The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-04-21

23I, 900 gooa s0 and in,psae.fable I'm time aof
s:s ..'' sass. ts D. n r.
wMe &c " brand OF discord" in the family nno
u" MAKE S two a6es out Of every one In ths hat
.Ssrs , asm,Sy sed The actin 81 The
xon not FORGOTTEN that tho courts OF equity In
land and xie ,sans ana hs sspesi mos.
a als ssinss Judges e,t hsIs
Borne ready, clear, aud unanimous narr,a9e
the T'aSm ana .d ali ose sorts Of
rsnnpmsnts which tend to secure tho vile
an ndependent competency In case OF aH,er nr ~
whether the result Of marrsee vrs
nI Court. OF eGuity have not hesiated 10 trsmp!e
down and brush away all mercy ,nerfec
,ons IIrlant to supply omissions, prompt to cor
rect errors and prone adopt liberal
to protect and conserve Inc sle have soft
pao o4 ,ho isrs asoerilcs Of the common law, AM
viii not pcrmit husband nor ms creuisui ~ ,
use their power and process sd se tfat such set
n, unon and provision for her shall be made u
The court may deem suitable to her statioh ~ iii
1.-THE wfes equity Is s,Ired In many good
a sbsr, FOR fore Is It Edter that law shs
statute that settlement upon the future wife nniSi
avery prudent husband ought TO make, ana Dy ,ns
LEGISLATION proposed reeTs fsm,es f and Eliminating
from no ,ns n contrasts' DO you think these
n "r nnd iofty chancelors and judges alluded to
and who were governed by the demanGs % acynarate
esae ar fatal to society And domestic
the settlement Of property upon hef 40
n the southern States Of Delaware
wrst Viruinia, Kentucky, Missouri. ,,ons and
nnIs,ann. Texas, and others the cum cum ho W. been
expensive OF pra.sos on The subject Of
.n.s emuroncrtyrgts, plain and viihoul
lar to the bi under .nd MshOus disturb
nr, iudce to domestic peace ~nu ""
ance u states wives have not reoeiled ia The
lies have not been the are ecaames selfish
bs,lta in arimSnlal n me-, is
fully pctnren s 20 which the experiment has been
said states, III han half-century. In mariana,
irl.u Iu tho Potomac, where tnere 10 az
IF people irsti,bla has been in operation since 1852
10 istv there j, In the other soulnern 3iates ID
anu nv as much domestic felicity Social
gehu,,n e tadel Of all to be desired In this con-
ma, c' The experience Of the most enlightened
Ess soce,! decidedly n f ,Los. Of TS
aud marriage to az and er,staiize by egss-
,im nocy gradually fastening Itself upon the So
cety OF tho word' WY should We r. h rnxn 10
, u'' ntatens to fortune-huners and to adopt
measures for the protection cf thelr eStftcs! nncn
aeSIyning, selfish propositions Tor matrlmonv are
. TIC most I'm poriant crisis In the llyes OF NO.
Ia ,nipVled and warning sentiments CT fear
men men md love peculiarly und, them for taking at
that delicate and critical moment prudent proper
IN" pcIH then, il is not "uickc cd" but cmnenty
,nnrop9iate, Tor legislators to give wholesome and
,rdnrr legislation in the premises when experience
,roycs heyond controversy that 1t be done with
mi def rient to any individual or TO society In any
.csnect whatever, and when the material interests
II the State will thereb! be enhanced TO an incacu-
Jn ADDITION to the e,res and duties Of wifehood
md motherhood, we all know that thousands Of
III sinia women In4ugn num9e ana p9or ney DE-
Xiii. produce and acquire property and money 70
i've upon and support themselves and. families
" what rule or principle of morals, law,
- honor can men who have legislative
,ower say TO her who hast not, that she shall not
AVE The wages OF her labor, the fruit Of Der own
letrinent collect as from slave the fruit, the
money proceeds OF wlfe's personal industry, Is
,rute, not man, and the legitimate object OF the
punishment OF such wages OF the wonan's labor
o pay the husbands debts Ii an outrage upon JUS
ice and Christian civilization. My Official expert
!, ce as sheriff for seven years since the war has
aught me how these rules apply: ard surely, Mr.
