of the husband as in that of the wife? Oh, no!
When _he_ marries again, he still retains his identity and power
to act; but _she_ becomes merged once more into a mere nonentity;
and therefore the first husband must rob her to prevent the
second from doing so! Make the laws regulating property between
husband and wife, equal for both, and all these difficulties
would be removed.

According to a late act, the wife has a right to the property she
brings at marriage, or receives in any way after marriage. Here
is some provision for the favored few; but for the laboring many,
there is none. The mass of the people commence life with no other
capital than the union of heads, hearts, and hands. To the
benefit of this best of capital, the wife has no right. If they
are unsuccessful in married life, who suffers more the bitter
consequences of poverty than the wife? But if successful, she can
not call a dollar her own. The husband may will away every dollar
of the personal property, and leave her destitute and penniless,
and she has no redress by law. And even where real estate is left
she receives but a life-interest in a third part of it, and at
her death, she can not leave it to any one belonging to her: it
falls back even to the remotest of his relatives. This is law,
but where is the justice of it? Well might we say that laws were
made to prevent, not to promote, the ends of justice.

In case of separation, why should the children be taken from the
protecting care of the mother? Who has a better right to them
than she? How much do fathers generally do toward bringing them
up? When he comes home from business, and the child is in good
humor and handsome trim, he takes the little darling on his knee
and plays with it. But when the wife, with the care of the whole
household on her shoulders, with little or no help, is not able
to put them in the best order, how much does he do for them? Oh,
no! Fathers like to have children good natured, well-behaved, and
comfortable, but how to put them in that desirable condition is
out of their philosophy. Children always depend more on the
tender, watchful care of the mother, than of the father. Whether
from nature, habit, or both, the mother is much more capable of
administering to their health and comfort than t