Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-03-19
A CUES IoE OF sIsfgRs-IN-LAw.

don to the Governor OF OSiiiVInia iesee1
Of inquiry az to whether the laws OF this
country, which permit marriage with de-
ceased wife's sister, result in "baneful
evils" A copy of the letter has been sent
to this Office, and from it we CLEAN that the
Earl is very soIicisous regarding the facts.
He says that the bill to legalize such mar
riaces was defeated at the last session of
the British Parliament in the House OF
Lords by vote of l32 to l2S. This very
even division has brought the question
more prominently before the English pub
lie, and the Earl has resolved to reintro-
duce the bill at the present session of Par
lament, and to fortify himself with
facta he has addressed letters to every
American State on the subject. The writer
saws that the opponents of the legalization
of such marriages are fond Of referring to
America as illustrating in marked de-
gree the stbaneful evils which, it is al.
legged, follow these unions. He adds
that they quote the church Quarterly Re-
r;e,o in their support, which holds that be-
cause of oar permissive law wives are
made Jealous and suspicious of their SIS
ters, whereas where such marriages are
nrohibited the husband meets his sister-in-
law with the brotherly kiss, in all purity,
and the sister.in.law confdes in him as in
an own brother that when the wife dies
the sister.in.law may live under the shelter
of the brother-in.l laws rooftree and care
for her sisters children, without blush and
without stirring the breeze of SANDER
that where such marriages are permitted,
the attentions paid by the husband to The
| wife's unmarried sister grow, very often,
into more than affectionate regard, and
ripen into passionate love; this makes the
wife miserable, teaches the children to look
with apprehension upon their unmarried
maternal aunts, and not infrequently drives
the wife to an untimely grave. We do moi
know what observation may have taught
Governor SLOVENIAN regarding sisters.in
law and the baleful effects of marrying
them, nor what he may write in reply tC
Earl Dalhousie on this momentous subject
but as the rights of sisters-in-law in Eng
land are infringed, we trust that their sis
tiers in America will rise in defense of tbs
noble Earl and aid him in hurting this relic
of shame headlong from the statute book
of the United Kingdom. Besides, they
have personal interest in defending the
whole tribe of sisters.in-law in Americ;
from the gross assaults made upor
their fair fame by the anti.sister
in.law maniacs of Old England
The idea il absurd, that law is necessary
to keep the wife's sisters from layin!
siege to the wife's husbands affections
They should see to it that Governor Stone
man informs the noble Earl promptly tina
when an American sister-in-law sets he
heartupon her brother-in-law, the fact tina
there is, or is not, a permissive status
relative to their marriage, cuts no figure
in the case, and has no restraining influences
whatever in the matter of putting poison
into the wife's coffee. They should make
haste to inform Earl Dalhousie that Ameri
can wives have very much more reason tt
fear the effects upon their husbands of the
Establishments of other sisters than theil
own, and that the American wife generally
manages to live reasonable lease Of life
despise the fact that she has manageable
sisters who may succeed her. Then, too
the sisters.in.law have a deep interest il
setting themselves right before the Eng
lish public relative to the necessity il
America of waiting for their married sis
ters' cast.of shoes, and of taking second
handed husbands. Husbands have an in
terest in the reply OF Governor Stonemar
also, and should be solicitous that his an
swer gives the English Parliament to under
stand that, law or no law, when they marry
one branch OF a family they seldom repeat
| Gu6 QOSe, 1uuScu Ou tuS DliAOipAC taat lOI
hidden fruit is most desired, it might be
well to call attention to the fact that as
the law permits the American husband who
has shoveled his wife underground hastily
to marry and comfort himself in the EN-
braces OF her sister, the consent of tht
statute actually discourages such a practice
Concerning the children of matrimonial
unions in America we trust that Governor
Stoneman will inform his Lordship, tn,
Earl, that really the most loveable, delight
full and charming relative the American
child has, outside his home, is the American
aunt, to whom he first flies in time o
trouble, and whose skirts, when materna
brows are capped with wrath, prove
cure and safe retreat.