The St. Louis Republic., 1902-07-20
MARRIAGE LAWS FROM
A NEW POINT OF VIEW.
BY Elizabeth Cady Stanton.

he has the remedy in his own hands, out
an humble petition protest or prayer Is all
that woman can claim.
The contract Of marriage Is by no means
equal. From Coke down to Kent who can
cite one law under the marriage contract
where woman has the advantage2 The law
permits the girl To marry at Il years of
age. while 1t requires several years more
Of experience on the part OF the boy.
In entering this compact the man gives
up nothing that he before possessed; he Is
a man still. while the legal existence of
woman Is suspended during marriage and
IS known but in and through the husband.
Blackstone SAYS: The husband and wife
are one. and that one IS the husband"
Kent saws: The legal effects OF marriage
are generally deducible from the principle
OF common law. by which the husband and
wife are regarded as one person. and her
legal existence and authority lost or sus-
pended during the continuance Of the mat
rimOniIl union"
The wife is regarded by all legal authori-
ties as a femme covert placed whciiy
''sub potestate viri."
Woman. as woman. has nothing to ask
OF our legislators but the right Of suffrage
u = only in marriage that she must de-
m3Ed her rights 10 person. children. prop
crty. wages, life. liberty and the pursuit OK
happiness. All the special statutes OF which
we cump!aiE-all the barbarities Of the law
fall or her as vile and mother.
We have not Yet Outi!ved the old feudal
idea. the right CT property in woman The
term marriage expresses the nature OF the
relation In which man alone IS recognized
IL comes from the Latin ''narts. husband;
hence. as you look through the statutes
and old common law. you find constant
mention OF martial rigats.'
When Wife Can Sue.
Here and there. through the endless
labyrinth OF authorities, you will be rs-
frcshed with a bit OF beneyolence for the
WIFE IN the form OF protection" You
never hear OF ''uxor.al rights but always
OF the Widows DOVER" the widows In
cuELr4ncr.' the ''wtfe'S alimony.
AEe laws on divorce are quite as unsQuA
as those on marriage, yes, tar more 50. Inc
AGvaHI.g,s seem tU be all on one SIDE, the
penalties on the other.
IN case OF divorce. II the husband % tne
GuIIIy party. He sdI retains a greater part
OI Jne property.
II the vale Ue the guilty party. abe goes
oUJ OI the paTI4-el snip penniIeSS-
New lOIh s.Lu sUIne Otner states ne
VIE VI lne SuIiIy nU5Os-Hd can now sue Tor
q uIyOsge II. her own name anu the cosS
come OuI " the hUsUand esIaSer but In .
majority 0L the States sne Is stIII compeNsa
~ ste 4u .Ee l4Anlg VI aI4OInsE' As sne ns4
I.O IneaI.s u pdyIiS GOSSS, even tnousn les
I..sly 4..lsS OEU~s.4s s.aOusOnuS INTO tnS p&fI-
Iae laws are all the opinions Of men, and
on taSsr ale t.4r uunuaSUS Of women de-
pvECIns N.I4O L-UE deInaH0 n cuk
VoulIs 4SaedsS tTOlAI ourdensOne con-
llszSss.
IaIn.Iies. draSsv4 inIO Our pUUi!c courts
III.O assSIiIB44-s u men SAS4uSIsTtSG Inc
. Suuava men. the Jurors Al msn!
JTLS NOuIan - tASES tO snESlQ tnems
by nrr pErSCIIGU. lGOm gross ana lmpeft-
la IL qIe-,iOiiI.S-, ~ pity Ihslr InlstorI0nss,
Ur 49, RaOSSSI .-z44ilsN InS.r S4O14ss-
..SllI4.II4-eIA AI4Uu VI J1SSCe UepenGs lar more
"a t44S OpaII.OuS OI SllLGenI JurLsIS Inan Oh
iA" alO"e. IOr law IS po"eriess "nsn al
Variance NlIu pLDIIc sentiment.
rOs years InSTe mas Ueen before the leg
is.~-lIeS Vi the ulterenJ States SafIety
u UI'4s dskIng LOr dINOrcs IN cases Of drunk
v44nS-s. INSANITY, OSsSruOn ana cTueI and
OEdIdI trVatnsv.I,. enGanseEIns I4fe.
RespecT IOs herOic Women.
Ny aItSlsS.Cn Vas SaIIvU To TINS question:
Ve.y essr.y az las, by me suIieflnss 0f =
IEsssiI - ny SlIInoOu-A NiGliLa u one OK
IHUse unIuT tuuaIs unions, cdI4su Marriage
W iIsJ IIy sIsdt 1--we Tor JnaI yVung gIrt
anu Ia! EV.y ntuiIiOnS taen decided 10 be
TIsnI nas L.Ct OS~-4 SnaAs Sd Dy years "
S--YSrieuS<. observation SIII reason
nave ponG>rsd veal Insse thIngs In my
aIi ina LAS OSeu .srIIJSn on LhLs
subject. anu Tine mOsJ prUtUuLd respect Tor
shUse As.oIc women "ho. IN the face OF
Law ana pdoi4c selumenL, nave dared 70
sander 'nr uHnoiy Ties or = JOyIsss, lOVeless
union.
II II is a mere legal contract. then IL
lnaI he snOuiI treat this branch OF hls
IeslSlauoa NIIn the same common sense
That no applIeS TO all others
II marriage Is human institution, about
should De subject to the restraints and
privileges or ali other contracts.
\ contract To be valid in law must Be
formed between parties OF mature age, wits
an honest intention in SAID parties TO DO
what they agree. The least concealmcnt.
fraud or intention 20 deceive II proved an
nulS the contract
A boy cannot contract for an acre Of
land OF. a horse until he is q. but he may
contract Tor a wife at IL
II man sell horse and the purchaser
md n him great incompatibllIty Of tenn
per "A disposition to stand still. when the
ana void, the man and his horse part COM
fraud and deception are practiced, nor low
cruelty one or both parties have been nils
Ied: no matter how young or tnexperiencsd
or thouGhtless the parties. nor how UNEQUAL
their position In life. the contract cannot Be
annullCd.
One Husbands Hardness.
Think Of husband telling a young ana
trusting girl. but one short month his wife,
that he married for her money, that thoss
letters. 50 precious TO her, that she had
read read, and reread and kissed and cherished,
did home. OF which. on their wedding dav-
her rather gave TO him the deed, Is alrsa6y
give up the elegance and luxury that noV
slrryuhd her unless she can draw fresh
suPPlleS I,l2 OF money 10 meet their wants.
Nnen She told the story of her wronx. r.
me-the abuse to which she was slibieot
and the dread in which she liyed-I Irnnni
slEe.y urged her to fiy from such a monstsr
And villain as she would before the rot
o.ea'h OF feTocious beast OF tho wilder-
her. o "eu Win
Many times since. as have felt her throh-
o1us heart against my own. she has sajdt
On; out Tor your love and sympathy. yos,r
tordS OF encOui agement,I should never have
ssSaped from that bondage. Before I could
ot myself have found the courage 10 brsaE
IN the effort" SiOAEn
ieSEs nave passed since then but sverv
Dne OF them has only added to the stren1rb
u ~ Ely conviction that my impulsive adyica
MaS Flsht, and that /. IL asked should ad
.LsS any woman IN similar circumstances
Copyright. 1902. by the Hearst syndicata