LordAbingerrefusedtheevidencewhichLordWynfordhadwarnedLordGrantleywouldbefatal:theevidenceofwhichLordWynfordhadsaid,thatifitshouldevercomeout,itwouldbeattended\"withlossofcharacter\"forMrNorton。
Itwassuppressed:andbecauseitwassuppressedthecasewasdecidedforMrNortoninsteadofagainsthim,asLordWynfordhadwarnedhimmusthappen。
Afterthis,MrNortonproposedoncemoretohave\"referees。\"HenamedSirF。Thesiger,whoseopinionI
giveinhisownwords:——\"TheaccommodationproposedbyNortonisoneinwhichyouaretogivewayuponeverysubject,andheisnottorecedeuponone;anditseemstometoberidiculoustotalkofconciliationuponsuchafooting……ItisimpossiblenottobestruckwiththevacillatingandvexatiouscoursewhichNortonhaspursued;excitinghopesonlytodisappointthem,andmakingpromisesapparentlyfortheopportunityofbreakingthem。\"
Page76
Whyshouldtherebenotribunalofcontroloverthese\"vacillating\"husbands,whorefusetoabidebywrittenpledges,andmakepromises\"fortheopportunityofbreakingthem\"?Whyistheabsurdfictionof\"non-existence\",tobekeptupinlaw,wheninfact,twoalienatedpartiesexist,withadverseinterests,strugglingandantagonistic?
Oneoftheepisodesofmy\"non-existence\"inlaw,atthistime,consistedinmyhavingtoendurealibelofimmoderatelengthandbitterness,inthe\"BritishandForeignQuarterlyReview。\"Ihadmadelittlestruggleaboutothermatters。IhadyieldedtoLordMelbourne\'searnestrequestthat,whilehewasminister,Iwouldnotpublishmyownaccountofthecasebetweenhimandmyhusband。
Butresolutely,passionately,andtillthefinalhourofsuccess,Istruggledagainstthelawwhichenabledanotherwomantotakemychildren。
Inthecourseofthatstruggle,Iwrotetwopamphlets:one,\"OntheSeparationofMotherandChild;\"theother,\"APlainLettertotheChancellor,byPierceStevenson,Esq。\"ThereviewinquestionattributedtomeapaperIdidnotwrite,andneversaw;\"OntheGrievancesofWoman;\"andboldlysettingmyname,intheindex,asPage77
theauthor,——proceeded,inlanguagestrangerabidandvirulent,toabusethewriter;callinghera\"SHE-DEVIL\"anda\"SHE-BEAST。\"
Nolessthanonehundredandforty-twopagesweredevotedtothenominaltaskofopposingtheInfantCustodyBill,andinrealitytoabusingme。
Notbeingtheauthorofthepapercriticised,IrequestedmysolicitortoprosecutetheReviewasalibel。Heinformedmethatbeingamarriedwoman,Icouldnotprosecuteofmyself;thatmyhusbandmustprosecute:
myhusband——whohadassailedmewitheverylibelinhispower!Therecouldbenoprosecution:andIwaslefttostudythegrotesqueanomalyinlawofhavingmydefensemadenecessary,——andmadeimpossible,——bythesameperson。
\"Oh!but,\"——saythosewhohavenotstudiedandsufferedunderthelaw,asIhave,——\"inreturnforallthis,thehusbandisresponsibleforhiswife\'sdebts:thatweallknow!\"Doyou?Iwillshewthatnotonlyheisnotresponsibleforhiswife\'sdebtstoothers——butheisnotresponsibleforhisowncovenanteddebtstoher。Heis,asIhavesaid,legallyresponsiblefornothing,butthatsheshallnotcomeupontheparish。
In1848,myhusbandrequiredreadymoneyPage78
toimprovetheestatelefthimbythewomantowhommychildrenwereatfirsttaken。
Inordertoraisethismoneyonthetrust-fundsofourmarriagesettlements,mysignaturewasnecessary。
Toobtainmysignature,Mr。Nortondrewupacontract。Hedictatedthetermsofthecontracthimself;vehementlyurgeditscompletion;andreproachedmysolicitorforthedelay,distrust,andreluctance,whichIshewedbeforeIsignedit。Idideventuallysignit;andsodidMr。Norton;andso,also,asIhavealreadystated,didtheHon。EdmundPhippsmarriedtothewidowoftheHon。CharlesNorton,myhusband\'syoungerbrother。
