The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-11-27

E-3 The - lords or rcatl0n, ana lew OF the
ladies' thereof, have of late been discussing the
question in the Northwest that land of "pro-
gress," from liberty to license, what the real
position of each sex respectively now is, or
ought to be-and which really has the upper
hand
ABBY Folsom, Miss PAULINA DAVIS, and other
feminines aspiring to the pantaloons, and other
masculine privileges of voice, vote and action,
declare the condition of their sex to be one of
slavery. That the language of gallantry ad-
dressed to, and of poetry inspired by them, is all
gammon-that the fathers of the republic should
nurse the babies, mend the hose, superintend
the culinary department, and in short, share the
burdens of domesticity with their partners, who
should also aid in bearing the burdens of State.
These Katharines being determined to turn the
tables on the Pctruchios, invoke the strong arm
of legislation-and before pressing the rights
and the wrongs of the spinsters, push forward
the matrons into the breach.
Into the Constitutional Convention Of Ohio, this
controversy has been carried-and the power of
the petticoat party is conclusivey shown by their
having enlisted in this crusade against the
bearded barbarians, some of their own natural
allies,
A Western exchange thus records the latest
intelligence from the seat Of discussion
| Az exceedingly interesting and highly able
debate has been carried on for some days in the
Indiana constitutional convention upon the rights
Of married women. The principal participants
in the debate, as yet, have been Messrs. Owen,
Gibson, Rariden, and Holman; all of whom
have exhibited remarkable powers as logicians,
historians, and philosophers, and some Of them
have INDUCED in wit Of the most sparkling char
acter. As specimen, we quote from speech
delivered by Mr.. Holman on the Goth inst Mr..
II. is opposed to any material change in the Or
ganic law upon the subject, and, in answer to
Mr.. Gibson, said:
"The gentleman from Clark (Mr. Gibson)
undertakes to say, that, under the common law,
women are the merost slaves Of men. When
the gentleman made this remark, / looked
around, and, seeing the sparkling and gay coun-
tenances which surrounded him, was surprised
that the gentleman did not seem to understand
that these ladies' were laughing to think that the
boastful lords Of creation had not long since dis
covered that they themselves were the slaves to
the fair beings who preside over our destiny
and that he had not discovered that those flash
ing eyes grew brighter at the ridiculous idea of
the lords of creation talking of their superiority,
when, even then, ever, they were fiddling
while their fair slaves danced.
Slaves, indeed Why, sir, have no doubt
that every heart fluttered at the announcement
of the strange idea, that society could progress
without the controlling influence of the ladies.
At all events, if they were really the suffering
party, they looked as though they were not con-
scious of their own misery. Laughter. ]
thought, indeed, while gazed on the fair forms,
laughing eyes, and dimpling cheeks around us,
that they were not only unconscious Of their
misery, but were taking private laugh at the
figures we were cutting, in still further fasten-
ing on ourselves the shackles Of slavery,