Butifshebeblameless:
andif,contumaciousandresentful,sheharshlyrefusesto\"condone\";if,withblindself-willandarrogance,shehastheindecenthardihoodtoresist,andcomplain。IfshewailandworryforJUSTICE,andtalkofthemotherwholoved——thefatherwhosheltered——thebrotherwhowillprotecther,——andinsistonbeing\"separated\"fromyouandyourmistress,——then,mypoorfriend,Ifearwemustdosomething;butwewilldoaslittleaspossible:wewillgiveherwhat,inpointoffact,youhavealreadygivenher,\"theWoman\'sDivorce\";——leavetoremainALONE。Alone——marriedtoyourname。Nevertoknowtheprotectionofthisnominalhusband——northejoysoffamily——northeevery-daycompanionshipofarealhome。Nevertofeelorshowpreferenceforanyfriendnotofherownsex;thoughtempted,perhaps,byafeelingnoblerthanpassion;gratitudeforgenerouspity,thathaslightenedthePage58
drearydays。Tobeslandered,tormented,insulted;tofindtheworld,andtheworld\'slaw,astheLordChancellortrulyobserves,utterlyindifferenttoherwrongsorherhusband\'ssin;andthroughallthistoleadachaste,unspotted,patient,cheerfullife;withoutanger,withoutbitterness;andwithmeekrespectforthoseEnglishedictswhich,withaperverseparodyonScripture,pronouncethat\"itisnotgoodforMANtobealone,\"——butextremelygoodforwoman。Hardthatahusbandshouldnotdivorceanadulterouswife!Hardthatheshouldnotforma\"purerconnection!\"
Hardthoughhehasacareerandoccupationoutofhisownhome,thatasecondchanceofdomestichappinessshouldnotagaingreethim!——Butnottheleasthardthathisweakerpartner,elevated,accordingtoMrGladstone,toanequalitywithhim,sincetheChristianadvent,——she,whoifshehasnotahomehasnothing——shouldbeleftstrandedandwreckedonthebarrensands,atthefootoftheworld\'simpassiveandimpassablerocks。
\"Oh!sheoughttohavecondoned:
sheoughttohavebeenquiet:herfriendsoughttohavehusheditallup。\"——Perhaps。
Butthereisoneothercontingency:thereisthecontingencythatPage59
thewomanmaysay:\"WouldIhadbeenindeedasinneranddivorced,ratherthanlivethislifeoftorment,injustice,andmockery!\"Wildwords:terriblesinfulwords:aretheynot?Abad,shockingwomantosayso;nothingofthesaintandmartyrinhercomposition。ButalsoabadlawIthink。Abad,wickedlaw,whichmakesitutterlyindifferentwhethershecanorcannotclaimtobeaninnocentwoman:andwhetherherhusbandisorisnotabadworthlessman。
Eitherletmenrenouncetheprivilegeofdivorce,andtheassertionthatmarriageisadissolublecontract,——orallowtheweakerpartythatrefugefromintolerablewrong,whichtheyclaimasamatterofnecessityforthemselves。TheEcclesiasticallaw,whichdeniesthedissolubilityofmarriages,isintelligible,thoughnotsointelligiblehow,thatbeingthecase,ecclesiasticsre-marrypersonsdivorcedbyparliament。AndtheScotchlaw,whichreversestheecclesiasticallaw,andmakesmarriagedissolubleforbothsexesandallclasses,isintelligible。
ButtheLordChancellor\'sBill,whichdeniestothepoorwhatitgivestotherich——andgrantstothehusbandwhatitrefusestothewife——isnotintelligibleofanyprincipleofjustice。
Page60
Indenyingwomentheequalclaim,whicheventheEcclesiasticalCourtsadmit,asfarastheyadmitanydivorce,LordCranworthassertshimselftobewiserthanLordEldon,——wiserthanLordThurlow,——andwiserwhichisverypossiblethanLordRosslyn;forthosethreedeceasedChancellors,ononeandthesameoccasion,agreedthattheprincipleonwhichsuchclaimoughttobeadmittedwassimplythis:wheretherewasanimpossibilityofreconciliation。
Itistruethattheparticularcaseonwhichthatdebatetookplace,wasacaseofincest。ItwasthefirstinstanceofadivorcebillpassedinEnglandonthepetitionofthewife;intheyear1801;inthecaseofMrAddison,whohadlivedwiththesisterofhiswife。ButthegeneralargumentwasnotlimitedtothatonecrimebyLordThurlow;andifithadbeen,whatnewconfusionistoarise,ifthebillnowpending,forMarriagewithaDeceasedWife\'sSister,shouldbecomelaw?IsLordCranworth\'sexceptionnolongertodeservethatdistinction?Orisittoremainincestifcombinedwithadultery;andceasetobeincestwhencombinedwithmarriage?Whatistobetherule?
