The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1901-09-13


mutss the parents were third cousins.
Altogether there we're 81 mute chill
dren Of parents closely related.
OF the 400 deaf mutes 1913 had deaf |
parents, an many OF these deaf pa
rents are no doubt the offspring OF the |
intermarrlage OF cousins.
Among these 400 pupils SO mar
riages have occurred and there have
been born to them 10 children, SO Of
whom can hear and p are mutes. In
19 Of the marriages there we're no chill
dren born. Now, after one, two or
three mutes have been born in sue
cession to parents, 1t would seem a
sin, II not a crime, for them to have
more. The law should prohibit it. But
II this cannot be done after marriage,
the remedy for the future Is to pro-
hibit the intermarriage Of cousins
yes, and second cousins. To be born
deaf or blind is a sin against the child,
and to have it supported by the state
is a drain upon the treasury that might
be avoided.
But being deaf or blind is not all
the evil that follows these incestuous
marriages. If the children are not
deaf or blind they are generally under
some physical disability. They are
consumptives or epileptics or idiotlc,
and pass through life and leave no
sign. Fortunately most of such mar
riages result in no progeny.
ooh, we'll" some say, "the Levitt
ca. law did not prohibit it," No, 1t
did not, and 1 reckon that Cain mar.
ried his sister. We know that Abra-
ham married his half sister, and no
doubt that is why no children were
born to them except one by grace in
their old age.
But it is said that the Roman laws
and the laws Of England permit such
marriages. Yes, the Roman law did
until Pope Alexander II stopped It and
prohibited first, second and third cous-
ms from intermarrying. The laws OF
England permitted such marriages be-
cause the kings and the nobility want.
ed to keep the crown and the titles
and their estates in their families
And so our American people, who have
patterned after English law and pre-
cedent for more tnan a hundred years,
have been reluctant to make any
change in this regard.
But the question is now coming to
the front and the time is coming for
a change 1t seems now to be an Nes-
tablished and universal rule that
these marriages entail upon the Off
spring evil consequences, bodily or
mentally, or both. The evil effect of
what is called breeding in" among
animals leads to the conclusion that
it is an universal law. Good stock,
blooded stock, is not perpetuated IN
that way. Heard conceited man de-
clare that he was descended from the
CAROLS, Of Carrollton, in old Mary
land. Suppose he did. That was six
generations back and would give him
sixty-four ancestral fathers and moth
ers, and hence he had only one sixty
fourth part of old Charles CAROLS
blood in his veins. know a lady who
boasts that her father could trace his
lineage back to Cromwell. That was
eighteen generations back, and would
give him $4,000 ancestors-not much
of Cromwell's blood in her. 1t is as,
tonishing how rapidly the ancestral
tree widens. Two generations back
gives a man only four greatgrand
fathers and grandmothers, but twenty
generations gives him over a million
Just think Of it, young man, and quit
Dragging about your ancestors, fol
there are over million different
strains of blood in your veins, and nc
doubt some of it is bad-very bad. MY
wifes grandfather was Holt and his
grandfather was Randolph, and his
grandfather was a Peyton and his was
Lord ROlfe, who married Pocahontas
That was ten generations back, anC
gives my wife 1,024 ancestors ant
therefore she has 1,1,024th part O.
Poky's blood in her veins Mighty
slim strain it seems to me-not mucl
Injun about her. One day ventureC
to ask her about the other 1923 partI
: that did not come from Poky and sh,
never said anything, but looked at m,
, in peculiar tone of voice that re
minded me it was none of my bust
ness. But I honor noble ancestry
used to think that maybe descend
[ ed from Captain John Smith, but Oh
Investigation round that he was nev