The southern press., 1851-07-04


then dlisd with soedsa plue. Ia 9elAna, ~
lips aFs pierced With thosus, de heads being tB-
aldo ths moushs and the point resting on tho
chin The Tunisisn women. Of moferate pre- |
tensiona to beauty, needs slass under each arm.
to support her when abe waIks. and = perfect |
belle carries issh enough 70 load down Z camel"
E<om Report Of .Ns~ York TSiAsss If saaSrdsy.
The New Drcss-Ars. Cove HlsAsis' Lecture.
On Thursday evening. At Hope Chapel, Ars.
Nich0ls delivered lecture upon the now cos-
tune. The audience was not large (about two
hundred persons) and there were three present
who were devotees Of the Bioomer fashion
one the lecturer. and two ladies who were among
the auditors. We are. said Mrs. n. nation Of
freemen and Christians.
Once year we are told, In Fourth Of July ad- |
dresses, that all men have an inalienablc right to
life, liberty, and the pursuit Of happiness, and
we huve come to the conclusion that some wo-
men have their rights. Many ladies' have ia ken
an active part in this reform; much has been
done, and much remains to do Men generally
are iavoroble to our emancipation from the bond
age Of dress. which begins with the swaddling
clothes of the cradle, and en- Ia only in death |
How have gymnasts like the Ravels and dancers
like Elsler been created Not by encasing them
in long Clothes and combining their exercise to
a stroll down Broadway, dragging after them a
trail of the finest silk and fthiest mud do |
not ask that our women be Raves or Elslers,
but we can learn by them why We are weak, ugly
and ungraceful i
Said lady TO me few days
since, Many rainy day have come in from
the Streets and stepped out of fourteen yards Of
skirts, quarter of yard deep with mud and
water" Think Of such burden hung upon
slender and diseased spine. Isl wonderful tha:
nature fails, and that woman's life is but a
heightened prayer for that peace that never
comes till life is lOsta life that has never been
lived. Was woman made only for this--to be a
burden to her husband-a half living being with
less living babes-dropping away like withered
fruit! The holy name and destiny of Mother
has become mockery in our midst--children
are borne for death as mothers are born for
misery and pain.
Who is to do the work Of reformation-of re-
deeming woman--who is to fulfil what is left of
the mission of Jesus! Woman has been so long
in bondage that she is weak as child. The
mass do not think or act for themselves. Man
has 80 long had tine control OF woman that it has
become grave question whether she is yet ablr
to walk by herself with her God. Without
doctors, and ministers, and husbands, what
would become Of women! do not attempt to
answer the question-slayes will always find
masters.
Power accumulates power. This is true in all
things, from bank capital to the creative power
of health--the life of God within US. "Unto
him that hath shall be given" Men say with
truth that women are towards. We have no
nerves to be otherwise our style of dress makes
us weak and unhealthy, and consequently craven.
All this must be changed. Instead of being
burden, woman must become a helpmeet to man
instead of being a show-block for clothes, she
must dress nationally and beautifully. | have
not come her tonight to address the chain gang
of fashion. Il come to those who feel that there
is work to do in the world and who are not
only willing but determined to do it-those who
have freed their lungs from corsets and are ready
to enlarge the area Of freedom.
We pity those who sweep the crossings for
a chance penny in muddy time, and give the
penny cheerfully. pity those who sweep the
sidewalks all the time in mud or dust, but
cannot assist the N any longer. ] have done my
part My weary limbs refuse the Office of Fash
ions scavengcr Who is ready for The reform
| know enough to make the work sure already,
but ask for more, because wish the blessings
of freedom extended. Women ask for new oc-
equations; the few kinds of business that they
are allowed to do are overstocked, and every
where their health is broken Why has every
second woman some female weakness or spin Il
disease ! The curse, causeess, does not come
| They earn their disease honestly, legtimately,
what they don't inherit. The weight Of quilts
and skirts as worn by women, dependent on
the lumbar region of tie spine, would wear out
the strongest man and give hlm spinal disease
Then the fetter tina. we carry always round the
aneies wearies, and wearies forever No one is
conscious Of the extent of the evil till they have
thrown it off And when we hold up these long
skirts out OF mud and rain, we run constant risk
of findecate exposure.
People who are called men tell us that We
must not wear dress consistent with health,
the dress Of innocent childhood, the dress de-
vised by wise women of true modesty and STAIN
less purity, because our outcast sisters wear il.
These poor fallen ones wear clothing. Is that
a reason for its dsuse! They have traed the
costliest silks through our streets, but no word
of warning came to us then. We might follow
them in an evil fashion, and il was veiy proper
But our nice moralists have suddenly grown
sensitive The truth is, that bad and foolish
men want TO irighten us, but we are not chill
dren-we are grown women, who know our
rights, and have fathers, and husbands, and
| brothers, who have wisdom and strength. The
reform involves principles and is based on trnths,
and it cannot fail. Even If it were hindsred for
a time, its ultimate success is certain.
90 Truth crushed TO earth will rise again;
The eternal years Of God are hers"
What we want for women is true freedom. We
must come to have conscience with regard TO
health and increasing our usefulness. Sin is
not vague in,angibility. II is the hurtful act
or state from which wisdom teaches us 10 es-
cape.
The women of America have been rather slow
in making their declaration of Independence
But it is made at last Change has become an
imperative duty TO u.s. A sacred principle is
involved in this change. The enlightened con-
science Of woman Is to be trusted. We can
know no failure in this effort for FIRE dom. Wo-
men have been moro ttan once martyrs for priu-
cipe, but the martyr nge is past Men and
women are united in this work, and II may be
considered accomplished.
IN N