Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1840-12-25

They celebrated old Tips election, a few
evenings ago, by a merry wedding.-Joy be
with them. RORY.
THE LEGAL RIGHTS OF WOMAN.
This is the title of an able paper from the
pen of an accomplished member of the Mas
'achuset,s bar, in the last No. of the Christian
Review. We give an extract:
She is Justly neither the servant nor SOW
ereign of man: neither the slave of his will,
nor the proper object Of his obsequious SER
vtude, or his alteration but his equal,
his fellow-being, his partner in the social
state.
Such is the american female, whose legal
rights we are about to consider. And in the
end we shall appeal to every unbiased Judg-
ment, ifher rights are not equal, though they
may not always be identical, with our own.
This distinction is important; and the omis-
sion of 1t occasions an error among modern
reformers. They suppose that equality of
rights gives title to an equal participation in
every duty and privilege of civil life and
that if one man has certain rights, and anoth-
or certain others, both of equal value, yet
there is no equality unless the rights are iden-
tically the same. We shall not now argue
the point with those who maintain that woman
is wronged unless she is admitted 10 share
with man in all the abors and duties of social
and political life. We admit that she is in
tellectualy capable of them all. But we
would Just ask if God has made no difference
IN the circumstances of the sexesl Is there
no fitness in combining some duties exclusively
to one sex, and others to the other? Are the
labors of the field, or those public Offices, the
time of whose performance is fixed by the
calendar, appropriate to women? Or, do the
implements Of female employment become
the hand of man? These questions are al
ready settled by the low estimation in which
both sexes hold those of either, who inter-
fere with the pursuits assigned, by nature and
usage, TO the other. Our argument will rath-
or consist in n brief statement of female rights
as they are recognized by law in this coun-
try:-classing them into, first, the political
rights Of women second, her civil rights
while single and lastly, her connubial rights,
or those which she possesses in consequence
of her marriage.
In the term "Political Rights" is involved
all which the subject or citizen may lawfully
claim of the state or sovereign, whether it be
of privilege or protection. 1t includes no,
only the right of electing and being elected
to public office: but the right of being pro.
tected in person of property, against the ag.
gressions of another nation the right of be.
ing protected by ones own government, il
the free enjoyment of life, health, and repu
tation; of personal security, personal liberty
and private property; the right of being GOV
erned by known laws; the right of exemption
from unreasonable search of ones dwelling
house, or seizure of ones papers from
being twice put in jeopardy of life and liml
upon the same criminal accusation from
being compelled to be witness against one
self; from cruel and unusual punishments
excessive fines and excessive bail the RICH
OF just compensation for all private propcr,,
taken for public uses. and the right of tria
by jury. All these, except that of electin
and being elected to political office, are pc
litical rights of women, as we'll as men; an,
arc enjoyed equally by both sexes.
In regard to the latter, the proprietv of
lady's HOLDING and EXERCISING public of1lc
has been decided by the customs of society
in originating which her own sex has larg
and perhaps an equal share. If she were eli
giblc to one political office, it would b
because her sex does not unfit her for any
and the same code that would admit femal
legislators, ought, in equal reason, to max
them eligible TO all other Offices. But no,
would ladies themselves regard a fcmal
sheriff, or captain of militia? The very con
stitution Of society, has, of necessity, allot
ted these employments to man. Not that h
is wiser, and thus more capable of cxerci
sing them ; but because, in the Distribute
of social duties, these are more befitting hi
sex, and more congenial with other pursuit
IN which he is engaged.
But what reason is there, it may be asked
to exclude her from giving her suffrage,
the election ofpublic officers! Beside the rca
son already given for rendering her ineligibl
to office, there are considerations of publ
expectancy and wisdom, which govern tn
part of the law. In all free, elective govern
ments, parties will exist. The elements
discord are sufficiently numerous, and active
and pervading, to give employment to all III
wisdom and all the force, moral and phys
N"'1 ""'S" SOS'Sty Suu W GUILTY.
their destructive operation. Amid the storm
which beat without, in the political worlt
the domestic hearth is yet the sanctuary
repose, and the domestic altar still receive
; the offering Of united hearts, to the God {
peace and love. But if, IN addition to a
our other sources of party strife, as if tn
thousand existing elements of contentio
could not suffice, we were to array male an
female electors with their candidates in or
position, il is easier to imagine the uproa
that wouldensue, than to torlell when or ho
il would end. Even Discord,
"Wth delight would snuff and smell
or mortal change on earth,-and high turn up
His nostrl wide into the murky air,
Sagacious OF his quarry from SO far"
The experience of all nations has show
! that the state of society has been rendcrc
miserable whenever both sexes have mingle
in party politics. "lf women" says Mad
son, "must be showing their zeal for the pub
} lie, let it not be against those who are, pei
haps, of the same family, or at least of tn