Theeffectofmysignaturewas,thatMr。Nortonimmediatelyraisedtheloanfromourtrust-fund,toemployonhisestate。Theeffectofhissignature,andthesignaturesoftheMarquisofNormanby\'sbrother,andthesolicitorwhodrewitup,wasabsolutelynil。
In1851,mymotherdied。
Sheleftmethroughmybrother,toguarditfrommyhusbandasmallannuity,asanadditiontomyincome。Mr。Nortonfirstendeavouredtoclaimherlegacy,andthenbalancedthefirstpaymentunderherwill,byarbitrarilystoppingmyallowance。Iinsistedthattheallowancewassecured,Page79
byhisownsignature,andthoseothersignatures,toaformaldeed。Hedefiedmetoproveit,——\"as,bylaw,manandwifewereone,andcouldnotcontractwitheachother;andthedeedwasthereforegoodfornothing。\"
IconfessIthoughtthefearofexposurewouldpreventhisdisputingthecontract;Ithought,——thistimeatleast,thememorablewordsofLordWynford,——\"GeorgeNortoncanhavenodefencetotheactions,andhisdefendingthemwillbeattendedwithlossofcharacter,\"mustoperateasacheckuponsounfair,somonstrousanact,asavailinghimselfofthelegalfictionofmy\"non-existence,\"
toescapefromawrittenbond,whichanyonenothiswifemighthaveprosecutedupon。
Iwasmistaken。NotonlyMrNortonheldbythequibblethatmanandwifecouldnotcontractwitheachother;notonlyhedidthis,——buthehadthebaseandcruelhypocrisytooncemoredragforwardLordMelbourne\'sname,inordertomakethatseemmyshameandmydisgrace,whichwasinfacthisshameandhisdisgrace;andtopretendwrong,whereheknewhehadbeenthewronger。Oncemore,forthesakeofmoney,——asintheactionfor\"damages,\"——heendeavouredtocovermewithopprobrium!Creepingbacktohisoldplace;scramblinguponthemoss-Page80
coveredandforsakenpedestalof\"theinjuredhusband\";hemetthemotherofhisgrown-upsons,withtheaccusationshehadadmittedtobeafalsehoodintheirchildhood:bruisingthoseboyishheartswithforgottenslanders,firstraised,andfirstretracted,whentheeldestwasbutsixyearsold!
Hemetmeinpersoninthelawcourt;heinstructedhislawyer,inmyverypresence,whatquestionstoaskmethatcouldinsultmemost:andwhenthatgentlemanafterwardsapologisedforthetoneofthosequestions,heassertedthatMrNorton\'sinstructionswentbeyondwhathehadevenventuredtoask!
HeaffectedOgrossaffectation!
tobehurt,as\"aninjuredhusband,\"atmyacceptinganyassistanceinmoneyfromLordMelbourne\'ssisterorfamilyafterhisdecease;andaffirmedthathehadmadeconditionswithmeaboutit。WhenIcontradictedthisonoath,——disprovedit,andcommentedontheshamefulpretencebywhich,inadisputeaboutmymother\'swill,hereviveddiscussionsaboutLordMelbourne,——seeingthathehimselfretainedonethousanda-yearfromLordMelbourne\'spatronage,——steadilypreservingTHATmemoryofpastfavors,eventhroughalltherevilingofhisdeadpatron,——Page81
MrNortonprintedthewonderfulfalsehood,thatLordMelbournehadgivenhimtheplaceheheld,\"beforeheknewMrsNorton!\"Theridiculeofthis——eveniftrue——mighthavestruckanyone;thisnewwayofdividingtheledger;thisabhorrenceofaman\"becauseoftheseductionofmywife\"——butsatisfactionintheplaceobtainedfromhim,becauseitwas\"beforetheseductionofmywife。\"ButIproveditnottobetrue,byLordMelbourne\'sownletters。Itwasasheerinvention;andgivenwiththemostcarefuldetail。YetMrNorton,——convictedofitsbeingutterlyfalse,——contentedhimselfwithsaying,\"thematterhadhappenedsolongago,\"hemadean\"unintentionalmistake。\"Howmanymoreofhisslandersagainstthedeadandthelivingare\"unintentionalmistakes\"?