LordThurlowdidnotattempttoclassify,asLordCranworthhasdone,whatshouldbeheldPage61
tobeunendurablewrong;hesaidmerely,thathehadbeenexcitedbythebilltoexaminethewholesubjectofdivorce,andthathewasoftheopiniontheremedywasnotconfinedtothehusband。Thattheprincipleshouldbe,——theimpossibilityofreconciliation。Hesaid,——\"Whydoyougranttothehusbandadivorcefortheadulteryofthewife?Becauseheoughtnottoforgive;andseparationisinevitable。Wherethewifecannotforgive,——andseparationisinevitablebyreasonofthecrimeofthehusband,——thewifeisentitledtothelikeremedy。Whyshouldshebecondemned,forHIScrime,tospendtherestofherdaysintheunheard-of-situation,ofbeingneithervirgin,wife,norwidow?\"
ThespeechofLordThurlowconvertedLordEldon;theprinciplewasadmittedbyall;andtheBillofDivorcewasgrantedtothecomplainingwife。
Itisimpossiblepreviouslytodefinealimitforunendurablewrong,thoughitbepossibletojudgeacasewhenheard。BytheScotchlaw,desertionisheldtobeasufficientcause;byseveralofthecountrieswhichfollowtheoldRomanlaw,causesofpersonaldisgustordislike;thismaybeerringonthecontraryside,andgivingtoogreatfacilityfordivorce;butonPage62
noprincipleofcommonsensecanitbefitthatthereshouldexistcasesofwronginwhichthelawcannotjudge,forthatsetsalimittothepossibilityofjustice。
Solongasahusbandisnotguiltyofincest,——awife,accordingtoLordsCranworthandCampbell,hasnothingtocomplainofwhichshemightnot\"condone。\"YetGodknowsitseemsdifficulttoimaginewhatshadeoftorment,insult,orinjury,couldbeaddedtowhathasbeenenduredinmyowncase。Ihavelearnedthelawrespectingwomen,piece-meal,bysufferingfromeveryoneofitsdefectsofprotection。Imarriedveryyoung,andmymarriagewasanunhappyone。Myfamilyinterferedearnestlyandfrequentlyinmybehalf:andasforme,Iforgaveandresented——resentedandforgave——tillatlengthI
leftmyhusband\'sformysister\'shouse。Hewrotethen,adjuringmetopardonhim;beseechingme,byallthatwasholy,\"nottocrushhim,\"but\"totrusttohim,\"toreturn!Hesaidhe\"knelttomeforpardon\"!
