New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-07-01

the ties and relations of family to be more GER
tsinly more kindly and more afectionateiy pre-
served where the father marres his deceased wifes
sister" The Governor of Illinois testiffes that SO
far from such marriages destroying the purity OF
the re- IN between brothers in-lsw and sstersn-
law II seems to him that the tendency is entirely
the other way. The Governor of Michigan insists
that aunts make the best OF stepmothers" The
Governor of Ohio ares that he kno many happy
families among their best people in which these
marriages have occurred. Mr.. Charles Francis
Adams sums up with the remark: 7" So far ms my
own observation goes can freely say that the sys-
TEN Of letting people decids this matter for them
selves works we'll in this country, and entertain
not the slightest doubt that it would work perfectly
well IN your country" Mr.. Lowell fully confirms
this wow observing that in America the innovation
would iie not in rhe permission OF such marriages
but IN forbidding them questioning their pro-
priety for they have been customary from the frst
and he has never heard them disputed.
To this case thus clearly brought ont what DO
you suppose Lord Cairns's rctort isl How does he
deal with such mass of hostile evidence. Ihis Is
what he says:
The noble earl has consulted number OF Ter
sons IN the United states were sa I'D
at his dong so for 1 thought all AmerIcals
thought all their institutions worked well. l,eaS
Il
so Ilaughterl, and ~ quite ready to assume tnat
the opinion of all An orleans is that ther
work well. and this excellent institution anons
the rest, that man should be able 10 marry
woman and her daughter one after ahe other. put
would 1T work we'll hersf Hear. hearl donot II
very much. The noble earl says you mnst NOT say ~
ANYTHING about divorce. Bat IL you take Ill
America vou must go a little further. inc amer
leans will proceed tell you that conlugal 1de
aTThat Is on account of our law OF divorce" How
Goes that produce conjugal 6deltyf The way , Is
this" he will answer the conlngal vow no,er
in getting rid of il, and institution OF divorce
works we'll" inc noble earl can get plenty Vi au
thbrites to the same effect.
This is very painful to us, but we have to THINK
of Lord Cairns an advocate with case 10 sup
port, and we will try to hore ne docs not reany DC
lieve the whole population Of the United States TO
he living in state of incest. say incest not only
because tie bill has been often nicknamed by the
clericals the Incest Bill, but because Lord Cairns
himself appears to adopt anu enforce this appeiia-
tion He cites Az "perfectiy unequivoral" the re-
mark of Basil that such marriages are incestuouS'
We Americans moreover, not tue only people 10
whom q similar criticism would apply. FRANCE
Holland, Prussia are all countries IN which
domestic life less holy and happy, according 10
Lord Cairns than here in England. As Tor Ter
many Lord Cairns cites with JUNCTION the statement
of q German doctor of philosophy that marriage IN
his country makes German cover his face Tor
shame. And the noble earl finishes this censurc on
the United States with an ntimation that We are 10
be held responsible for polygamy in Utah. notwith-
standing the laws passed 10 put it down. With
that IS a specimen of Lord Cairns's controversial
manner you will perhaps be content
According TO all precedent and usage. majority
Tor the second reading in the House OF Lords
would I've accepted as decisive. and opposition should
cease The second reading here answers to our
third reading But the clericals are understood 10
be bent on renew wing and protractng their oPTo-
sition-of course ON the highest moral and religions
grounas Whether they will get their lay support
ers to do their bidding ~ another question: bat the
final passage oithe bill through the Lordscsn hardly
be said to be absolutely certain. Faction runs 100
high. If, however. II gets through this ordeal
safely, the Government will find or make time to
carry II through the House of Commons before tho
session ends. Most moderate men aTe OF opinion
that it is quite time TO bring this long controversy
to an end and everybody agrees that 1t can only DO
ended by passing the oil. q. W. O.