Iwillnotpauseoverthatquestion。Iwillnotpauseoverthestilldebateablepoint,whetherthatsignedpaper,evenifnotacontractwithme,maynotbeheldgoodasacontractwithmycreditors;——awrittenandstampedagreementwiththem,madebyamagistrateandabarrister;thesoleconditionannexedbeing,thatwhileitispaidtheyshallnotapplytohim。NorwillIenlargefurtherontheabuseandinsultwhichwasshoweredonmethatdayincourt,onlyforPage82
assertingajustclaim。INSULTisnotDEGRADATION:
Queenshavebeeninsulted,asIwas:andthefamoussummonsinHenryVIII。\'stime——\"Katherine!comeintocourt,\"——wasaboutasjustasthatwhichcalledmethere!Itisenoughtoknow,thatinthisdisputebetweentheexistenthusbandandthenon-existentwife,theexistenthusbandhadeveryadvantage。Thedeadfriendandpatronwasscurrilouslyabused,bythemanwhostillholdsplaceunderhisappointment。Thelivingbut\"non-existent\"
wife,waspubliclyinsulted,bythehusbandwhohadwrittenhertheGreenacreletters,andentreatedherreturnhomeonthepleathatshemight\"forgive\"
thetrial,sincehedisbelievedinitsaccusations!The\"existent\"husbandsubpoenaedmybankers;compelledthemtoproducetheirbooks,andsenthisattorneytomakeextractsattheirbank,ofallsumsenteredinmyprivateaccount。Healsosubpoenaedmypublishers;tocompelthemtodeclarewhatwerethecopyrightstheyheldofme,andwhatsumstheyhadpaidme:
for,amazingtosay,thecopyrightsofmyworksarehis,bylaw:
myverysoulandbrainsarenotmyown!And,whenallwasdone,thisgreatdictumwasimpresseduponmymemory;thatthecontractwasnil,becausethefictionofPage83
thelawis,that\"manandwifeareone,\"——andnottwocontractingparties;andMrNorton,therefore,wasnotbound\"inlaw,\"only\"inhonour。\"
Iamnotnowdiscussingthis,withanyreferencetohimindividually。Gone,——past——buriedinunutterablescorn,——arethedaysinwhichIappealed,eithertohim,orfromhim。Icomplain,——notoftheexistenthusband,butoftheexistentlaw:
andofthat\"nationofgallantgentlemen,\"whoscarcelycare,andscarcelyknow,whatistheexistinglawonsuchsubjects。
Afterthecreditor\'scasewasover,MrNortonenquired,theoldenquiry!——whetherIwould\"submittoreferees\"thepoint,whetherheought\"inhonour\"toabidebyhissignature;
andwhetherIwouldnamearefereeonmypart。Iansweredintheaffirmative:
andInamedasmyreferee,onewhomayfairlyclaimtoinspireasmuchconfidence,respect,anduniversalesteem,frommenofallranks,ages,orparties,asIthinkiteverwasthelotofanypersontoenjoy:——InamedtheMarquisofLansdowne。MrNortonproposedhisownbrother,LordGrantley;
whichnominationwasdeclined,asanimpossiblechoice——impossible,recollectingthePage84
circumstancesofthetrial,——theresidenceofthewitnesses,——andthenearnessofconnection。Nootherchoicewasproposed。MrNortoneitherfelt,ashemaytrulyfeel,thatnounprejudicedgentlemaninEngland,wouldsupporthiminhislegalquibble:——orhehadneverintendedtoproposeachoicewhichcouldbeaccepted,——whichismorethanprobable。
NowIwillprayyourMajesty\'sattentiontotheeffectofthisnon-existenceinlaw,ontheseveralpartiesinvolvedinthediscussionofthiscontract。
AndfirstIwilltakeMrNorton\'sposition。
Fromthedateofmymother\'sdeath,hehaswithheldentirely,andwithperfectimpunity,myincomeashiswife。Idonotreceive,andhavenotreceivedforthepastthreeyears,asinglefarthingfromhim。Heretains,andalwayshasretained,propertythatwasleftinmyhome-giftsmadetomebymyownfamilyonmymarriage,andtomymotherbyyourMajesty\'saunt,H。R。H。theDuchessofYork;——articlesboughtfrommyliteraryearnings,——bookswhichbelongedtoLordMelbourne;
and,Page85
inparticular,amanuscriptofwhichLordMelbournehimselfwastheauthor,whenaveryyoungman,whichMrNortonresolutelyrefusedtogiveup。
Hereceivesfrommytrusteestheinterestoftheportionbequeathedmebymyfather,whodiedinthepublicservice,holdinganofficialappointmentattheCapeofGoodHope,leavingafamilyofveryyoungorphans,slenderlyprovidedfor。Ifmyfatherlived,itistobepresumedthereisnomanhewouldseewithgreaterabhorrencethanMrNortonconsideringwhatthefateofhisdaughterhasbeen,yetsuchportionashewasabletoleaveme,goesfromthe\"non-existent\"wife,totheexistenthusband,inthegeneraltrust-fundofourmarriage。
IhavealsoasMrNortonimpressedonme,bysubpoenaingmypublishersthepowerofearning,byliterature,——whichfundthoughitbethegrantofHeaven,andnotthelegacyofearthisnomorelegallyminethanmyfamilyproperty。
Nowagain,Isay,isorisnotthisaridiculouslawiflawsbemadetoconducttojustice?I
cannotdivorcemyhusband,eitherforadultery,desertion,orcruelty;
Imustremainmarriedtohisname;hehas,inrightofthatfactofmyPage86
linktohisname,arighttoeverythingIhaveintheworld——andIhavenomoreclaimuponhim,thananyoneofyourMajesty\'sladiesinwaiting,whoareutterstrangerstohim!Ineverseehim:——Ihearofhimonlybyattacksonmyreputation:——andIdonotreceiveafarthingofsupportfromhim。Hisreply,byattorneydated10thofApril,thissession,toanysuchdemand——istobidthecreditor\"examinethewillofmymotherinDoctors\'Commons\"therebythrowingoffthemaskofpretencehewore,andstandingopenlyonhislegalirresponsibility:andwhenwefirstseparated,heofferedme,assoleprovision,asmallpensionpaidbyGovernmenttoeachofmyfather\'schildren;reckoningthatpensionashis!
