Year: 1875

therefore, brought by awronged husband, an
action against her? For her condennati |?
Oh, no. sir! Consider how strong he was
Consider how weak she was! Consider how
submissive she was to his teachings, and
inns ginS-imsgine with what siDecions aud
insiduous tongue he conveyed to her the
theory of his plsns-that fornication was but
the nsturai expression of lovel He taught
hertc believe IN pious adulters and by steady
steps he led her along the howery path,
to the precrpice upon which she felll That
seducer Is brought into a court of justice to
answer fox his crimes. The husband
wroRgec, the seducer-guiltv, stand before
the immaculate justice of the law, and before
it each is to answer for the deeds done to
this woman. AID we are told, sir, accord
ing 70 the logic of my learned friend, that
this aged, and venerable, and gifted seducer
may take the witness stand and polish
and apologize for his guilt, and pre-
sent all the evidences of his learned in :
genCity, and that the husband must 1le STILL
silent. And that this is law! The law,
which is no respector of persons. Tie law,
which holds out even justice to all Ntigants
before it, and that the seSucer with all his
great powers - my learned friend subsi-
dies them to establish that administrati in
of justice and wrong. I say no, siri Be
fore your honor will admit any such con-
clusion; before you viii approve of any
such administration you must be driven
TO it by the force OF sn irresistible legal
logic. Thank Godl there is i'm nv be-
lief nosuch rule of law In the state. There
is no such justice in the policy of
legislation. The shame: the
disgrace, the destruction which this wife
suffers, and must suffer. starts earlier in the
history of this unfortunate transaction. 1t
is not the husband who reveals the wife's
dishonor-it is the seduceri Long before
this action was commenced the dark cloud
had eDshrouded this wife. This action was
not commenced until the WIFE,


STIMULATED RY HER sEpUcER.


had deserted the home of her husband. This
action was not commenced until this wife,
led by that seducer, appeared before his
CHOSEN tribunal and vented her spleen and
indignation against this husband. Long be-
tore this action was commenced this shadow
had fallen over that household, and the
happy and honored home was distracted and
severed. The argument does not apply
here. sir. The epithet is not ap-
propriste TO the action or this case;
it Is not appropriate to any action, be-
cause, assert, it is an invariable truth that
the dishonor and ruin which follows the
path ofthe seducer commences long before
the husband is apprised of his own dis
honor. 1t comes in aliensted love, IL comes
in inevitable discord and contention, 1t
comes at last in the clear revelation to the
distracted heart of the husband of his wife's
seduction and dishonor. Whatever NAV be





add one jot or little to the agony, shame or
remorse of that wife. "But this is a suit
for money, STRIP My client is rep
resented as spreading over the reputation
and honor of his wife, in a greedy chase
after the gold OF the defendant. Why, sir,
don't the counsel know better-if not his
sssociate-and your honor know better?
How long ago was it that in this case, and
before your honor, the proffer was made TO
abandon this case for damages, il my learned
friends would bnt press forward their in
dictment for libel in asserting the adultery
OF the defendant with his wife? Theodore
TiltOn seeks no damages from the defendant:
he would not stain and burn his palm with
his gold; but he seeks, sir, vindication. The
Sin of the defendant has followed him with
destructive efficacy. TIE defendant has
gathered around him the comments and
condemnation OF society; his fortunes have
been Frustrated, those consequences which
always follow in the path of guilt, espe-
cially of this sin, have clung to him with
iron tenacity. 1t Is for no money; it is for
no redress. If the wroDged husband and
the violated home. does the law afford no
Why, sir. it is, think, shame,
believe differ with my learned
colleague in that respect, but / think IL a
burning shame to the law OF this state and
every other state where that law is wanting,
that the seducer may


NOT BE PURSUED AS A CRIMINAL,


or that RIGHTEOUSNESS of this character is not
punished by the heaviest Judgment of the
law, as it was condemned and punished by
that infallible law which knows no terror.
But no remedy is giveni What must Theo-
dore Tilton DO, Esust he suffer the arrows
and slings OF society, and see the seducer
and fionrisbing, and glorying
in his impuriiy, the happiest man in
all this room? ISensation.1 Does the law
afford no redress? None adequate, sir, and
the only resource lett to my client, given
him by the law, was this action. If he had
taken that other remedy. condemned by the !
law of the state, but sanctioned by the COM
mon law OF bumanity-that which reaches |
The heart and lite of the seducer-and had
he done that, sir, instead of standing before
your honor in his appeal for vindication and |
and in danger of the gibhet.