Hewrotetomyfamilyintheextremestandmostexaggeratedtermsofsubmission。
HesaidhewasgladPage63
theyhadavengedmeandscornedhim,andhevowedtotreatmekindlyforthefuture。Tomylastinginjury,——evennowIwillnotwrite,tomylastingregret,——I\"condoned。\"IknewIwasnotmyselffaultless;Iwasdeeplytouchedbyhisimploringphrases;andIreturnedtothehomeandthehusbandIhadabjured。Myfamily,however,didnotchoosetoresumetermsofintimacywithhim;andhequarrelledwithmeonthataccount。Iinsistedonmyrighttotakemychildrentomybrother\'shouse,thoughmybrotherwouldnotreceivehim。ThosechildrenwerekidnappedwhileIwaswithmysister,andsentbymyhusbandtoawomanwhohassincelefthimmoney,andofwhomheknewIhadtheworstopinion。
Atthattimethelawwas,andIthankGodIbelieveIwasgreatlyinstrumentalinchangingthatlaw,thatamanmighttakechildrenfromthemotheratanyage,andwithoutanyfaultoroffenceonherpart。Therehadbeenaninstanceinwhichthehusbandseizedandcarriedawayasucklinginfant,ashiswifesatenursingitinherownmother\'shouse。Another,inwhichthehusbandbeinghimselfinprisonfordebt,gavehiswife\'slegitimatechildtothewomanhecohabitedwith。AthirdinwhichthepartiesPage64
wereofhighrank,wherethehusbanddesertedhiswife;claimedthebabebornafterhisdesertionhavingalreadyhisotherchildren;
andlefthertolearnitsdeathfromthenewspapers!Afourth,inwhichthehusbandlivingwithamistress,andtravellingwithherunderhiswife\'sname,thelatterappealedforaseparationtotheEcclesiasticalCourt;
andtheadulteroushusband,torevengehimself,claimedfromherhisthreeinfantgirls。Inallthesecases,andinallothercases,theclaimofthefatherwasheldtobeindisputable。Therewasnolawthentohelpthemother,asthereisnolawnowtohelpthewife。Theblamelessnessofthemothersignifiednothinginthosedays,astheblamelessnessofthewifesignifiesnothinginthispresentday。Thefatherpossessedpreciselytherightthehusbandstillpossesses——namely,todoexactlywhathepleased。
MrNorton,then,tookmylittlechildrenagedtwo,four,andsixyears;
andItracedthemtothehouseofthatvilewoman,whothreatenedtogiveme\"tothepolice\"whenIwentthereandclaimedthem。
Itwasnottillsixweeksafterthestealingofmychildren,——afteralong,angrycorrespondence——andafterhavingattemptedtoconditionthat\"ifmyfamilywouldretractallthathadbeensaidPage65
againsthim,hewouldretractallhehadsaidagainstme\"——thatMrNortontookhighergroundthanhisrealcauseofanger,——andappearedbeforetheworldinthecharacterof\"aninjuredhusband。\"HebroughtanactionagainstLordMelbourne;whowasinnowayconnectedwithourquarrel;
whohadbeenamostkindfriendtous;andwithwhom,thelasttimeIhadeverseenhiminmyhome,——myhusbandwasonthebestpossibleterms,endeavouringtoprocurefromhimaloanofmoney!Theinfamousopportunityaffordedtounscrupulousmen,intheEnglish\"ActionforDamages\"whichLordStLeonard\'shaslatelytermeda\"disgracetothecountry\"——\"astigmaonthelawofEngland,\"——\"anactionwhichshocksone\'ssenseofwhatisright\"
wassuggestedasatemptationandabait。LordMelbournedeclaredthat,sofarasMrNortonwasconcerned,hebelievedtheactiontobebroughtentirelyasameansofobtainingmoney。And,astothepersonswhowereknowntohaveinstigatedtheproceedings,heconsidereditwasapoliticalplotonthepartofasmallsectionoftheTories,toruinhimasPrimeMinister。AndIknowthatinthisopinionyourMajesty\'sUncle,KingWilliamIV。,entirelyconcurred。
