Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-04-05
THE ADVANTAGE OF BEING AN
ILLINOIS WIFE

From the chicago Tribune.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill, March 25.-The
bill revising the law in relation to hus-
band and wife, which has passed both
Houses and will undoubtedly become a
law, provides that a married woman
may In all cases sue and be sued, with
out joining her husband with her, to
the same extent as if she were unmar-
ried; an attachment or Judgment may
be enforced against her as if she were
a single woman; if sued with her hus-
band she may defend for her own right;
if he neglects TO defend for him also,
and vice versa In short, she may en-
Joy all the luxIries of a lawsuit on her
own hook without the consent or inter
ference of the party who used to be
styled 'lord and master" That phrase
has lost its significance. When a mar
ried woman takes it into her head to
injure anyone, the husband viii
not be responsible unless he is a
party to the injury; the husband shall
not be liable for the debts of the wife,
so when he gets a bill for a ''love of a
DRESS" a "duck of a bonnet" or a
perfectly splendid laudaulet, he can
turn it over to his ''better half and
let her come down with the stamps.
This provision is intended to check
extravaganza on the part Of ladies by
compelling them to share the hard
ships of paying bills, Contracts and
liabilities incurred by the wife may be
enforced against her the same as if
she were unmarried, but she cannot
enter into partnership business with
any other person without the husbands
consent, unless he be idiotic or insane,
or is in the Penitentiary, or has aban-
doned her, when she can do as she
pleases. The wife may receive. use
and possess her W earnings, and sue
for the same free from the interference
of the husband OF his creditors. One
cannot sue or recover compensation for
services performed for the other.
She can obtain, handle, manage, sell
and convey property independent of
him, but they shall not convey proper
ty to each other without a conveyance
in writing TO be recorded In the same
manner as chattel mortgages. This is
to prevent them from making convey
ance to defraud other parties outside
the family. She may be sued for prop
erty unlawfully obtained before mar
rage. If one abandons the other and
leaves the State for a year, or is impris-
Oned in the penitentiary, the court may
authorize the half remaining to man.
age cOnerol and sell the property of the
base deserter for the maintenance of
the family, and contracts made for that
purpose shall be binding on both. One
may confer power of attorney on the
other IN the same manner as other per-
sons.
The expenses of the family and the
education of. the children shall be
chargeable upon the property of both
or either, and In relation thereto they
may be sued jointly or separately.
Neither can remove the other or their
children from their homestead without
the consent of the other, unless the
owner of the property shall provide an
other homestead for the family.
If he abandons her, she shall have
the custody of minor children, unless
for some good reason the courts other
wise direct. When one is insane for a
year, the other may execute a convey
ance or mortgage of real estate for
such insane person, and thereby relin-
quish his or her right of curtesy, dow
| er, or homestead In such real estate.
These are the main points of the bill
which abolishes the "tyrant man" and
places oma on a perfect equality
with him when he marries her.