Page:The case for women's suffrage.djvu/95

 bound, however, to follow him wherever he goes, if he so desire.

One consequence of a wife becoming on marriage legally one with her husband was that her property became his. He enjoyed all the rents and profits of her freehold lands during their joint lives, though if he died first she resumed the enjoyment thereof, and if she died first he had only a life interest in her lands, and they afterwards passed to her heirs. The rents and profits of his wife's leasehold lands were also enjoyed by the husband, and he could during her lifetime sell or give away such lands, even against her will. They were absolutely his if he survived her, although if he died first without having disposed of them they became her own once more. Personal property became absolutely and unconditionally the husband's.

The Married Women's Property Act, 1883, enables a married woman to acquire, hold, and dispose of property, both real and personal, as though she were unmarried. She is also empowered to enter into contracts and made liable for her debts.

Before this change in the law, the only way of safeguarding the pecuniary interests of a woman and her children against the possible avarice or improvidence of the husband was a marriage settlement. By this means the wife's property could be settled upon herself and provision made for the children to be born of the marriage. As a further protection, a restraint on anticipation was often introduced which prevented the wife from disposing of her settled property or anticipating the income thereof.