The Sun.
London, England, 1856-04-24 00:00:00

LO'D;'IN. URSDAY EVEN APRIL '24 1856.

'Sp or ting Intelligence.

YORK SPRING MEETING.--TITESDAY.
(ADDITIONAL PARTICOLABS.)
The Zetland Stakea.-2-Betting—Even on Saunterer,
9 to 2 agst Nougat, ' 6 to 1 each agst Magnifier and
Madame Clicquot, 7 to 1 agst Blink Bunny.
The Londesborough Cup, value 100 -sous in specie,
added. to a Handicap Sweepstakes of 5 soya each ; the
second to receive 10 sows out of the stakes; certain
winners extra. One mile. 52 subs.
Mr. J. G. Henderson's, The Assayer, 5 yrs, 7st 21b
(Charlton) 1
Mr. Jackson's Panmure, 3 yrs, sst 51b (Bullock) 2
Mr. W; Robinson's Chika, 3 yrs, sst 31b (carried sst
51b) (Fordham) 3
Mr. William's Atherstone, 4 yrs, 6st 4th (Speigbt) 4
The following also ran :—Vindex, Bourgeois, Game-
keeper, Hesse Cassel, Berezina, Hanover, Kestrel, and
Squire Watt.
Betting-3 to 1 agst Ghika, sto 1 agat Vindex, 7to
1 each agst The Assayer and Bourgeois, 8 to 1 agat
Gamekeeper and Panmure.
A good race in, won by a neck ; the favourite, who
ran very "unkindly," finished two lengths behind-Pan-
mure; bad i,urth. Berezina, Hesse Cassel, Vindex,
G-amekeeper, and Squire Watt were next. Hanover,
Bourgeois, and Kestrel walked in.

The. Spring St. Leger of 10 sovs each, h ft, with 50
added, for 3.yr-olds - colts Bst 71b, and fillies 8.-st 3lb ;.
certain penalties and allowances. One mile and a half.
13 sub..
Mr. T. Parr's Fisherman, Bst 101 b (including 31b ex.)
(Wells) 1
Mr. R. Wilson's The Heir of Linne,
.Bst 121 b (includ-
ing sib extra) (G. Oates) 2
Mr. H. Robinson's Clarendon, Bit 41b (Harding) 0
a
Betting,..-EvettAu ,Fishermabi 5 to 4 agst The Heir
rirroC.
T. 9
Won by half a length. Clarendon was beaten off and
did not pass the post.

IVOMEA'S RIOfIT AND'GRIEVANCE S.

MEETING 01? WOMEN AT LEICESTER.
(From the Leicester Chronicle.)
A meeting of the women of Leicester was held in the
Town-hall on Monday evening, to advocate the rights
and protest against the grievances of women.
Mrs. WIGFIELD addressed the meeting, observing—l
wish to claim your attention. Wo are met here upon a
subject that disgraces the. latest annals of history, and
that is cruelty to women. There has been an idea in
the town that we hove meet here this evening to advo-
cate that cruel system of flagging. It never was our
intention to do so. There is now a bill in the house,
that comes on on the 17th, that declares if a man per-
sists in heating,-his wife, and it is clearly proved, he
shall have two months' imprisonment, and be whipped
the last week of his confinement ; the least term that
can be given him kiln is fourteen days, and be whipped
after be has been in two clear days. (A. voice—" Serve
him right.") Now, we are met to oppose this measure.
We have done it out of a charitable view ; as Christian
women we have met to oppose this measure. We did
not meet upon any such' thing as flogging.. (A voice—
" They deserve it.") I knew there are women suffering
from the brutality of men. (Voices—" lam one," lam
another," and " I'm another.") Tam only just stating
this, to tell you that men are not allowed by the Livia-,
iature to practise brutality npontheir wives as they have
done 'Now, if we were to sancti ,n this measure of whip-
ping we should go back toihe dark ages. This we do not
intend to do. We hope t live and see better days. He
that will knock doan his wifo is a brute and not a
man. (A voice': "He-ought to be knocked down him-
self)" Well, that would be " measure for measure," and
it is according to Sciirure. (Elear.){But. however, we
are not going back to the dark age's,. It gould be a sin-
gutarthi.ig to puiti:'—a way capital pusishineet—that
bauging, you know—aad bring back the ages of barba-
rity. (A. voice : "Wives can't live without.'') What we
have met for is to sanction a bill brought forward by
Er3kiee Perry, which is, that a man sbal n be able to
turn a woman into the st,eet. (acar.) That a ma.' shall
net be permitted to sell up a woman's hoine.—("That
will do.") We wish the brut s to know -what is in con-
templation against them.—(A. voice : "There are too
many brutes.'') We must have silence, if you please.
Attend to the subject of the meeting. I dare say you will
hear things that are lit,le though; of. We are met to
condemn allvvyn's, and support Er .I, ine Perry's Bi 1.
"A man is a man who av, uld cover a woman in distress,
and shelter ber in a storm,"as Burns says. I shall now
propose that Mrs. Woodford take the chair.
. _

