The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-08-25

have occurred and tnere nave Deen DoTH
to them 10 children, SO of whom can hear
and 81 are mutes. In 10 of the marriages
there were no children born. Now, after
one, two or three muteS have been born
in succession to parents. 1t would seem
a sin, if not 4 crime. for them TO have
more. The law should prohibit 1T. But
| if this cannot be done after marriage,
the remedy for the future is to prohibit
the intermarriage of cousins-yes, and
second cousins. To be born deaf or blind
is 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 mar
riages. If the children are not deaf or
blind they are generally under some phys
zeal disability. They are consumptives or
epileptics or idiotic. and pass through
life and leave no sign. Fortunately most
Of such marriages result in no progeny
ooh WE'LL some say, tthe Levitical
law did not prohibit it. No, it did not
and l reckon that Cain married his SIS
ter. We know that Abraham 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 mar
rages. Yes, the Roman law did until
Pope Alexander III stopped it and pro-
hibited first, second and third cousins
from intermarryfng. TIL laws of Eng
land permitted such marriages because
the kings and the nobility wanted to keep
the crown and the titles and their estates
in their families. And so cur American
people, who have patterned after English
law and precedent for more than hun
dred years. have been reluctant to make
any change in this regard.
But the question is now coming to
front, and the time is coming for a
change. 1t seems now to be an estab-
lished and universal rule that these mar
riages entail upon the offspring evil con-
sequences. bodily or mentally. or both.
The evil effect of what is called breed
ing in" among animals leads to the con-
! clusion that it is an universal law. Good
stock, blooded stock, is not perpetuated in
that way. Heard a deceted man declare
that he was descended from the Carrolls
of Carrollton, in old Maryland. Suppose
he did. That was six generations back,
and would give him sixty -four ancestral
ldlHeIS anu HiOtHeTS, anu HeHcc he Hstd
only one sixtyfourth part of old Charles
CAROLS blood in his veins. i know a
lady who boasts that her father could
trace his lineage back to Cromwell. That
was eighteen generations back. and
would give him 512, 600 ancestors-not
much of Cromwell's blood in her. 1t is
astonishing how rapidly the ancestral
tree widens. Two generations back gives
man only four great grandfathers and
grandmothers, but twenty generations
gives him over million. Just think of
it, young man, and quit Dragging about
your ancestors, for there are over a mill
lion different strains of blood in your
veins, and no doubt some of it is bad
very bad. My wifes grandfather was
Holt and his grandfather was a RAN
dolph and his grandfather was a Pey-
Pocahontas. That was ten generations
back, and gives my wife 1,O24 ancestors,
and therefore, she has IL, O24th part of
Pokys blood in her veins. Mighty slim
strain it seems to me-not much Tniun
about her. One day | ventured to ask
about the other 1,023 parts that did not
come from Poky and she never said any
thing, bat looked at me in a peculiar tone
OF voice that reminded me it was none
CT my business. But / honor noble an
cestry. | used to think that maybe de-
scended from Capt. John Smith, but on
investigation found that he never was
married and had no children to speak of
BILL ARP