The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-03-01
SAVING HIS "HONOR. -

The anxiety manifested by Mr.. Sharon to
save his 'honor," and the honor Of his chill
dren, is very specious exhibition of hypoc-
risy. If Mr. Sharon had been as anxious
months and years ago as he now assumes to
be, there would be no present occasion for his
mock heroic speeches. The evidence shows
that he sustained improper relations with Miss
Hill. Whether he ever presented her as his
wife matters little, so far as the moral aspect
of his offense is concerned. Upon that would
hinge the question Of alinony and little else.
But it remains that he did sustain
a liaison with this woman, and, as
he himself admits, without the for
mality Of marriage. The "honor which
he is so solicitous about is the avoid
ance of having ever represented himself as the
husband of Miss Hill, which, it must be adj
mitted, is very narrow ground to occupy in
a question affecting his morality. Mr.. Sharon
mistakes in imagining that be can deceive the
public by making such meretricious display
of virtuous indignation over point not i'm
mediately involved His offense, in the eyes
of the people, and against the ''honor" of
his children, IS not so much in having repre-
sented Miss Hill as his wife, in order to facili-
tate his amours with her, as in having sus-
tanned the relations he did with the woman
The disgrace he would shirk but intensified
the shame of his COMMUNICATING more
This case, separated from the class to which
it belongs, would call for no attention outside
Mr. Sharon's immediate relatives and friends
But the views entertained by him are so gen.
orally held by all men of his kind that it
would seem that somewhat of remonstrance
should be made against its PRONUNCIATION. OF
certainty we feel that it is not generally
accepted, save by men who do so from neces-
sity The idea that man can criminally
associate with woman without shame
and is compromised only when he marries her.
cannot obtain without threatening the very
foundation of modern civilized society. It
has been facetiously told of fashionable
mother that she lightly dismissed the matter
when told that her son was keeping company
with seamstress, but was Mortified when told
that the lady was respectable, evidently fear
ing the possibility of mesalliance and conse-
quent Disgrace" There is too much
Of this thing and public opinion
should take holder stand against
it. 1t is a cruel perversion of justice that
man can be allowed to plead that he can play
the roue so long as he does not forget that his
paramount is unfit TO be his wife. No matter
how faithful she may be to him, nor if he
alone is responsible for her lapse from the
path of rectitude and womanly excellence,
this false sentiment has long stood between
man and his deserts, against the woman no
more sinful than he. There are cases.
doubtless, in which the woman is
unfit for the delicate and onerous
duties Of wifehood and motherhood But
that is not the question in Mr. Sharons case
He would save his 'honor' by forswearing
honorable intentions toward Miss Hill. appar-
emily feeling that if he can but succeed in
proving that he was only seducer and forni-
Gator, he will stand before the world and be-
fore his children as a citizen and father with
out reproach. This dangerous theory must
never be allowed to stand. The most vital
interests of society demand its unqualified
condemnation.