Page66
LordMelbourneneverforamomentsupposedMrNortonwasreallyjealousofhim;butscornfullywrotetomethus,——ofmyhusband,——\"YououghttoknowhimbetterthanIdo,andmustdoso。ButyouseemtometobehardlyawarewhataGNOMEheis。Inmyopinionhehassomehoworothermadethiswholemattersubservienttohispecuniaryinterest。\"
IdonotknowwhatpecuniaryadvantageconsentingtobringthelosttrialobtainedforMrNorton:thoughifhehadwonit,certainlythe\"damages\"wouldhavebeenexcessive;LordMelbournebeingrepresentedbyMrNorton\'scounsel,asaprofligateoldgrandee,whohadcomeintothishappyhome,toseducetheyouthfulandbelovedmotherofMrNorton\'sthreeinfantchildren。Idonotknow,Isay,whatbasebargainmayhavebeenmadeaboutit,asLordMelbourneconjecturedtherewas;butthisIbelieve,thatbutfortheschemetooustLordMelbourneasaMinister,andthefeasibilityofanactionfor\"damages,\"thisquarrelwithmyhusbandmighthavebeenarranged——asotherdisputeshadbeen,equallybitter。
Atthetrial,itwasprovedthatthewitnessesforthe\"injuredhusband\"hadreceivedmoney,Page67
andhadactuallyresidedtillthetimeofthetrialatthecountry-seatofLordGrantley,MrNorton\'selderbrother。Thejurylistenedwithincredulityanddisgusttotheevidence;andwithoutrequiringtohearasinglewitnessforLordMelbourne,orleavingthejury-box,theyinstantlygavetheirverdictagainstMrNorton:averdictwhichwasreceivedwithcheerswhichthejudgecouldnotsuppress:sovehementwastheexpressionofpubliccontemptandindignation。
MrDavidLeahythusdescribedthefeelingofthetime:——\"Alltheworld——whatevertheirpoliticsmaybe,orwhatevertheiropinionsaboutthediscretionofthebehaviourofalloreitherofthethreeprincipalparties——mustacknowledgethatthethreeprincipalwitnesseswereperjuredandsuborned。Ihavespokenwithalmosteverypersonpresent,andthereexistsaperfectunanimityuponthispoint。\"
Afterthetrialwasover,MrNortonnotifiedtomethatmyfamilymightsupportme,orthatImightwriteformybread;andthatmychildrenwerebylawathissoledisposal。
Andhere,again,MONEYwashisavowedmotive;forhefirstaffirmedthattheresidenceoftheseinfantswithmemightmakehimliableforthedebtsofmyhousehold;andthen,thatPage68
\"others\"onwhomhehimselfdepended,wouldnotpermithimtosendbackhischildren,asitwouldappeartojustifyme,andsoprovethetrialamockery。
Hisowncounsel,SirJohnBayley,gavethisaccountinapublishedletterlastyear:——\"IfoundMrsNortonanxiousonlyononepoint,andnearlybroken-heartedaboutit;namely,therestorationofherchildren。Shetreatedherpecuniaryaffairsasamatterofperfectindifference,andleftmetoarrangethemwithMrNortonasIthoughtfit。Ifoundherhusband,onthecontrary,anxiousONLYaboutthepecuniaryarrangement,andsoobviouslymakingtheloveofthemotherforheroffspringameansofbarterandbargain,thatIwrotetohimIcouldbe\'nopartytoanyarrangementwhichmadeMoneythepriceofMrsNorton\'sfairandhonourableaccesstoherchildren。\'Ifoundthetakingawayofthosechildrenhadbeentherealgroundofquarrel,andthatnotonlyMrNortonthrewtheblameofthesubsequenttrialonhisadvisors,anddeclaredthatthetrialwasbrought\'againsthisjudgment,\'
butthatoneofhisangriestgroundsofcomplaintagainsthiswifewas,thatshehadsaidshe\'neverwouldreturntohim;\'……Ifound,underMrNorton\'sownhandwriting,Page69