Mrs. COCKAYNE.—Ladies of Leicester, I beg most cor-
dially to second that our friend, Mrs. Woodford, take

Some delay was occasioned by men showing their faces
at the door, which mused the woolen to rise and pro-
test against the men peeping in at their proceedings,
some ersyiog they hat no business to be there, and others
declaring that they did not care for them. Ultimately,
the intruding males were excluded, and the, door was
closed.

_ .
The CitAinWOMAN, in taking possession of the ohair of
the chief magistrate, saide—We have met here to consider
this bill about flogging, which I should not like to see.
I think there are better ways of doing it. I think a
little punishment in prison is better, and then keeping,
them from their- v.ives when they come out, and
keeping them from tolling up the r homes. That
wells grieve them a great deal mere than flogging
them ; but now, when they come out, they go home,
fetch a broker, sell up the things, and go to live with
another woman —(A. Voice.—" That is true")—and
many are three-parfs pined to death. There is a friend
of mine who told me that she knew a. woman who was
nearly naked, and had got either three or four children.
I met that, woman the other day going to take a tea-
kettle to—(A. voice ¢ " The. tornmy shop")—Mrs. Free-;
stone's, to get a loaf of bread for her poor children.
Her husband does not only pine her, but when he gets
6-d._heo gees he a ciok-shop and buys pork pie ; and
then he goes.arei gets his half-pint of ale, while the poor
woman is walking about the streets pot knowing what
to do 'for something to eat.' She has bean up to the
station-house to knew, what she" should do, and they
told her her husband must protect her. Nsw, if -my-
husband was to be such a brute, I should not advocate
flogging, for it will do no good ; but flogging will make
him a bigger brute. The system wo no bv advocate is a
better one. After apologising fur being so brief, in
consequence of illness, she cal-led upon
Mrs. WATTS, who moved the first resolution—" That
this'meeting heieby expresses its satisfaction at the im-
proved public opinion of the present,day in recognition
of the rights of women, and it cordially sympathises with
philanthropists and legislators iu their efforts to eman-
cipate arid -protect the women of England." You all
(said she) know what we suffer at times, as well as I do.
We are' all poor- women, and I hope this meeting will
prove satisfactory. It becomes us, as women, to behave ,
ourselves propery, as wed as the men ; and I hope this
meeting w.ll be for the benefit of all of us. "'This is the
intention of this meeting ; may it pr.ive so.
Mrs. COCKATNE seconded the resolution, and it was
carried, only one holding up a hand against it.
Mrs. WIGFIELD moved the next resolution : --" That
while this meeting fully appreciates the benevolent inten-
tions of the promoters of measures for putting a stop to
the numerous crying evils to which the women of Eng-
land are too often made subject, and would acquit those
of the charge of vindictiveness who seek to bring down
condign punishment. upon the hea Is' and backs of wife-
beaters, it cannot allow the bill now before Parliament
to pass, which provides fl egging for such offenders, with-
ant expressing its ()Osier& as to the irepolicy and inu-
tility of reviving barbaro 13 an I obsolete modes of pu-
nishment, , believing that- such a la.v would have the
effect of furhor bru alisieee and permanently degrading
those who came under its 'lash ; but would propose that
Parliament should no :v legislate in the direction of li-
miting the power of those who become amenable to the
present law, so that the offenders shalt not return from
prison to break up homes to the annoyance and persecu-
tion of wives and families; And this tneetiug 13 of opi-
nion that this limitation of power cams be best accom-
pOsesed by protecting the rights and-extending the powers
of married Women, as proposed by Sir Erskine Perry in
his motion. fer a rsvisher of the Marriage Laws, so that
women shall have a c menet , over their earnings and
their Lows, and refit be liable to have their share of the
inceme and of -the household - abused and misapplied
by unworthy and prold gate husbands." [A. woman
star ding at the do ;r was al.:pealed to to come in. Her
reply was "I sh ;'I should be sorry to disgrace my-
self ;" as,d she left, closing the doors] * ltfrs. Wigfieid
sod," if yin are not aware of what vstenen ace suffering
under, I shall endeavoui to show you in my weak, way.
I shall, do My beat to let you know how we are degraded,
and hew reran is exalted, as he thinks. ,A man is not
a man that does not act the part of a man. (A Voice—
" Well do-se.") A man is not a man that -will ever
swear, take God's name in vain before his family, and
ill-use his wife by beating her and using. bad words to
her. This is nothing contrary to Scripture.- A man
that to be a man will set his children an example;
se that they will respect him in his old age. That is the
character of a man ; but, say you, there are few such
men. (A. Visee—" You are right.") .We are sorry to
say it is so. Remember, lam not so atrong, nerved as a
man six feet high. There is man in many (Efferent
characters. I should like to have silence. The rich is
often put first ; but we will leave them till last. There
is the poor man—be makes choice of his' wife ;he takes
her to church, we will say, to-day, and to-morrow he
turns her out of doors, if she has labouri3d for the home;
As the law stands, he can turn her oat of doors, and
possese himself of everything in the house, and take her
wardrobe.; so that the is only. allowed one garment- to
cover her with., That is accerding.to law. (A. Voice
—"Shame !") Well, there is another thing—a woman
has no control over her own child. You may think
thaostrange. Many years ago there was a magistrate
(now resident in London), that has sat on the bench
for many years, and must be a man of years now, that
married a Welsh lady—a woman of noble birth, and
noble mind,
,and virtuous character. But he was
'avaricious and wicked, and he brought a charge of adul-
tery against her. He never could prove it, and-never
did ; but he took from her .her home and children, and
.when he married her helook her property. To this day
she lives apart from him. She is possessed of a genius,
and writes either prose or poetry ; she can write upon
any subject ; but this man has demanded the money for
her copyrights, though she lives apart from him, and he
can still demand it. Any of you may work at a ware-
house or factory, and if you get V. or les. a-week ; the
law (as.it stands) allows your husband to take it from
you. (A. Voice—" He should not have mine."). Perhaps
you. think it is not corn at, but it is. It yeti seek refuge
in another frien ishouse, it is in the maenad 4ir you'
haveertgd ais-
charge them from harhetwing yu
a chair or table of your own be can take them from you,
and by law you ars compOled to sit down by that. (A,
Voice—" We are not, though ; oh no.") It is correct.
(A. Voice—" They can put you in the Bastilo -as well.")
Bat this is not the only thing, for I have been acquainted
with men who have deprived wives of their children.
(A Voice"l've been deprived of five."). -If you seek
your redress yon cannot help yourselves in the least.
Don't you_ think these laws want altering ? ("yes,
-yes.") - The lady. I; have been speaking about has laid
her case before the Queen, and now Erskine Perry- has
asked fora committee of inquiry into the laws forthe pro-
tection -of-woMen. You are met this evening to-sup-
port that man in his motien: - This is very different. to
advocating 'flogging. You see what men do that have
vicious habits. lebelieve if. every woman in England
would raise her voice we could be emancipated in
three months,. or in the most six months. This is
just, the topic I hare thought - about since- .1
was, a girl. - I was greatly interested in the case of this
lady, „but never till within the last few months have l
heard of any one taking up the case of the women. I
should just like to know what man would -like to be
without a woman? (Hear, hear, and laughter.) Wher'
God made man, he saw man was alone and desolate, so
he made woman to be his companion and cemfort. It
you read Scripture all the way through you never find
that. Adam-or apy of his .postority ever ill-treated wo-
men, hutwhcn the tribes journeyed they took with then,
their wives and their children, and all went together.
The men did not leave their' wives and children ts.
starve. We never read in any Jewish history that tilt
wivea were left behind to-perish, but if anything befel

