The New Hampshire Gazette

Miscellany.

From the Nashville Republican.

PROCEEDING OF THE ANTI-MARRYING SOCIETY.

Declaration of Independence of the Young Men and Bachelors of Nashville, assembled at Celibacy Hall; read and unanimously adopted by the Society.

When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for the Bachelors of the community to dissolve the social bands that have hitherto connected them with the Fair Sex—and to assume in fashionable circles the single and unmarried station to which by the laws of reason they are entitled; a decent respect for the opinion of the married part of society compels them to declare the causes which urge them to secede from the empire of love, and to rally around the standard of their inherent freedom and natural independence.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created unmarried; that they are endowed by nature with the unalienable right of remaining in a state of single blessedness until they are disposed to encumber themselves with the appendage of a wife. That to secure this right, all Bachelors should be so firmly united in their common cause, as steadfastly to resist the multiplied and insidious attacks of the fair—the ancient enemy of man's native freedom.

Custom and the manners of the age would indeed dictate the propriety of that domestic relation which in all previous times has received the sanction of the world and the approbation of society.—But when a long series of Balls and Parties, of winning smiles and killing glances, pursuing invariably the same object, evinces a design to marry us against our will, it is our right, it is our duty to break the silken chains which "fancy weaves for love," and which the imagination teaches us so fondly and so familiarly to embrace; and to provide for our future safety and security in the "hall of celibacy"—the abode of freedom and the home of peace.

The history of the present race of ladies, in this place, is one of repeated encroachments upon the rights of Bachelors; tending directly to involve them in absolute despotism—to prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world.

They have refused their assent to offers of marriage the most wholesome and necessary for the interests of particular individuals—thereby manifesting a disposition to exercise the veto power; with which the unjust custom of society has clothed them to the direct injury of all single man.

They have refused their sanction to the marriage of others of the community, unless they would relinquish their right of choosing wives for themselves; a right inestimable to all young men, and formidable to match makers and old maids only.

They have called together large meetings of the sex at places where our attention would be directed to the beauty of their persons and the glitter of their dress for the sole purpose of exciting our imagination, and kindling into a flame the dying sparks of our love.

They have ridiculed and sneered at individuals repeatedly for opposing with manly firmness these encroachments upon the rights of unmarried men.

They have endeavored to increase the population of this state; for this purpose, procuring the Legislature to reduce the hitherto moderate tax upon marriage licenses.

They have kept among us a multitude of dandies to perform those services which men would be so proud to render.

They have affected to render the female independent and superior to the male portion of the community.

They have combined together to subject us to petticoat jurisdiction—a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution and repugnant to the laws of nature.

For taking into favor large bodies of dandies.
For protecting them by their smiles and influence from the just ridicule to which their breaches of decorum and good manners subjected them.
For forcing some of our acquaintances to marry against their will.
For carrying us to balls and parties, to be danced to death in order to retain their favor.
For interfering in many cases with the rights of husbands—exciting their mothers and sisters to resist their lawful lords and masters; and causing to be inflicted on many of our married friends, the horrid curtain-lecture, a species of punishment more formidable to husbands than the dungeons of the inquisition.
For suspending the free will of bachelors and declaring themselves invested with full powers to negotiate marriages in all cases whatsoever.
They have abdicated their authority over us to which we were so willing to submit by declaring us fit subjects for the attacks of all old maids and marriage seeking spinsters in the community.
They have constrained our fellow-men, taken captive by them, to war against their brethren.
For this purpose inciting them to dwell on the happiness of married life, which happiness it is well known is founded only on the assertion of hen-pecked husbands.
Against these attacks we have often petitioned for redress. Nor have we been wanting in our attention to the ladies. We have warned them from time to time that we would not wed against our wills and contrary to our better judgments. We have reminded them of our uniform gallantry and love. We have appealed to their native nobleness of soul and conjured them by the marriage ceremony to let us choose for ourselves, but they have been deaf to the voice of reason and of love. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity which urges us to this declaration: and hold them as we do the rest of womankind; enemies to our peace and quiet, and the industrious promoters of marriages and curtain lectures. We, therefore, the Young Men and Bachelors of Nashville, do ordain and publish this our Declaration of Independence, in support of which we mutually pledge our lives, and our rights to marry.

Signed on and behalf of the Anti-Marrying Society at Celibacy Hall, assembled the 30th January, 1835.

DICK MARRY-ALL, Pres't.
TOM COURT-ALL, Sec'y.