Thatisthepositionofthehusband。
Thenextstartlingpoint,isthepositionofthetrades-peopleunderthis\"non-existent\"rule;andiftheopinionofpersonssohumblewerelikelytoreachyourMajesty,theycouldtellyouwhattheythinkofthelawwhichleavesthemutterlywithoutanyremedy。
Inthecreditor\'sactiontriedonMrNorton\'sPage87
contract,theplaintiffwasMrThrupp,oneofthecoachmakers\"byappointment\"toyourMajesty。MrThrupplosthiscauseasagainstMrNorton;andperhapstheuninitiatedimagineitwasmerelyaquestionwhichofusshouldpayhim;orpayanyothercreditor。Thosewhothinkso,aremistaken。Inconsequenceofthisruleofmy\"non-existence,\"MrThrupp,andthegroupofcreditors,canclaimpaymentfromnoone。Theycannotsuethe\"non-existent\"marriedwoman;thehusbandcannotcontractwiththe\"non-existent\"marriedwoman;andthe\"non-existent\"marriedwomancannotbecompelledtopay,ifsherefusestodischargethedebt。\"Oh!
butyouwillnotrefuse;youwillpay,surely,\"saythebystanders。
How?Myhusbandowesme#1,500,orthreeyears\'income。Ihavenomeansofraisingthislargesum;noonewouldlendmoneytoamarriedwoman;
shecangivenosecurity。Besides,Iamindebttomybankers:obstinatelydisbelievinginthepossibilityofthelaw\'sinjusticebeforeitwasprovedtome,Iborrowedfromthem,whenMrNortonstoppedmyallowance:
andthatloan,withinterest,isstillunpaid。Iamindebttomyprinters;
forworkarisingoutofthisveryinjustice。IhavepersonswhoreceivePage88
regularinstalmentseveryyear,onpastdues;Ihaveotheremploymentformymoney,thanmakingupMrNorton\'sdefalcations。
\"Oh!butyoushouldnothaveotheremployment:youshouldwriteandearnmoney,andpaythesepeople;
andtheneconomize,andretrench,soastogiveupthe#500ayeartoMrNorton。\"
Why?
Why,becauseIammarriedtoaname,——amItostriveandlabour,toenabletheownerofthatnametocommitadirectfraud?WhyamItopayMrNorton\'sdebts,torenounceallclaimonhim,andadmitthatmylegal\"non-existence\"madeoursigningthatcontractamerefarce?simplybecausehehasgrosslyandcruellyinsultedandslanderedme,inanopencourtofjustice,ongroundsheknewwerefalse;andwithadefenceabsolutelyfictitious?
IwouldnotifIcould!
IfallEnglandweretoagreetoraiseashillingsubscription,——orifsomeoneweretodowhatMrKennedyoftheWoodsandForestssayshasbeendoneforhim,——namely,comeforwardandsay,\"Ithinkthisbusinesssounjust,thatIwillsettleforlifetheincomeyoulose;nowpayyourpeople,\"——I
wouldnotadmitthatthemattershouldendso!Page89
IdonotconsiderthisasMYcause:thoughitisacauseofwhichunfortunatelyformeIamanillustration。Itisthecauseofallthewomen,andofalargeproportionofthetradespeople,inEngland。IfIwerepersonallysetateaseaboutitto-morrow,thatwouldnotalterthelaw。Thesameinjusticemighthappennextdaytosomewomanwhocouldnotstruggle,orearn,orwrite;forwhomnoonewouldcomeforward;andtosomepettytradesman,——notlikeMrThrupp,coachmakertoyourMajesty,inalargewayofbusiness,——butgrievouslyinjuredbythelossofevenasmallsum。Whatisneeded,isnotthearrangingofoneparticularcase,butaTribunalofControl,aTribunalforMarriageandDivorce;todecideALLsuchcases;——andtopreventthepossibilityoftheshametoEnglandandtoEnglishlaw,entailedbythrowingthesumsecuredbyamagistrate\'ssignature,thesignaturesoftwopeers\'brothers,andalawyer,——amongatradesman\'slistof\"baddebts。\"