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band slave to live apart from her. The slave of course has to support her all the same. (Morning Advertiser, 2nd June, 1896. Thames Police Court.)
(f) Impunity for Adultery.
The latest charter of women's privileges—the Act of 1895—enables a woman to commit adultery with impunity—provided she can allege her husband neglected her. As "neglect" usually means that she drove him to the public-house or to his club by overbearing violence and insolence, the present law means that if a woman has a fancy for adultery, all she need do is to pick a quarrel with her husband about anything she likes, then she can indulge in desertion and adultery with impunity, and claim the usual divorce and confiscation from a sympathising tribunal.
It is singular that the law on this very offence should be perpetually cited by women's righters as her chief grievance, next to the absence of the Parliamentary franchise—and as the standing illustration of the "cruel inequality and injustice as between the woman and the man" of the English law of divorce. If a woman, we are told, commits adultery, a man can obtain absolute divorce, but if a woman sues she must prove cruelty as well.
Now as to the earlier law, this was the rule, and something could be said to defend it. It is obvious that if a woman commits adultery she may introduce a bastard child to her husband's family, and saddle him with a pecuniary burden and them with an onerous relationship which it is unjust should be borne by them. If a husband has illicit relations, he does not bring home his bastard offspring. But since 1857 the secular court has practically abolished the discriminations. Let the wife prove illicit relations by the husband, and she has always had her divorce for the asking. The reason is simple. The Courts will hold, to oblige a wife, that
