The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-12-03

THIN AIGHr TO CAAsTIsE.
A very novel and interesting point
has been raised by m action in which
daughter sues her father for some
thing like $4,000 for assault. She seems
to have caused him much trouble. and
finally ran away from home. After an
sbssaee of several months she began
the action either to be revenged on
AisA or to compel him to give her .
large sum Of money.
1t is admitted by him that he chas-
tized her. although she was over
twAnty-ope years Of age. and 1t 10 also
aAniatsd that although he had ehas-
tised her two or three times since she
was grown up he was an afrsctionate
and indulgent father. The law vosld
be very reluctant to interfere in such
. case in criminal proceeding were
the child under age. and. of course. NO
civil action could be maintained. The,
novelty Mes IN the fact that the child
had more than attained It's majority.
Tho defense was that the child" had
been Maynard and disobedient, and
that the assault was nothing more than
such punishment as would be justi-
liable before the law had she been q
minor. Her retort Is that she was not
liable to punfzhv,cnt. because she was
an adult. and therefore no longer under
parental control. To this the father re-
Joins that since shs had continued to
enjoy all the advantages Of the relation
OF child to parent she had continued to
anhject herself to the discipline of that
relation. The jury took his view Of the
case. ana giving verdict in his favor
practically decided that. although a
daughter might be twenty five years Of
age as she was. she was amsnable to
the discipline Of the home whose COM
forts she was willing to avail herself of.
There u Q certain logic in this. AL
Though parents have control over a
minor child. her marriage terminates
that authority because she leaves the
domicile and enters upon a new rela-
tiOn In life. 1t seems but reasonable
that where either son or daughter ac-
cepts the hospitality of the home, be-
cause Of the relation Of son or daugh-
ter, either should be willing to conform
to the Wishes Of and respect the will of
those who willingly consent to continue
the burden Incident to the maintenance
Of hom- and to continue the anxiety
involved In the care of the fnexperi-
enced where there is a genuine parental
affection.
This is the ancient law. Among the
Jews either son or daughter had the
choice OF remaining at home or going
away, but If they elected to stay they
had to abide by the old relation. Among
the ancient Romans this was carried
to a greater extreme. The parental
power was either instituted by or at
least confirmed by Romulus himseS.
and 1t was finally inscribed on the table
of the Decemvirs. In the forum, the
senate or the camp the adult son of a
Roman citizen enjoyed the public and
private rights of person. but in his
fathers house he was a mere thing"
to use the only other available phrase.
The severity of Spartan parents is pro-
verbal, and knight, in his history Of
England, tells of the rigor with which
children were trained even so late as
the sixteenth century. Both Milton and
Lady Jane Grey testify to the strict as
cipline Of their respective periods.
In one of the cases usually referred
to for precedent it was laid down that
"a father is entitled to the obedience
of his child while living with and main
tanned by him." How that right is to
Be enforced the decision in the case JUST
reeited seems to indicate.
Yet. in spite Of the decisions of courts.