Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1850-07-27
VOL. s..
The Elevation Of Woman.

to ask q small space in The Buele 10 cxptess a
few random thoughts on the Woman's Conveu.
ton.
From personal acquaintance with many Of
the signors Of the call, anticipated an exhibi-
tion of talent and eloquence befitting the occss
sion. But my most ardent expectations and
"highcst hopes" were moro than realized
That the Convention will have good effect on
the women of the present age, on the commune
ty at large, and on future generations, have not
the least doubt; and ! rejoice from my inmost
soul that the women Of Ohio have resolved to
hold Convention annually to take into consid-
Grafton the best way of redressing tho manifold
wrongs to which woman has SO long been sub.
joct
This Is cmphatically he question, the discuss
sion Of which involves moro interest to the hu-
man race, than any, perhaps all other questions
combined; for so long woman is the Slave
of man, the tool to administer to tho gratiica-
ton of his appetites and passions, so long she
will be untitled to discharge the important du-
tics which deyolye on her as a moral and intel
lectual being.
was particularly pleased with suggestions
in one Of the letters to the Convention, Of ap-
pointing delegates to address the Constitutional
Convention. This course, though novel one,
is certainly demanded by the spirit of tho times
and the cxigcncies of the cause Though tho
time OF the Convention was limited, regret It
did not act on the suggestion, as believe thcro
arc women in Ohio who have sufficient moral
courage and confidence in the integrity of their
principles to face the Convention and plead for
the restoration of their God-g given rights.
Among the many important resolutions adopt
cd, permit me TO bring again before your read
crs the following:
Resolved, That we regard those women
who content themselves with an idle, aimlcss
life, as involved in the guilt as well as the suf-
iering oi their own oppression, and that we hold
those who go forth into the world, in tho face of
the frowns and sneers of the public TO fill largo
/ spheres of labor as the truost preachers of tho
cause OF woman's rights
While would not dctract one iota from tho
Importance of public preaching, would include
as true preachers those who by preccpt and ex-
ample labor in their immediate neighborhoods,
in the social circle, by their own fresides, to
convince woman of the degraded position she
|
effected in private way, if the advocates or
human rights are ever ready to drop the good
seed, and though it may seem for the present 10
fall on unproductive SOIL nevertheless in duo
season it will bring forth an abundant harvest.
Let woman cease to spend largo portion Of
her time in useless and ,stinous exterior decora-
tions, and man will cease to regard her as q
| m NIL of
"hcrself with an idle amloss lfe," let her stu
dy to fulfil the holy destinies of her nature, by
cultivating her various talents and employing
them for the benefit of the race. Instead of de-
voting herself exclusively to menial occupations,
or such as do not yield a sufficient income to
insure the means of cultivating her mind, let
her appropriate to herself share of the moro
lucrative professions which have heretofore been
monopolized by men, and among them would
mention the practice of medicine as especially
suited to woman. Her experience in nursing,
her familiarity with suffering, added to a good
medical education, will eminently qualify her
for that high trust-I hail it as an omen Of the
"good time coming" that some of the Medical
Colleges that have formerly admitted only men,
are now willing to extend equal advantages to
woman also, and thus remove one of the great
est obstacles in the way of her attaining the re-
quisite knowledge. And though in this, as in
every other branch of the reform, we may cx-
pect to meet with ridicule and strenuous opposi-
ton, yet trust that none will falter, knowing
that through diligence and perseverance, with
firm reliance on principle, success must ultimatc-
ly crown their efforts.
And then what is to hinder women from the
study and practice of lawi If lawyers are ne
cessary, if it is modest and dignifed for man to
plead at the bar, then it is equally SO for wo-
man, especially while she is judged by tho same
laws that mon are, and while men have tho
legal right to compel their wives to live with
them, no matter how intolerable that life may
be rendered by their coldness or neglect. This
is the climax of that tyranny which men have
for ages exercised over women, and furnishca
an additional inducement for women to investi-
gate the laws by which they are governed.
Another gross act of injustice is the inequali-
ty of wages between laboring men and women.
A man gets from 6fty cents to a dollar per day
for ordinary labor, while woman may toll from
carly in the morning till late at night for SIX
times as many days, for tho same money, and
public opinion attaches opprobrium 10 the char
acter of those women who honestly labor for
their bread, while the listless, idle. would-be-
lady, often greatly inferior in moral worth, can
bask in the sunshine of public favor. These
things arc not as they should be; there needs
to be "levoling up and leveling down.
Labor should always be honorable in proportion
as it is useful. Yours for the redemption of the
race, MARY F. THOMAS.
O. PARKER PmLsBURY's SPEECH, which
} will be found in our columns to-day, will ex-