editor, it cannot be wicked" to say that the
. laborer Is worthy OF her hire"
Sir my bill is designed chiefly 10 protect wives OF
hriftless, imp-ovidebt, unfortunate, or unscrupu-
ous husbands. The wealthy and prosperous, as
general rule, may not need such ie2lsiatlon, Dut
ven "riches certainly make themselves wings and
iy away Ill, ,o.o
rrepresstble teImsgants, an, ana MAXI their homes
hem with proper restrictions, the property they
brought into the matrimonial eompsc', and also
heir own earnings, does great injustice 10 Virginia
yonen OF every class and condition In life. and Is
IN idea which beg leave respectfully. in their be-
,sIf, TO repcl.
the wife's and chldren's bills for board, clothes,
md education. and the rich wife for none Of these
,ilIs.'' Poor husband, indeed Yes. miserably.
tt,aI t1,..rh
Who with property shall seek 10 throw upon the
wife that responsibility which his manhood should
pear, and which his natural love ami DEVOTION
;hOud ms ire him to assume. But II the husband
Or children be afflicted or unfortunate. and really
MOOR the wife and mother II possible will provide
IF life. Trust woman for that, Mr.. Editor. But to
err on the afe SIDE lei the bill be amended so as to
put these burdens, If you please: equally upon the
But you say Isn't that bill to protect society 2"
which .'empowers a wife to sue her own hllsbandT'
Just as If size had not always 1u Virginia, through
next friend had the right TO do This very timing In
given cases. You say, further, that the marriage
Of woman having u! property puts an end TO her
debts. because neither husband or wife can DC made
TO pay them.' Not so, unless she should fail to &C
lure property by inheritance. gift, 81 Ill., or other
wise aft er MARRIAGE and II she failed 10 do so as
SINGLE woman the case IS the same But aside from
common honesty, pride, and due regard for the sa
cred ties of nlatrimony, which make in love and
affection one OF TOO would bring 10 honest credit
ors all they could ask.
You further state that under the bill the wife is
also empowered to diSinherit her own Children"
WONDERFUL. Is she as likely to do so as the hus-
band, who frequently does and that, too, TO pro-
perty which came by the wife? Trust woman also
on this point Her attachment and care foi her own
that of the husband for his children. Experience
has taught that parental power Is s;!utary re-
straint upon children disposed 70 be prodigsl or re-
belliuus. Why, therefore, should not the wife have
the right to bequeathe her own estate? Her hus-
band would almost Invariably be consulted and APP
But, in conclusion, Mr.. Editor. the popular OBJ:
lection to the bill lie that 1t Will bring All sol.s U
Imaginary woes upon the hcaycniy-or IN
sttutIon OF matrImony revolutionise unIehne ano
con tamnate society, and uproot our "hoe praeilce
and system the subject CT woman ps o,at ~
and rSe grandeur and purity OF character OF her IN
surpassed women are held up r,lIe W. IN p a.n
terms, and We are warned . Ia thes. alorous
themesI Such advocates arc unmindful, IA !
have shown, that such deploranle enas pave NOT
NHers society il as good as ours hey forget that
tbe nrinciDa causes OF the superiority Of southern
society over that at the Norn are nSh ncn.d 20
materiaism, and consequently freer from "lsns
and vices and that the existence OF slavery enabled
nc the better TO cultivate the social graces 10 Inn
pro1s the intellect 10 enhance and embellish So
eiety. and thereby purify our religion and elevate
epe that nei bess nho are to
sort to manual bbor for = livelihood as Il
the case with very large majority OF our virgin,
Of position and afuence. 1t therefore behooves US
in the spirit OF State pride and duty to ourselves
the masses to our Maker, and to poserity TO recoR
nizs The Irresistible logic OF events and take th'
new departure suggested BY the bill. It Is true tina
1t departs from old aud time-honorcd landmark
that suited US under tho orte-bcllum regime; but
like other new legislation which have proposed
the - embeLzlement" and "hypothecation bill
specially tboth laws now)-it Will be strongly op
posed Till 1t Is properly understood and rightly ap
precated, and then II will be adopted.
To encourage the humble women OF Virginia Il
work and produce values worth money; to place
for themselves aud their children the fruits Of per.
sonal labor beyond the reach Of the husbands pro
1igacy and creditors, who, ut least, have not &C
ouircd lien upon the "sweat Of the wlle's face !"
to elevate the Wife from the position Of mere toy
non-entty, q playthng, and 2 pet, TO the highe
plane OF .help-meet for him y; TO utilize all til
moral intellectual and physical forces, not OF few