June 10. 1824
Parental Control in Marriage — Marriage of Cousins — Difference of Character
Up to twenty-one, I hold a father to have power over his children as to marriage; after that age, authority and influence only. Show me one couple unhappy merely on account of their limited circumstances, and I will show you ten that are wretched from other causes.
If the matter were quite open, I should incline to disapprove the intermarriage of first cousins; but the church has decided otherwise on the authority of Augustine, and that seems enough upon such a point.
You may depend upon it, that a slight contrast of character is very material to happiness in marriage.