The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1885-07-09
The Marriaae Of lucy Stone.

When I was young, / heard and
read a great deal about the folly Of
Lucy Stone in refusing 10 take her
husbands name, and IN INDUCING la
spoken and written notions Of the
marriage relation, that struck the
conservative mind as outrageous, aud
unauthorized 10y recognized precedent.
Being n woman, though in embryo,
I POndercd deeply upon what che"
might think Il. At last Il occurred
Go me ~ prol'able. and very properly
TOO. that this strongly individualiZed
Lucy Stone might not relish being
merged into Mrs. II. b. blackwell.
To be an echo, an adjective, a mere
appendage 90 a man-even though
she loved the man-was I'm Lucy
Stones mind not a good and accepia-
ble thing and vaguely guessed that
there might le existing sympathy
between these two ON this point.
Happening to come one day upon an
aou1unt Of their wedding, found my
self enlightened.
Rev. +. w. HigginsOn performed
the marriage ceremony ia a farm
house among the hills of West Brook
field, Mass. lie said that he never
performed the marriage ceremony |
without q renewed sense OF the |
iniquity Of our present system Of laws
Ga respect TO marriage n system by |
which man and wife are one, and |
that one D. the husband. IL was
therefore with his hearty concurrence /
that the protest, which Is given be- /
low, was read ond signed as a part /
a fhC asf1finl ceremony. Col Hig- /
ginson had his protest published in |
the Worcester Spy, giving a. q reason
for doing 50, THAT Others might be
induced % do likewise" This all
happened thirty years ago, but have
seen no instance exactly like Il /
though I doubt not that this single,
ultra example has had a great inhu-
ence in moulding popular sentiment
regarding this marriage relation. One
evident step in that direction Ia the
frequency now with which Mrs. John
Jones and Mrs. B. l.. Smith appears
~ Mrs Mary Jones and Mrs. Anna J.
Smith
THE PROTEST.
" MllE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. W4N AA4NAlAA /
affection by publicly assuming the
relation uf husband aud wife, yet in
Justice 60 ourselves and a great princi-
ple. We deem q duty 10 declare that
this sri un cur part implies no sauc-
ton &C, nor promise OF voluntary
obedience 90 such Of the present laws
% marriage, a. refuse % recognize the
wife n an independent. rational be-
ing, while they confer upon the hus-
hand an injurious aud Unnatural
superiority, investing him with legal
powers which no honorable man
would exerCise, aud which no man
should F,glsssss. We protest especially
against the laws which give 10 the
husband:
J. The custody of the wife's person.
= The exclusive control aud guar
dianship of their children.
3 The sale ownership % her person
Il and the use 81 her real estate, unless
previously settled upon her, or placed
in the hands of trustees. A. la the ease
of minors, lunaIits and idiots.
Z. The absolute right to the product
% her industry.
s. Also against laws which give to
the WidoWcI ~ much larger and
more permanent an interest iu the
property of his des-eased wife than
they give 10 the widow in that Of the
.iereaSg,l husband
&. Finally. against the whole sys-
lem by which ''the legal existence Of 3
he wife h suspended during mar
Rage" - that in most states. she
leitheT has = legal part in the choice
e RESIDENCE. nor can she make n will,
bot sue or be SUED in her own name, :
nor inherit property.
We believe that personal independ- O
snce and equal human rights can | 4
leVeT b. forfeited, except for crime 4
hat marriage should he an equal a nd
lermanent partnership. and 50 reeOg- 4
liEed by law that until g g. 80 recug- C
liHed, married partners should pro 4
noe saEain-l the radical Injustice Of Al
,resenl laws. by every means in their =
soWef.
We believe that when domestic dit a
lenlties arise, ne appeal should he I
made b legal tribunals under existing
avs, but that all difficulties should
e submitted 20 the equitable adjust G
nent Of aFhitraiOFs mutually chosen. n
TINS reverencing law, we enter our "A
,foteSt against rules and customs I
which are unworthy of the name,
inoe they violate justice. the essence p
& law Signed, N
Henry h. Bi.ACEwELL, a
Lucy STONE
since this protest was made against n
be whole idea Of the old Blackstone
ode watch ms,le Wousn . hohentity
! marriage, considerable chsnge has
zen made In regard % the property Al
lghts q women but to-day there are Of
My three states cat Of the thirty-six n
\ which mothers have equal rights n
'ith the fathers to the custody Of their st
hildren. Al
Avarsuog' essdsr-a fabis.