Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-05-12
p%TvORCELEss FRANCE
Alexandra Dumas, Fills, on the Wrongs
Of the French Marriage System.
chlcaro Tlme..l

which is being discussed warmly every
where in France, the Figaro gives at
length the views of Alexandra Dumas,
fills, the most prominent advocate of
divorce. Here is an extract, which is
worth reading:
The institution of marriage is en-
tirely to the advantage of women.
They find in it freedom to see, to
know, to 90 and to come, all of which
was denied them when unmarried. In
it they change their name that is to
say, il is not their own family, it is not
themselves, whom they disgrace or
turn TO ridicule should they deceive
their ~husband-it is the husband.
When he says nothing, the werld says
nothing. He alone is responsible, and
the day when he learns the truth he
must either risk his life for the
womanls fault, or provoke the world
to laughter before a tribunal. On the
other hand, the deceived wife is never
ridiculed. For her there is nothing
but sympathy, and if she pardons
without avenging herself, she becomes
heroic. And if she does ayenge her
self in the peculiar way of her sex, she
imposes legally upon her husband the
children conceived outside of mar
riage. Be the husband ever so ma
l%icieus, be he Talleyrand and Bis
marck rolled into one, re~ciprOcation is
utterly impossible to him. The child
which he has made outside of mar. f,
riage remains outside oft. A certain
princess once remarked to her noble
spouse Il can make princes without
you, but you cannot make them with .
out me y !
1t is this advantage, great, UNEQUAL.
unjust, which has absolyed the muir
derer who kills his wife in f%aprante
delicto; and yet this ~Aagrantus delic-
tus must take place in the conjugal
domicile, and the husband must sur {
prise the guilty ones without having i
foreseen the circumstances. In this
case, and when the husband surprises .
his wife in the situation which should {
be reserved for marriage alone, and !
when he kills her, he has the right to
say to his judges 81 did not kill {
that creature solely from wrath, from i
jealousy, from pride, from love / =
killed her TO smother in her the ;
germ Of a child which she would =
impose upon my confidence, my afec- :
ton, my caresses, my labor, upon /
my legitimate children, upon my name
and all the pOsterity Of my name"
and human justice is forced 10 be S
Would it not be better under v
such circumstances, and under o
equally as plain and clear. 10 a
authorize, TO exact divorce? The I
husband, accompanied by a magistrate. Z
should establish the fault. and then n
1t not without anger, at least without II
murder, should say to the law: Here a
a woman who does not love me. who Fl
loves that gentleman in his shirt whom
you see yonder, aud who is loved by .
him they are in the act of giving or y
promising life 70 a third person, and d
one whom, probably. they will also =
love. Relieve me Of madame and re. q
lieTe her Of me. If they two legiti. !,
mate their offspring, it win be much e
better than If were compelled to kill :.
monsieur, madame and the germ in
question which. in It's quality Of love
has . chance Of becoming a !!
great msu like d.Lambert or the Z!
handsome DunOisg" =
Does mere separation ACCOMPLISH y
tbsg No: separation separates. it =
aoes not liberzte. II does not break X
.he shaB-it lengthens il aud makes =
g heavier II condemns both the In. q
ooeenE and the guilty 70 the same
punishment, " eelibaey and sterility "
Nd II they break the bond-unless Of
.hey carry constantly 10 their packets q
Ytithus Bsssy On the Principles Of b
they wall condemn their o.
innocent offspring 70 bear the stigma d
Life, Father and mother al
aud laborious young man e
4 deal IN % hypothesis; / cite facts. 2,
nd vel kbown faets). who meets a "
'gung woman 81 an honorable family. al
pleases him. and be asks her hand
mar1ss her. The dainsel turn N
" have been enciente two months IN
the work Of laekey The honored "
.amlly who knew all about Il al the In
sbile have thrust her progeny on the D
honest young man Who took the word "a
.gd honor Of the father ard mother. Il
He goes 70 the law. which says 10 him Of
You should disayow the paternity Of il
he child, and separate from the mis-. C.
woman" pI
Then may ] marry anotber2" Il
NO, you can never re-marry until 81
she II dead" n
And II she survives me2"
You viii never re. marry-tha "a
Ard il would love, n I would !,
children 70 bear my name2" n
e" lmpoasible. y
But haYe done 40 wrong y
30 much the worse for you"
j - abominable. !,
"Cest CONNIE co." n
Here h q worthy young girl who /,
meets ~ company q young man, who, n
~ they nay. has the best references \
The young man h admitted 10 make !,
court 10 her. The contract h signed. \
re marriage takes place. One hour \
a,ter the departure from church. a.
,he end OF the wedding diuner. the
pTlo9groom leaves and never returns .
nc mas gone, taking with him The v
marriage portion, aud leaving q virgin j.,
and ruined wife, She Zoos 10 ne law Z
and u says 10 her 4
II Is true madame, you have mar 4