not yet com
prehend all the legitimate Tor Divorce. If drunk
snness sufficient cause why should not chronic ill
temper be also II hurts as keeny and more con-
stantly. What is 10 he gained by holding discOrdant
souls in bonds of haredf When love has vanished
what advantage do secure TO society by keeping the
individuals tOgether4
Certainly remedy cannot be found in the abolition
Of the CIY contract Of marriage leaving separation at
the option OF the parties The home contains too many
tender for caprice TO be allowed 70 unroO IT,
starving passion pawn It's goods Let us rather have
specal Court OF Divorce. whose bench noble mat
rons should sit by side accomplished men, throw
the instinct Of wfehOOd aud the subtle judgment OF wO
man INTO their grave balancing To this Court Appeal
Yet the hOpelesy dIscOntentcd, from whatever cause
come Greater OF divorce will not increase its fire.
quency To know that one is not forever bound hated
union, Will not cOnduce 10 make the union hated There
is something power not easily eyaded-ln
the mysterious unreasoning attraction which draws two
been made IL is likely TO endure The carkng
Of life fret at the chain, but they will only
smooth Teach your children that marriage but
prOlongs their school hours INTO the dignity serncT
discipline and less perishable attanments. With all
your teaching cannot convert youth into premature
maturity. The pulse lends its rhythm TO the fancy. and
the fancy pepetuay the sweet song OF Gods com
fte the feast is over and the bridal roses have %ithered
The discovery will come that even marriage wthhods