‘Slaves of the Marriage Union’
By KATHRYN BURNS-HOWARD

Disunion follows the Civil War as it unfolded.


CIVIL WAR (US) (1861-65), ILLINOIS, SLAVERY, STANTON, ELIZABETH CADY, WOMEN’S RIGHTS
On June 18, 1863, a woman named Elizabeth Packard rode out of a state insane asylum in Jacksonville, Ill., perched on the interwoven arms of two men. Three years earlier, she had been confined under a state law that allowed husbands and fathers to commit their wives or children to the asylum, with little legal process. All they needed was the permission of the asylum superintendent.

Read more:   http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/06/19/slaves-of-the-marriage-union/?ref=opinion