Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1816-08-09
From the Connecticut Coarant.
THE BRIEF REMARKER.

p0ru0n OF sorrow. anu HdTusiiip hdS tdhSt'
to the lot. of the female part OF our race
Amongst all the numerous tribes OF sa.
wages and barbarians, in either quartz
of the earth, or in the island of the seas,
females are. despised and degraded, and
a wife is but. little better conditioned
than. a bond slave. While the man
passes his days in idleness and amuse-
ment, the woman is condemned to inces-
SAINT toll. Tasks are imposed upon her
without mercy, and services are received
without conplacence Or gratitude" The
laws and customs of Mahomedism, "a
well as of Pasapism, degrade and enslaye
the women "a degradation and slavery OF
vast extent since far the greater mum:
beers of the human kind are either Maho.
medans or Pagans.
It is only in Christian countries thai
wemen rise to their proper rank, and are
treated as companions and equals. For
this happy improvement in their condi.
ton, they are indebted to Christianity
which. as well by humanizing and purify
ing the heart, as by the prohibition of pc
Il gamy, has loosed the bonds of their cap
tiyity, and attic same time adorned hem
with virtues the most estimable and anna
BILE.
The New Testament is the greas char
ter of the rights of women: and not or
ly the great charter of their rights, but
the unerring directory oftheir duties, and
the choice cabinet as it were of their
most precious ornaments. AS the bene.
violent system Of Christianity frees them
from yassalage and exalts their. rank in
society, it inspires them at the same time
with taste for what is morally excellent
and yirtueus aud lovely. Nor is it lit
tie remarkable, that, OF the religion which
so euubles their sex they are the first, the
most general, and anons the most effec-
tual teachers tits from women that al
most our whole SEX, as we'll as theirs. re-
ceives its earliest instruction in religion
and morality. Though they are neither
missionaries abroad nor preachers at
home, yet, as spreaders and promoters of
Christianity, they are hardly less useful
than those venerable orders of men,
Throughout all Christendom, as precep-
tresses. as methers, and in their various
domestic relations, they have the mould
ing Of the minds of future men as well as
OF future women, dn ing those infantile
wears in which the mind is comparable 70
soft wax, and where the impl essions
which are male upon 1t ae the most In
deliabIe So that it would not perhaps be
extravagan to believe. that full moiety
of the whole Christian world has been
ch,istianized, or first imbued with Chris
tan principles, By means Of female teach
ers.
Nothing scarcely. admits Of clearer
proof from history, than that the institu-
tions for alleviatius human misfortune 4
distress have grown out of the Christian
religion: and nothing surely COLD con-
fer greater dignity on the female sex,
than it's active and jealous cooperation in
establishing and supporting such plans Of
general philanthropy.
All along, from the first age o! Chris
tianity down to. latter times. there have
been women highly distinguished for their
pious benevolence & active beneficence {:
but rot having learned to form them
selves into societies Tor Joint acts of
charity, their solitary o. individual ef-
forts could afford relief to but few. For
tie present illustrious epoch in the Chris
tianized world. has been reserved tie
honor Of Multiplying and extending, far
beyond all former examples, humane
plans and institutions amoug which the
Female Benevolent and Benefcent So.
cieties are entitled TO conspicuous rank.
S!ultiplied as they have been, and null
iipiy;ng as they are likely still to be.
Il tongue can tell, no hear can con
GIVE. the benefits of the little stream
cts issuing III such i'..umerabie dnec-
tons from this single source. Benefits
aot only 10 the Receivers, but also to-
The Givet fer it is even {" more blessed
% give than to receive" The occura.
loas Of charity nonrish and strengthen
,osne of.'the best feelings of the heart
,nd at the same. time are rewarded with
lie eijoy lnent Of higher pleasure than
he boards Of wealth, or its pageantry,
IAN ever hestCw.a
$ What wonders and what pleasures
las civilization procured to mankind E'|
So the philosopher excIalms, and not with.
,ut reason. The civilized man possesses
more enjoyi"ents, and stands
as ly higher in the scale of human be-
ngs, than tie naked savage, or the rude
barbarian. Bat tits not mere civilization