Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1848-03-08
From The Dollar Newspaper
TIE RIGHTS c. WOMEN.

On this neglected though important sub
jet. they manage things quecrly in our
sister State of New York; and as an effort
in favor of feminine rights Is now before
our Legislature, some comment upon the
temper and tone of our neighbors in rela-
ZION to "the better half of creation, may
be useful. We begin by saving that the
proprietor and publisher Of the New York
Herald. James Gordon Bennett. has off,
ciolfy, that is, cditorally announced that.
he has commenced civil suits for damages,
and criminal prosecutions for punishment,
against some publishers Of newspapers in
the city of New York, for lbels upon his
wife. We hope that the Iuries who try the
civil suits, will, on proof of the libeling,
give swinging damages against the libell-
ers. And we hope additionally that, on
conviction in the criminal prosecutions,
the guilty will be furnished with lodgings
at the public expense, to their hearts con-
tent, and to sufficient warning to them
selves and all kindred spirits. These
are not the frs: assaults upon Mr.. Ben
nets family altar. More than once here
!tofore, has his wife been libelled in GER
tain newspapers Of New York, in manner
and spirit shameful to all manhood, to
which no men, no persons, would have
stopped, unless, thoroughly deficient in all
manly sentiment, utterly incapable Of all
chivalrous principle or feeling.
Had such libels been founded in feet,
they never would have been uttered, ex-
cepting by the worthless and the vile; for
| among our republican population, who
have more general manliness Of sentiment
than any other in the world, and more
chivalry towards woman than any other
nation excepting the Spaniards, a mans
! lireside, his household, his wife, his Sis
tiers, his daughters, his mother, all women
who have right to his protection, are re-
garded as sacred and all assaults upon
! them for the purpose Of reaching him, are
regarded as the very last step in cowardly
meanness. But such libels are not foun-
ded in fact. We speak not in condemna-
| ton Of Mrs. Benefits pitiful ISLANDERS es-
pecially. however they may be, but Of all
ISLANDERS and libels upon women; Of all
those mean, dispicabie .cowardly creatures,
who, for the purpose Of assaiing men, as
! sail their female relatives. The same vile
motive heretofore prompted assaults upon
| Mrs. Jackson and Mrs. John q. Adams:
assaults which reused the Indignation Of
every man, Of whatever political party,
worthy to be woman'S associate and pro-
tector. and consigned the ASSISTANTS to the
enduring scorn Of all honorable minds
The depravity, the crime, the motive. are
the same, whether the man assailed
through his feminine household be Pres
ident, a candidate for the Presidency, the
publisher or editor of newspaper, or any
other man, conspicuous or obscure, A
profligate creature who conducis a sour
rilous partisan journal in the West, was
ridden on rail out Of Providence, X. l.,
for slandering a woman. We condemn
the mob, but honor the manly sentiment.
however illegal. And we hope that the
CITY Of New York will have iuries and
Judges honest enough. and public opinion
manly enough, the first to convict and pun
ish according to the laws Of the land, the
second to punish cnduringly according to
the laws Of honor, all persons guilty Of H.
bel upon Mrs. Bennett or any other wo-
man.
So much for this case. The committee
on the judiciary in the Legislature Of n.
York. have reported against law for Civ
ing to women, married or single, right
of action for SANDER, when accused Of I'M
chasity. What is the objection! Perhaps
the committee consider the common law
upon SANDER, which of course, reigns in
New York. as affording adequate protec-
ton. But if this be not the reason. if the
common law be not sufficient, and the re.
port against an additional law proceedfr from
any want ofdisposition to protect feminine
character, We ask the Legislature. in the
name of all chivalry. to reject this report
and enact such law. Women cannot
be protected TOO much; and in no State
of the Union are they protected enough.
A bill is now before the Legislature Of
New i ork, to secure to married women
their property. A provision foT this pur-
pose was inserted in the new constitution
Of New York, but stricken out through
the efforts of a bigotied, for,unehun,ing,