The herald., 1893-11-22
LUCY STONES WEDDING.
| The Joint Protest Against Marriage Laws
She and Her Husband signed.

She and Her Husband Signed.
Among the events of note in the life Of
Lucy Stone not the least memorable was
her marriage and the protest against the
existing marriage laws which was drawn
up and signed by her and her hus-
band. The ceremony was performed by
Colonel Higginson of Cambridge, then
Rev. Thomas Wentworth Higginson of
Worcester.
The protest was published in the
Worcester Spy and the Boston Traveller
that the world Of 1855 might know the
stand that had been taken. The follow
ing is Mr.. Higginson's letter to The Spy:
1t was my privilege TO celebrate May day by
officiating at a wedding in farmhouse among
the hills of West Brookfleld. The bridegroom
Is man of tried worth, a leader In the anti
slavery movement, and the bride is ono whogc
fair name is known throughout the nation-one
whose rare intellectual qualities are excelled
by the private beauty of her heart and life.
Inever perform the marriage ceremony with
out a renewed sense of the iniquity of our pres
ent system of laws In respect to marriage u
system by which "man aud wife are one, and.
that one is the husband" IL wns with my
hearty concurrence, therefore, that the follow
ing protest read and signed as u part Of
the nuptial ceremony, and send 1t to you that
Here is the protest as drawn Jointly by
Lucy Stone and II. B. Blackwell and
subscribed to once more by the bereaved
husband at the funeral:
While acknowledging our mutual affection
by publicly assuming the relationship of hus-
band and wife, yet. in justice to ourselves and
q great principle. we deem it our duty TO de-
clare that this act on our part implies no sanc-
tion of nor promise of voluntary obedience to
such of the present laws of marriage as refuse ?
to recognize the wifo as an Independent, ra-
tional being, while they confer upon tho hus-
band an injurious and unnatural superiority.
investing him with legal powers which no hon
orable man would exercise and which no man
should possess. We protest especially against
the laws which give the husbands: n ~
The custody of the wife's person.
The exclusive control and guardianship Of
their children. +aa
The sole ownership of her personal property
and use of her real estate, unless previously
settled upon her or placed in the hand OF trus-
tees, as in tho case of minors, idiots and luna
tics.
The absolute right to the product of her ~
dustry.
= Also against laws which give to tho wild
over so much larger and more permanentlan
interest in the property OF his deceased wife
than they give to the widow in that of her de-
ceased husband.
y,
''the legal existence of the wife is suspenCesi
during marriage" so that in most states ne
neither has legal part in the choice of hei
residence, nor can she make a will, nor sue g,
be sued in her own name, nor inherit prop
erty. "a
We believe that personal independence and i-
equal human rights can never be forfeited cx-
cept for crime; that marriage should be ai
equal and pcrmanS<x partnership and so rcd
ognized by law: that until 1t Is SO recogni Is
married pSrtners should provide against e,
radical injustice of present laws by ev,
means in their power.
We believe that whcro domestic difficulties
arise no appeal should be made to legal t:l
bunals under existing laws, but that all diri-
culties should bo submitted to the equitable
adjustment of arbitrators mutually chosen.
Thus. reverencing law, we enter our protest
against rules and customs which are unworthy
of the name, since they violate Justice. the e.
sence of law. HENRY B. BLACKWELL
Lucy STONE.
West Brookield, Mass, May /. 1855.