confessionsofthegrossestpersonalviolencetowardshiswife……
MrNortonadmittedtomehisfirmbeliefofhiswife\'sinnocenceofthechargehehadbroughtagainstherandLordMelbourne……Iconsiderthereneverwasamoredeeply-injuredwoman,andthathisconducttohercertainlyhadbeenmarkedby\'thegrossestcruelty,injustice,andinconsistency,\'
thateveranymandisplayed。\"
Oneofmychildrenwasafterwardskilled,forwantofthecommonestcareamotherwouldhavegiventoherhousehold。MrNortonallowedthischildtolieillaweekbeforehesenttotellmehewasdying;and,whenIarrived,Ifoundthepoorlittlecreaturealreadyinhiscoffin。
Whenitwasnotacaseofdeath,Iwasnotallowedtohearatall。Once,whentheywereill,Iwrotetoasknewsofthem;andmyownletterwasrefoldedandsentbacktome。
Thathusband,whosepetitionforpardonhadtouchedmesoeasily,neverpitiedme。WhatIsufferedrespectingthosechildren,Godknows,andHeonly:whatIendured,andyetlivedpast,——ofpain,exasperation,helplessness,anddespair,undertheevillawwhichsufferedanyman,forvengeanceorforinterest,totakebabychildrenfromthemother,Ishallnoteventrytoexplain。Page70
Ibelievemenhavenomorenotionofwhatthatanguishis,thantheblindhaveofcolours;andIblessGodthatatleastminewasoneofthecaseswhichcalledattentiontothestateofthelawasitthenexisted。
AftertheactionagainstLordMelbourneinwhich,accordingtothepreposterousEnglishcode,I
couldhavenopersonaldefence,noranymeansofshowinghowIhadbeentreatedasawife:IconsultedcounselwhetherIcouldnotnowdivorcemyhusband:whetheradivorce\"byreasonofcruelty\"mightnotbepleadedforme;andIlaidbeforemylawyersthemanyinstancesofviolence,injustice,andill-usage,ofwhichthetrialwasbutthecrowningexample。IwasthentoldthatnodivorceIcouldobtainwouldbreakmymarriage;thatIcouldnotpleadcrueltywhichIhadforgiven;
thatbyreturningtoMr。NortonIhad\"condoned\"allIcomplainedof。IwasanENGLISHWIFE,andformetherewasnopossibilityofredress。Theanswerwasalwaysthesame。TheLAW\"HaveInoremedy?\"——\"NoremedyinLAW。TheLAWcandonothingforyou:yourcaseisoneofsingular,ofincrediblehardship;butthereisnopossiblewayinwhichtheLAWcouldassistyou。\"ItriedtheEdinburghlawyers。
Iin-Page71
quirediftheycouldnotprovemymarriageaScotchone,allMrNorton\'spropertybeinginScotland,hisfatheraScotchBaronofExchequer,andhismotherofaScotchfamily,——butwithoutsuccess。
Whenthewomandied,towhommychildrenhadbeensent,MrNortonproposedtometo\"forgive\"thepublictrial,andreturntohimshowinghowmuchhehadbelieveditsaccusations。Ireceivedfromhimamostextraordinarynote,sayingthatheconsideredourdifferences\"capableofadjustment,\"andhopedIwouldmeethimalone,inanemptyhouse,No。1,Berkeley-street,wherehewouldwaitforme。Ireceivedthiscommunicationwithdoubtanddistrust。
Themeasuresadoptedtowardsme,intheefforttogetridofme,hadbeensostrange,thatIwasafraidtomeetmyhusband\"alone,inanemptyhouse。\"ButIagreed,onhispetition,tocometohisownhouse。Hethenbesoughtmeoncemore\"toforgetthepast\"andreturnhome。Helaidtheblameofallthathadhappened,onhisfriendsandadvisers;saidthetrialwasagainsthiswillandjudgment,andthathelonged\"totakemetohisheartagain。\"Hesentnotesalmostdailytomyhouse。Thoselettersbegan,\"MyCarry,\"\"MydearCarry,\"Page72
