The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1846-10-10
American Women.
ABEA AurlFuLiNcipENr.

ed. He can be peaceful or playful, Sc
rious or pathetic at pleasure. Ina let
ter from him, penned at Cape May.
and addressed TO his farm chair," We
find the following beaunlul sketch Of
American Female Character, as illus
trated in the conduct of the amiable la
dy Of the heroic Capt. PAGE. Lei it
be read and studied by every wife and
daughter in the land.-Savdnnah Re
publican.
MRs. PAeE.-The table on which
am now writing, is covered with II
newspaper, in which, short article
gives an account Of the death Of Capt.
Page, late of the Army oi Occupation,
and the subioined paragraph has twen-
ty timesarl ested my attention:
"He was accompanied by his devot-
ed wife, who continued 10 nurse him
with true conjugal tenderness, deny
ing herself all relief and rest, until she
was taken exhausted from his bedside
IA few hours before his death"
There is mark of greatness set up
on our country, lofty destiny which
she is to fulfil. Every effort Of her IN
fant struggle was HercuIean. Her
cradle exhibited the serpent strangling
of the young Alcides, and her youth is
marked by all the successful efforts
which distinguished the laborers OF the
hydra-queling hero. May she avoid
his end; and when she wraps herself
about with the coverings of newly ac-
CURED territory, may she be spored the
fatal consequences of that pride.
But it is not in the greatness OF militia
~ achievements, nor IN the benefit Of
mechanical invention and labors, that
our nation is fulfilling a great destiny.
There is loveliness that accompan es
her strength, a beauty that decorates
her full proportions. The acanthus
gathers at the summit of the massy pill
lar, and its foliage and flowers are deli
cately cntwined, so that the superstruc-
ture Of our institutions seems forest as
much upon the beauty, as upon the
strength Of the pillars.
From the moment that the wife OF
Capt. Page started for the South, to
meet and soothe her ounded husband.
she has been the object of special con
slderation; and her movements have
been noted with an interes, not less
than those which the action Of the ar
my excited, though of different char
t acter. From that moment. too, she
F.; lost the right of entire secluslon. Hei
name and her interests become mat
ters of public consideration. Her life.
: which was before a part of the life Of
public servant, became now the shield
and protection of a public beneiac,or.
. Instead Of being an aPpend"ge, she be-
came portioh, and rose from the con
dltion Of a 'cifr Of an cG5cer, to that OF
a ''daughter Of the REpuBLlc." Hence
forth it is to be no encroachment upon
; female 'reliracy," to mention her name
10 the world, to place her movements
or her condition on public record. She
, is part Of the jewels in the chapet Of
the Republic, and her safety and her
welfare must be part of public care.
Israel had her Deborah. and her Ju-
dith-France boasts her } oan. and her
Lavalette. Two of them "unsexed"
themselves in the excitement of battle :;
one stained her hand with the blood of
the unreS;sting, and the third risked
nothing by her successful efforts. But
the american heroine. without the ecIat
of u female warrior, rushed forward To
the place OF peril, to share the danger,
and to have all the care, of Il military
hospital near the field of battle, and to
a most pestiferous climate. She asked
for no distinction, she thought of no
CONSEQUENCES; her own heart answer
ed to ihe tidings Of her husband S dis
aster. In the pomp and display of his
military command; IN the flush of his
manhood, and tie firm step OF pride and
hope, she sent hi,7 forth with her bles-
sing. and shrunk back with the delica-
cy and fear of woman, deemIng 1t un-
meet that her face should be seen in
the crowd, and thinking that she would
do some treason to female deIicacy, by
gazing after the host. That is woman;
a part of woman. But when AFR, amid
the tumut of the camp, the rudrness
of border warfare, that husband is
stretched out mutilated, and dependent
upon aid almost for the breath of life,
she sprang forward, regardless OF dam
GER. and unconscious of weakness
Sod do soto me, and more also. il
forsake thee" was the language of her
| heart and Of her conduct. Ihdt ,cdS
voman, part of the priceless wealth
of our land, the home jewels OF the
American name. And shall she not be
treasured2 She has served tie coun-
try, and that country should be CRATE
iul. If this generous woman who had