Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1850-08-07
sTATTNTON VA. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST I, 1880

OF great composer. HaV6 oiiieNne' 'no's"' '"0
] must be a genius of an entirely new ordei-a
order peculiar TO and developed by the political an
social necessities OF this age OF popular reforms ant
coeyal IN its birth with the doctrine that the voice
the majority of the people is the voice OF Goo. Hu
mot Genius of reform, as Lu,hers was; or Of free
dom. as Washington's was or war, as Bonaparte'
was nor genius of music, poetry, or eloquence
: or love: No-,here is no name for 1t in existence
But il itis-what do you think have called it, Sally
Salu-The Lord only knows! for you are queer
genius, am sure.
John.-(With an air of sublime importance. Sal
lyi tits Majority Genius do oconscienlousy
5 believe that !, John Bottom, am Majority Genius
Il seems TO me that my heart is larger and more sen.
/ sye than common, and always by a kind oil social
/ magnetism throbs naturally in unison with popular
sentiment. And il is thing deyoully and humbly
TO rejoice at for is it not great thing for the people
and for the cause of political and social TRUTH thai
there should appear among them at great eras, Hig
J Prest-an Oracle who shall be able to collect out
of the iarring confusion of conflicting opinions some
grand Truth or System of Truths, latent and undl-
, gested in the minds of an infallibe majority!
SaHy-Wel, John, you are truly sublime Bot
tom! But do you not think, don't you suspect some
times that you may edecevlng yourself THAI oelng
man of quick imagination and inordinate, though
honorable ambition, and at the same time great saga
civ to feel with your magnetic heart, what Will
please the people, haty your reason is insenslby WOO
ed and won over by your ambi.ion and that the Wish
is often father to the thought!
Did you never hear OF self-deception OF how
easy the mind is smothered by the heart and now
easy il is 10 believe what we desire to believe! Did
YOU never hear that "the convinced against his
will is of the same opinion still ~ But don't look
so nut out man-you may be correct in your prn-
cipies and opinions. only suggest these things to
YOU to caution you against common errors; and Sc
riously, John, when see you come out tor the high
est Office in the gift Of the people, and make sol!-
tary issue, the main issue between you and the old
tried conservatives Of the County, and that pering
the bes, interests OF your wife and Children and al
together foreign 10 the great issue which originated
the call Of the Convention, you must pardon me
if suspect that you are either deceving others or
are yourself deceived In other words that different
opinions would probably have been formed had you
no, unconsciously leaned towards fancied whm Of
your constituents.
John.-Hear how The pretty preacher pirates =
What an elegant preacher you would have made
Sally, had you lived in the pure old times OF Ann
Hutchinson Bless my soul woman! no man de-
ceyes himself now. There is too much light about.
Can't do it. lis easier now to "know thyself" thar
10 know YOUR neighbor. We can turn our eyes in
ward aud clearly perceive what stuff we are made of,
and this is nothing to what we do now days
can nut YOU in magnetic communication with me,
and then can read your thoughts, the very emotions
of your heart better than you can YOURSELF?
| SaRg-W ell Ihen why navnI you done il before
.Jodn-To tell the truth Sally, Pm lee,le afraid
of YOU, don't want 10 know exactly every thing
YOU do think. But to return to our subject, can
convince you by argument that my doctrines are the
true doctrines of the times.
As was saying,lhe women are the true Sovereigns
now, and there is conseqently no longer any neces-
sity for this old e-enure to secure their ndepen-
dencc They are not subject 10 the arbitrary despo-
sm of husbands. But new state OF things has come
to pass-new and numerous evils have arisen out OF
this remnant of monarchy, this life-enure, this ole
eudal institution, dgni6ed by the title OF the holy
Stale of Marimony. And il is TO these evils that
true ou..and-ou Reformers like Joe and me seek to
| apply remedy.
Wiye, secure in the life-enure Of their husbands,
husbands secure in the e-ienure Of their wives, have
grown negligent OF their duIies-have become lazy,
inefficent wilful, arrogant mpoliie, uncourteous,
drunken, appopectic and dispeplic, in one compre-
bensye word irresponsible. Wives irresponsible to
their husbands, and husbands irresponsible TO their
wives, and both irresponsible to society. say
Sally, things have come such pass that the best
interest of society demand responsible spouse
| Denv it who can. %,
Saliu-And have ] not acted like responsible
wife Have not the wives of Virginia been good
wives in the mani Have not you been good nus
band. John and are not the husbands of Virginia
good husband Answer me this. And IT there be
an execution here and there, do not the laws afford
remedye Will not the Legislature grant divorce
when divorce is right and proper'
John.-A divorce indeed Why Sally this reminds
. me of the impeachment of Judge. Don'tyou know
wha. Fultz and Shehey say abou. that. We cant
get a Judge mpeached except in an outrageous case
of bribery and corruption. So neither can you get
divorce except in case OF extraordinary CRIME, anu
this mus, be proved clearly in Court OF Justice
Where then is the responsibility Of spouses Where
. is your remedy when you find that your husband nc
longer loves you-when he quits you for more agree
e able soce,y-when he spends all his evenings ou
and scolds yol at every mool-whon i1 "rgtece
r your domestic comfort, fails to provide 1000 ant
clothes for you and your children. begins 10 lake 'e
). hard drink and finally makes your home scene
daily wan, and miserys
u How many domestic tyrants do you think lher
}? are in this little town of ours Some IN breeches
o some in petticoa!s'
r. How many loving couples do you think there ar
e who 90 not lead cat and dog life OF t' VIVA.
e your remedy for laziness in husband or WIFE, el
e For unsuitable tempers For ncuraole diseases
for extravaganza on one side and an empty purse
the other None none there is nothing tor 1t ol
v submission. Submission, nglorious submission
J. this le-yoke-tbis victim of feudal yrannyCln
D. worse than Egyptian bondage, As Fuaz and she
,e fey say of the judicial enure there's no escape lro
or il but Death. say Sally we are notyet freemen-
,e we have not yet republican Institutions while we
tain this feudal tenure i'm full blast in social llle-ar
i | say t-John Bottom says !-that there is no ty
Sc amy on earth so grinding, so despotc as domesl
p ,yranny-worse, far worse than civil bondage-aI
IS John Bottom, offer to the men and women ol VI
vs. ginia the means Of escape.
Elect your spouses every five years or ottens,, al
to presto change we are free at last The last vesgs
aris,ocracy goes floating down the current SOON
II disappear forever