one the other was always there, in consequence of
which a-od blessed their journeys aid brought them
through all their trouble. There is another man—the
drunkard. will come borne when he has received
his small wages, and they are very small, SQ that I am
willing. to rake allowances for working men, and par-
ticularly fratnew, rk-knitters. I know they work hard
all the week, and on Saturday night, instead of him
being comfortable and happy, disagreements arise con-
cerning poverty. He says, " Well, woman, what am I
to do ?', lam just going to show what a man has to
bear. You gentlemen reporters may Jpok and think we
ought not to speak so plaiuly. You .fpok like gentle.
men, hut we don't kuow your private candUct at home.
(Cheers.) Well, then, there is the., peen., half-starved
stocking-maker ; he comes borne, and says, "What am I
to do, 'there is the coal and the rene to pay, and we owe so
much for bread ?" A few worde.arise, and the poor maii
goes away and gets beer. I nrEp all tbis allowance, but
still it is not sufficient to make a man beat his wife.
(Hear.) Then what is the poor woman to do ? She gets
ss. or 63., and divides. it, so much for such and such
things, and frequently she has to help to maintain' the
man. 19 he, then, justified in 'striking the woman ?
(Cries of "No," and "Yes.") Is he justified in doing
so ? I say no. If he does he lolie4 authority in his own
house, and a man is not regarded by his children as he
ought to be. The son who witnesses the beating of
his mother resolves to pay his father off when he is
able, and I know cases where this has been done. (A.
Voice--"My son has done it.") In this way the man.
loses his authority, and he is looked at by his children,
when he grows old, 'more as a lodger than as the father
of the family. Did not God make man after his own
image, alittle loweethan the' angels ? This is Scrip-
ture talk, you know. Can you call a man that beats his
wife made after the image of Gcd ? No, he' is not. The
man is a man that acts strictly up to the word of God,-
and no other man is a man. Taun'there are men who
live in a higher sphere of life, who dress respectable and
appear very genteel, and, to all appearances, are greatly
respected by tht it neighbours. The question is, does
that man act at home as he ought 'to do?.dyes he love
his wife ? Voice—" No.") That man goes out,
and when he has done. his. work and earned 1./..er 30s.
a week, he Walks off to a tavern, or goes to the
vaults, or resorts to other places at midnight, and
comes home at one, two, or three o'clock, -or at 'cock-
crowing in the morning. This man thinks no one
knows about it ; his wife is genteelly dressed, but is she
happy ? Wbtn the husband is not at home, where is
be ? 'He is not to be fAind, and who is witness to the
time when he comes home ? The moon, that lights the
heaven at night, is witness to his return; and there is
the beautiful orbs sparkling in the sky—they are wit-
nesses to his return. He knocks at his door, and his
wife is perhaps 'tired and asleep, unable to hold up
longer, and when she opens the door, he knocks her
down. No one'knew anything about it, he thinks, for
he is a genteel man,. and moves in respectable society.
You ask who I mean; I mean the men who live out-
side the town, with fine gardens and palisades to their
houses.. I know this, because I have witnessed it;
and I say the womea ought to expose these things
(hear, heal)—f, r then you would save your husband ;
butif you cloak him and his sins it is a sin to your-
self. If I had a husban'd of that sort, I should open
the door and tell everybody what time he comes home.
(Cheers ; and a voice : "I do so.") There is a thou-
sand ways of ill-using a woman without beating her.
As Dr. Watts so nobly says :
" Were I, so tall to reach the pole, r
Or grasp the ocean with a span,
- - • I must be-measured by niy soul—'
The wind's the standard efilie man." •

