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Show PARTON'S MARRIAGE. j Mr. James Pitrtcn has filed the fol-i lowing petition for a special act legal- izinj; hi-s marriafi with his ptcp-dauUtrr, ptcp-dauUtrr, Ellen Willis EMreil-e, wliieli certainly goes to show Unit Liis new relation wftis taken not only with tiie warm approval of friends, but in ; the contidence that it wna strictly legal. And with it is tiled a "supple-' nientary pe'ition" by Newburyport : citizens: "The petition of Janice Parton and Ellen I Eidrt'dge I'hrton to tb honorable sen-j ftto and hoiio of representatives of tho coQimonwoattli of ii ujaucbasotts: "Tbe attention of your honorable .'bodies is most rosprct fully solicited to I the following statement of facts: On tho 3d of February. 1S7G, at Newbury New-bury port, in Massachusetts, a marriage mar-riage was celebrated between James Parton ani Ellen Willis E'drcdge, both residents of Xewburyport. All the requirenicnU of law, bo far as known to either ol them, or to tbe witnesses of tho coreoiony, were com plied with. That ia to say, a license was procured; tho ceremony was performed per-formed by a clergyman resident iu the town, several witnesses were pres cat, and the usual notice was inserted in tho Newburyport Herald of the next morning. All was done openly, and, eo far as we theu knew or have since ascertained, with tbe warm approval ap-proval ol all who are acquainted with the circumstances of our case. We lived together in our new relation for two days. Towards the close of tbe second day our attention was called to an ancient statute ol the state ol Massachusetts prohibiting marriages between a man and bis wife's daughter, daugh-ter, which was the relation subsisting between us. Neither of us had the least knowledgo or suspicion of the existence of such a bar to our union. Such marriages, we now learn, are lawful in eighteen states of the Union, one of which ia New York, where both of us, until recently, have lived from childhood. If any one, not a lawyer, had suggested to us the possibility possi-bility of the marriage being unlawful, we should have scarcely deemed the tint for n-r-irlhv rxf i n vmf i mi fi nn af completely were we possessed of the idea that all prohibitions of that nature na-ture were unknown to the laws ol the United States. It appears to be tbe essential principle of American institutions insti-tutions that where there is no natural right there shall be no loal right, and where there is no natural wrong there shall be no legal wrong, and i where there is no natural impediment there shall be.no legal impediment. In our former relation, there had been no savor of parental or filial feeling. United for some years past in an interesting in-teresting and 6acred charge, our fortunes for-tunes not unequal, the disparity in our ages neither extreme nor unusual, un-usual, members of the eime household, house-hold, our marriage did but complete and sanctify a tie. which was already i-trong and confidential in an unusual degree. 'Stunned by the discovery of the illegality of our marriage, we immediately imme-diately resumed ouf former relation, and no longer lived under the same, roof. After due inquiry and deliberation, delibera-tion, reviewing all accessible decisions decis-ions and legislation bearing upon the subject, acting upon the advice of eminent counsel, both of Massachusetts Massachu-setts and New York, and being exceedingly ex-ceedingly desirous of obtaining a sanction of law for a marriage which could not be annulled, we repared to tbe state of New York, where we were married a second time, on the 10th of February, with all the forms required by the laws of that state. We did not leave the state of Massachusetts for the purpoue ol evudiny auy iaw of Massachusetts, but to comply with the most necessary and fundamental of all laws, which is that marriage shall have a legal sanction. We are assured by learned counsel that we are now lawfully married everywhere in the world except perhaps in the state of Massachusetts. The duuU is concerning our legal condition here, where it ia of vital imjxjrtance to ua, wheie we live, and esteem it a privilege privi-lege to live. The weight of opinion, as we are advised, is that our marriage mar-riage is valid in this state also, and that we may live here in peace and honor. But, if it please your honorable honora-ble bodies, it 13 necessary for the dignity dig-nity and comfort of our liven, as well as for the interest of virtue and good order, that this doubt should be removed. re-moved. We therefore must respectfully respect-fully ask the passage of a special act legalizing the marriage contracted in rsewourypon, us uuute uieuuuueu, on the Ud of February, 1S70. "We aro aware of the manifold evils and inconveniences resulting from special legislation, and one ol us has inveighed against it, both public and privately, with all the force of which he is capable. And if we were asking tbe legislature of Massachusetts Massachu-setts to pass an act enabling us to marry, we should stand condemned by the utterances here rtferred to, and still more by public opinion, which ia justly adverse to legislation designed for the exclusive benefit of individuals. But here is a marriage most innocently contracted in violation viola-tion of an unknown law, ivhich marriage mar-riage is so complete that nothing can now undo it. Wo feel, and are advised, ad-vised, that only a special act of tho general court can completely set us right with a commonwealth held by us both in love and veneration. "All of which is most respectfully submitted, "James Parton. "Km. en Eldiiedge Parton. "Newburyport, Feb. 11, 187C." A supplementary petition, in aid of tho appeal above given, rends as follows: fol-lows: "Tho undersigned, inhabitants o! Newburyport, cognizant of the petition peti-tion ol James Parton and Ellen; Kldredgo Parlon, dated February 14, 1S70, asking the legalization ol a marriage mar-riage contracted by them February 3, 1S7G, in violation of a i-tatuto unknown un-known to either of them, and believing believ-ing that tho interests nl virtue nnd good order will bo promoted by the granting of the petition, respectfully pray that it be granted. II. F. Atkinson, Atkin-son, mayor; Samuel M, Emory, D. D. ; Joseph JJ. Morse, Joseph May, late paBtor lirHt religious society of Newburyport; S J. Spalding, Spald-ing, D. D. pastor ef Whitelield church: George II, Miner, pastor ol Baptist church; Albert Currier, ex-mayor; ex-mayor; Henry M. OrnH, William II. Huse, Newburyport H-rald; Nathan Noyes Withinplon, Newburypnrt IJcrald; Randolph Campbell, pastor of Fourth religious society; Amos Nuvcs; K, P. llurd, M. D. ; Edward 3. Moscley, president of tho Mechanics' Mechan-ics' national bunk; William II. Swa-scy; Swa-scy; Daniel P. Pil'-o, pastor of Central Cen-tral church; Jonathan Cole; Richard Stone, E. K. Hills, Enoch Crons, M. D. ; W. W. Caldwell; Geo. J. L. Colby, Mcrrimno Valley Visitor, Leonard Whitington, J). D.; senior paslor ol the First church of Newbury; Benjamin Ben-jamin C. Currier; Charli s C. D.uno, collector of internal revenue; Mosod Pettingill ; Kiehard Plunwucr, post-mailer; post-mailer; Isnac P. Noj'ch; Win. Craves, ex-mayor; Isaac 11. Hoard man, cx-mayor; cx-mayor; George W. Jaekman, jr., ex-mayor; ex-mayor; Wnrrcn Currier, ex mayor;; Francis A Howo, M. D.; Wm. Ashby;; K. H. Thompcnn. principal of the High school; Wills W. Newell," jr., t pastor ol First Presbyterian :btireh;' E. It. Seymour, pastor of North Lon-grational Lon-grational churcli; Robert Couch, tx-mayor." |