andweresigned\"Yoursaffectionately。\"Twooftheminallusiontomyfearofmeetinghimboretheplayfulsignatureof\"GREENACRE,\"——thenameofamanwhohadbeenrecentlyhung,forenticingawomantohishousebypromisingmarriage,andthenmurderingandcuttingherintopieces。
Thisplannedreconciliationdidnottakeplace。MrNorton\'ssisterinformedhimthatIdidnotintend\"honestly\"toreturntohim。ThatisthatIdidnotintendtoremaininmyhome。ThatIwouldgobackforatriumph;formyreputationandmychildren;butnottostay。Renewedbitterdisputestookplace,andmychildrenweredeliveredovertohissister。
ItcostMrNortonnothing,toreverttothehypocriticalpretencehehadadoptedintheactionofdamages。He,whohadjustwrittenthosecoaxingletterssignedGreenacre,——whohadjustbeggedhiswifeto\"meethiminanemptyhouse,\"andtrytoarrangesoastooutwitthosewhohadbeenhis\"advisers,\"——leapednimblyupagaintothepedestalfromwhichhehaddescended,andresumedtheattitudeofan\"injuredhusband。\"Actually,thenextstepaftertheGREENACREletters,wastoadvertisemeintheEnglishnewspapers;MrNortonbeing,IPage73
believe,theonlymanofhisownrankinlifewhoeverresortedtothatmeasure。
WhenIsawthiswonderfulinsultgazettedbythehusbandwhohadjustbeenwooingmyreturn:——\"Whereason30thMarch,1830,mywife,CarolineElizabethSarah,leftme,herfamily,andhome,andhathfromthenceforthcontinuedtoliveseparateandapartfromme,\"&;c。,——IagaininquiredifIhad\"noremedy?\"None。Onlymybrother\'ssolicitorsweredirectedtopublishacounteradvertisement,declaringthewholeofwhatMrNortonhadstatedwasfalse。
Afterwards,SirJohnBayleyMrNorton\'sowncounselsubmittedhisletterstoLordWynfordwhohadbeenMrNorton\'sguardian。LordWynfordexpressedhimselfinthestrongestandmostcontemptuoustermswithrespecttohisformerward;andfinally——fortheexpresspurposeofbeingshowntoMrNorton——hewrotethefollowingnotetheoriginalofwhichisinmypossession——
\"MyDearBayley,\"Ihavebeenthinkingofthecorrespondenceyoureadtomethismorning。IamconvincedthatGeorgeNortoncanhavenodefencePage74
totheactions,andthathisdefendingthemwillbeattendedWITH
LOSSOFCHARACTER,aswellasgreatexpense。Heshouldagreetothearrangementthatyoupropose,oranyotherthatcanbemade。IwillwritetoGrantleytotellhimthatIhaveadvisedasettlementonANYterms。\"
\"Faithfullyyours,\"WYNFORD。\"
MrNortonhadgivenhispledgedwordinwriting,tohiscounselandreferee,toabidebyanydecisionhemightcometo。Hebrokehisword,refusedtoabidebyhiswrittenpledge,andactuallyhadtheeffronterytocomplainofhisletters\"havingbeenshewn\"!TowhichSirJohnBayleybluntlyreplied,thatifhewasdoingwhatwasrightandhonestbyme,\"itwasastonishingheshouldsodreaditsbeingknown。\"
Atlength,afterIhadremainedfortwoyearswithoutafarthingofsupportfrommyhusband;dependentonmyfamily;oneofmycreditorsbroughtanactionagainstMrNorton;
whooncemoreundertook——beingtheaggressor——topretendtobetheaggrieved。
OncemoreI,also,struggledtoprove,undertheblessedEnglishlaw,whatweretherealfactsofthecase。MyPage75
husbandhimselfhaspublished,thereasonofmynon-success。HereareMrNorton\'sprintedwords:——\"LordAbinger,whotriedthecause,uponasuggestionofmycounsel\"SirFitzroyKelly,\"thatSirJohnBayleyhadbeenmyadvocateandreferee,REFUSEDTOHEARHISEVIDENCE。\"