(Loud cheers.) Oh, yes, the mind makes the man. Then,
there is another class of men—the men that rules the
State—the men that makes the laws that we have to
abide by. We need not wonder what laws is made con-
cerning women; because there is women-bea'ers in the
higher circles ; but it is not made manifest. Now, for an
instance, would any man of feeling, would'any just man,
would any upright man, ever enact such a clause as that
which says a woman shall giye 21 days' notice to a man to
appear before a magi tra'e when he is the father of a
child ? Don't you Vlink this was passed for the pure
pose of liberating sreh characters as these—(hear)—that
makes the. laws ? I have read of members of Parlia-
ment being brought before the magistrates, and having
children fathered upon them. (A. Veica—" Sarve 'em
right ; very proper-. too.') While things are in such a
train you do not know how to interfere with them.
The Legislature is of cule mind, and fulkof wickedness ;
so that the only way is to apply to the Queen, asking
her to take into cow ideration the laws affecting women
in England. This bill, before the house, originated
from blrs. Norton's petition to the Queen ; so you see
how it has been brought about. It is very contrary to
the flogging bill, which is a disgrace to England. The
speaker then proceeded to real a leading article on the
subject from a local paper cf last week, ,commenting
freely upon it as .she proceeded. All legislation (said
she) is one-sidel, an'l the men enact laws to suit the n
selves. There is a law that a woman may make what is
called a widow's will, and, if she makes such a will,
het; husband can be turned out. (A. Voice —" It's time
they were.") These gentlemen reporters look at me,
and think it htrange, perhap=, but it is a fact. (Cheers.)
You al know what au idle man is ; he is awful. Wife-
heating wa., never heard of when I was a girl. but it is
heard now in ever ,'street in Leicester. (A. voice—" They
are keeping their hands in practice.") Toe man who is
most dependent upon his wife tells you he 4 your ma,ter.
The man that exerci,es power over anotheFbecausehe has
the power is an oppressor, and need not complain i.l the
hosiers being oppressors. The man that does not treat
his wife kindly is an oppressor of the deepest die, be-
caucehe is always, vulgarly speaking, " under your nose"
—he is always then afraid that other people should
know' yoUr business, he searches for you wherever you
go, and al says wants to know where you have been, and
what you have been talking about. (A. voice—" Yea,
and even what you have been doing.") There is a clause
in the bill we hate met about, to prevent a man coming

