The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-10-17

Londoncrs George Lewis, Who Antici
pated the Recent Discussion by Thirty
Years, Qfbtes What he Then Wrote and
Further Gives his Views.
Chicago Tribune Special
LoNDox, Oct. l5.-The Daily Telegraph
has closed its discussion Of the burning
question, as Marriage Failure2' and
it is learned from the headquarters Of
that newspaper that the controversy
evoked several thousand communica-
tons, iour.fiths OF which were chat,
but the remainder sincerely written and
making pleasant reading.
Mrs. Mona Card, whose Review article
had inspired the discussion, is now be-
ing lionized, but in reality she was anti
ticipated a few Yeas ago by George
Lewis in an article entitled Marriage
and Divorce" in the Fortnightty Retiew
signed by George II. Lewis. Popularity
the letter al" has been dropped, cock
neywisc, and he is called familiarly by
everybody by his two names only.
found him recently cheerily walking
through the groups OF waiting clients in
the immense old mansion once the pal
ace Of the Bishops OF Ely, wherein is his
suite OF offices.
"Yes," said he, adjusting his tradi.
tional eyeglasses and insensibly gliding
into his well known persuasive tone, II
followed newspaper discussion during
my short vacation and was most amused
with the airy nothingness which char
acterized the correspondence. Few OF
the writer's seemed 70 appreciate the
gravity OF the subject"
''ln your extensive practice you must
have had great experienced
Mr.. Lewis tmodestly}-"Some expert
ence, certainly, both Of marriage failure
and marriage successes.
"You have been concerned in many
divorce cases down to your recent Dixie
aud Crawford and Lady Colin Campbell
cases, which seem TO prove the attirma-
tive"
Eyes, perhaps several hundred that
went to trial and many more which were
adjusted"
"Then you have happily illustrated
the phrase Componere lites"
"Happily, yes. ! always prefer to nr-
range martial troubles which threaten
the court rooms"
"Then perhaps you can answer the
question: How about your legal ex-
perience as to whether marriage is u
iailure%
"rhe failures arc in great minority.
These naturally make noise and attract
attention, while marital peace and hap
piness, being unobtrusive, does not be-
come statistical"
"The recent newspaper discussion
evolved another question, whether the
divorce laws should be amended or cx-
tended by Parliament to meet the
hNrdships OF many marriage lnJuriesY
81 fully on record us to that in
quiry in M article written at the request
OF Mr.. Escott, when he conducted the
F0rinightiy Reric,r. Your question was
debated thirty years ago, when the di-
yorce act OF PalmGrston's Government
WAS passing. Since then decisions in
our Divorce Court have tried and fur
rOwed the features OF not n few OF our
English homes. Many injustices have
operated, notably on women, and class
amendments must inevitably be intro
duced. Particularly the position OF
women under the divorce law should be
assimilated TO that OF man. l have in
my artiClewritten thus:
divorce Mt present is n perquisite OF
the man. The law empowers the man,
however, monstrous his martial conduct
may have been, to turn his wife into the
street and separate her from every inter
course with her children or leave her to
strive in the workhouse il q moment Of
weakness she iorgets her marriage VOWS
but woman, who has been subjected to
her husbands open and continual adul-
terry even under the conjugal roof, is I'M
able to obtain divorce, only separation,
unless he has been guilty of cruelty or
two years desertion, as well as adultery.
Our act in this respect displays blind
ignorance OF domestic tragedies, 1t is
drawn in n spirit Of male Grudyism,
with the selfish object OF ministering TO
mans worst jealousies withoueattempt-
ing to give woman equal claim over the
fidelity OF her husband. l believe the
time is not far distant when women will
raise IN effective cutlery against the
abuse OF the present system"
Practically, what is your remedy for
the mischief2'
"In addition to their present rights
women ought to be entitled to n divorce
for cruelty endangering life or two years
and upwards desertion without reason
able cause, for the adultery OF the hus-
band, committed in her home or else,
where, IL under disgraceful or aggravating
circumstances, and for the conviction
and sentence'ofthe husband to five years
or upward penal servitude for crime"
"What about insanity?"
"IfinCuFablefor two years there should
be divorce for either party"
The interview WIS closed by Mr.,
Lewis turning to the consideration Of
another Parliamentary job, huge papers
as to which were labeled IN re Parnell-
Times Commission, in which matter he
| is to conduct the Home Rules side.
MONTAGUE WILLIAMS VIEWS.
There are not half a dozen in Great
Britain who could give sounder opin-
ions on the subject as to whether mar
riage is n failure than Montague Will
Hams Ha hold the most extensive