Jefferson County, Iowa The Fairfield Weekly Ledger

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Fairfield Journal
Fairfield, Jefferson County, Iowa
Transcribed by Sherry Bash

MARITAL INFELICITIES
  The fact that divorces, truant husbands and wives, and such like performances are on the increase in our land, is one that cannot truthfully be denied. It is also true that these infelicities are especially observable among the wealthy, who have ample time to give loose rein to forbidden desires, and to men and women who may be properly classed among the literary people of our land. Another thing is equally sure--let a sin, however repulsive in itself or injurious to morality, become notoriously common, and it finds its talented defenders among the class by which it is most indulged. And as a striking example of this, Mrs. H. B. STOWE puts the following into the mouth of one of the characters of her recent story :
  I grant that the rare, real marriage, that occurs one time in a hundred, is the true ideal state for man and woman, but it doesn't follow that all and everything that brings man and woman together in marriage is blessed, and I take the stand on St. Paul's doctrine that there are both men and women called to some higher state; now it seems to me that the number of these increase with the advancement of society. Marriage requires so close an intimacy that there must be perfect agreement and sympathy; the lower down in the scale of being one is, the fewer distinctive points there are of difference or agreement. It is easier for John and Patrick, and Bridget and Katy, to find comfortable sympathy and agreement than it is for those far up in the scale of life, where education has developed a thousand individual tastes and peculiarities."
  If freelovism of the most insidious kind, and marriage at will to be dissolved at pleasure, is not taught in the above, we cannot conceive what it does teach. And does it not furnish serious thoughts for the parents who are taking ‘pains to liberally educate their sons and daughters? Educated men and women cannot make happy or faithful husbands or wives, and hence our children should be raised in ignorance, is the argument. Such doctrine may be received among the spiritualists and so-called "liberals" of the East, but will find no place in the hearts of the christian people of the land.

MARRIAGES.
MOWRY--WRIGHT.--December 9, 1870, at the house of the bride's parents, in Polk township, by Rev. Benj. F. SNIDER, Mr. George MOWRY and Miss Eliza A. WRIGHT.

WIGGINS--ARMSTRONG.--Feb. 23, ‘71, at the house of the bride's parents, in Polk township, by Rev. Thos. MERRILL, Mr. William WIGGINS and Miss Mary ARMSTRONG.

PETTINGILL--STANSBURY.--Feb. 16, 1871, in Fairfield, by C. G. MILNES, Mr. George D PETTINGILL and Miss Mary J. STANSBURY.

MATTHEWS--SNOOK.--Feb. 7, 1871, at the house of the bride's parents, in Polk township, by Rev Edward McCARTNEY, Mr. Wm. J. MATTHEWS and Miss Elizabeth SNOOKS (sic).