Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1850-11-21

only result. He would address a body of women by
asking them whether they would exchange their pre-
sent power for one OF such doubtful mPrt the one
which property, the right to hold separate property
would give them, and which would them to enter
the turmoil Of human life, in its financial and business
affairs! He said that arrangement like the one
contended Tor, would make the marriage relation
cenay one and would pervert the institution from its
true design. He believed the change would remedy
the evils complained Of He believed the mover of this
reform was actuatcd by the best and pures motives but
he had entirely mistaken in his opinion, the means by
which he hoped to elevate female character and power.
Mr. GIssoN then took the field in support of the
ons, as originally reported by the committee He took
the ground that great reform in human society had
been effected without long and arduous efforts Our
independence a nation had been accomplised in this
Were this not the fact. the proposed reform
now Under consideration would in ms opinion, at its
inception, have been selfevident that would
have opposed it. But before remarked, changes
have been made only by untirng industry and labor.
Such was the with Luther and Melanethon in their
great religious reformation. He considered the
set that the laws relation to the possession of proper
ty by women, obviously unjust.
After speaking of the evidently unjust feature in the
law with regard to estates and their divsion after the
death OF the husband, he related instance within
his own knowledge, where woman who was cursed
with drunken husband, had left him at the grogshop
and endeayOred by her needle, to gain living for her.
sell and children; but seeking employment from the
when she hoped to receive her ptance presented with
the grog bill of her husband and the law-the common
law, much eulogsed ,-compelied her dischar &C
1t! He spoke OF the speech of Cato that had been dug
up from the ashes Of antiquity and read before tho Con-
ventOn this morning. All he had to say was, that it
was speech in every way worthy of people who
had, az the first, to steal their wives because they
had not the power otherwise 10 win them. This
reform he contended, did aoneappeal sense of
Justice 1t made its strongest appeal to the highest and
hottest feelings Of the human breast 1t may fail now
bat the cause-w still go The eyes of the women
of the State upon this Convention. They may saw
little because it is their to suffer without
complaint; but he felt that their cause was Just and
sooner later it would triumph. 1t was left to the
action of this Convention what its decision would be-
For bis own part he would ask no prouder monument to
his memory than to have taken humble part in effect
ing n reform like this.
The discussion continued by Mr.. NAVE at con-
siderable length, at the conclusion of which he offered
I an amendment to the amendment Of Mr.. HOLMAN
providing, that no law shall ever be passed. whereby
the property owned by eme corert the time of her
ntermarriage, by her acquired subsequent thereto
either by inheritance, gift grant, devise otherwise,
shall ever be taken for the debts of the husband con-
tracted before or after the marriage"
Mr.. BAscoM could not 90 far as some gentlemen
on either side of the question He believed the property
owned by women before marriage should he continued in
their posseson but property afterwards obtained should
be joint possession With slight alteration he could
90 for the proposition originally introduced At late
hour the Convention adjourned Mr.. STEELE has the
floor.