Morning journal and courier., 1881-06-01

EDITED AND PUBLISHED b
Wednesday Morning, june 1. 1881.
ssHARMONIOUs,, MaRRIAGE.

Probably few of our readers have ever
heard of the Harmonial Association, but
there Is an organization of this name in New
York city. It is composed of men and
women who profess to labor, and, for all We
know, do labor to bring themselves and the
rest of the world into way of living which
shall be harmonious with the essential and
Interchangeable laws of God, as manifested in
the world of matter and in the world of
mind "
This association has concluded that s'the
powerful evils and vices and crimes which
aflict Individuals first and foremost, and
which thence spread in every direction, and
which are necessarily multiplied in the very
heart and bosom of general society, flow from
the wrongly associated in the relation of mar
riage," and that it is the mission of the State,
as it is primarily the duty of the individual,
to prevent the generation and the perpetua-
ton of disease, injustice, immortality, crime
aud wretchedness. To this end it is propos-
oil that the Legislature of New York be re-
quested to enact law to regulate the reIa-
ton of marriage. That in accordance with
such Law; the Legislature be further request
ed to appoint a Board of Commissioners of
Hygiene, Morality and Benefcence, to con-
sist of an equal number of ethically and med
ically educated women and men, so that un-
der any circumstances no true sentiment of
delicacy or modesty may be offended. That
this thoroughly qualified commission shall
have ample power to investigate the an
tecedents of the individual, and shall fully
and scientifically examine the present condi-
tions, both physically and mentally, of each
person who shall present himself or herself
as candidate for the marriage relation.
That this commission shall be invested with
power to grant or to withhold certificate of
eligibility, with view strictly to the lawful
and absolute prevention of the various con-
stitutional, physical and mental diseases and
infrmities with which society is afflicted, and
in consequence of which our hospitals, asy-
lunns, prisons, and the so-called reforma-
tories are necessarily populated and horribly
overloaded. That no person within the juris-
diction of the State shall enter into the rela-
ton of marriage, which involves parenta.e
and its endless consequences, unless he or
she shall have obtained legal certifcation
of qualification from the Commissioners
aforesaid, and that any and every violation
of this most important act of the Legislature
of the State shall be punished according to
the provisions Of the law-say by personal
retirement and restraint for one year, and
a perpetual tax of not less than ten per cent
upon all iae6ne, from either earnings
or property, to be paid into the treasury of
the city Or county wherein the law was vio-
lated, the same to be appropriated to the sup
port of the charitable or restraining institu-
tions (Which are now the popularized head
quarters for canning and preserving the evil
fruits of the go-as-you-pl please system of mar
riages which everywhere aff1ict humanity,
and which, unhappily, are now celebrated by
both Church and State wi prayers and
flowers and universal appreciation"
This is probably as far as the Harmonial
Association will get at present, but its attack
upon inharmonious marriage Is, nevertheless,
and furni shes food for thought"
Though there are few yet prepared to have
all marriages regulated by some such law as
the Association proposes, there are many
who think the State might proftably pay
some attention to preventing the marriage of
criminals and professional paupers.