• •
to sell up his home and leaving hie wife" destitute, and if
a woman has property she shall be master of that pro-
perty, and if she has a tesacy left her she shall receive
it without the man having anything to do with it. (A
VOice—" Thet's good.") She will then have a right to
1-ave it to antibody ebe likes, and he will have ne power
over it.' Ie this floe ng men. Perhaps the gentlemen
preeent de not like this to be brought forward, Tee man
is a man-who moves in the shape of a man We do not
know and tell by appfa-ancee God only knows who
are men. (A. Voic--" Come, you are rather sharp on
'em ") I know 'a man who took the fire-irons out of the
house and sold them. After he bad t +ken every article
out of the house he took the bed—(a Voice—" I know
a man who pawned the clock')—(laughter) —and the
women buffetted him out of the street with the fender.
Last week when I went rut with the petition many
were so base as to say that I had a petition in favour of
flogging men. (A Voice—" And serve 'em right too.")
So you mey think I have got a great name with the
mere-hut their good cord is no credit, and their had
word no scandal, so that I have no occasion to grieve.
(Cheers) It is well-a-d ty fir men when, the women have
to take up their vices and esp tie them. They can go
deeper into the matter than the men can, because they
can witness the evil workings of men's hearts. You
see what .a thing it is for people to make false
statements. I have been insulted grievously about
the handbills ; and they could not insult me, igno-
rantly because they know all about it, and they
thought they should, not have the power to do as they
have done. They have, therefore, been .determined to
keep their wives at home if possible, and prevent them
attending the meeting. A man came into my house the
other day, and said, "I have never lifted up my hand
against my wife, but I have told her what I shall do if
She goes to the meeting." I told him if my husband
vsas'to say-so to me, I should say to him, "Then, here's
at you, for I shall go." (Loud cheer,) The women
suffer chiefly because they give way to t'e men. Paul
says "husbands, lava your wifes " but the meuleave out
this, and say, "women, be obedient to your husbands."
(Hear.) I acknowledge that is Scripthre, but it does not
say, if your husband strikes you on one cheek give him
the other also. There is a c'33£l of men whose wives at-
tend a place of public worship and the men come home
drunk. They have a few words, and the man tells her
she bat no right to speak because she attends a place of
worship. Why, if a woman attends a place of warship
she i 3 not to lay down and say, " kick me." She ought
to resent to the utmost. (Cheers.) If a woman does
go to'a place of worship,_ she has flesh and blood like
other people. the men pride themselves in secrecy ;
but they have at last been obliged to fly their country in
disgrace, and leave their wives and children behind them,
and theetheir evil deeds are brought to light. After
alluding at length to the case of Mrs. Dove, at Leeds,
and commenting very freely on the conduct of . her hus-
band, who now awaits his trial on a charge of murder,
she proceeded :—I would Fay, WoMen, be masters of
your own homes ! I say you ought to be. You see now
a-fine young•woman walking our streets, and a nasty
filthy fellow fixes, his eyes upon her. He' seduces
her, and she becomes a prostitute. But he is a gentle-
man, and 'he has gone, nobody knows where, and there
is no law to touch him. She is left behind ; and in a,
few weeks she becomes a desolate, poor, unhappy, un-
fortunate creature. I was going dowa Hutnberstonee
gate the other' day, and my heart ached. There was
one of these unfortunate girls speaking to a great, bulky
man, who "struck her a blow sufficient to knock her
down. (Cries of "Shame.") When she fan away
for protection he followed her, and gave her an-
other blow. It is the truth, for I saw it myself. Is
it not high time that these things were brought to Re-
count ? These poor girls become afflicted and dejected
'there is no home for them ; their fathers and mothers
turn their backs upon them, and' will not look at them.
I think they tire to blame for that, for we are all sub-
ject to do wrong. (Hear.) I have been at the bedside
of many such characters, and they have told me their
history, and who has been their ruin. They will tell you
c
~
and eyes is open to what is taking place around me,
chat God will afflict the man that has done it, I have
seen such characters borne to the grave by Christian
!Hen, and the pall borne by virtuous and Christian wo-
rn
ueenh,
cases.w hoI
were n
ev pious.ee
go alou
ong mayt
h the streetswonder
but
my
I Barefin
I never hear a woman d— her child but I say to her,
" Wothan, is that your child!" One of my neighbours
called her child a little devil, and said she would put its
neck out. I said to her, , "Are you not ashamed of