Western union. (City of Hannibal, Mo.) 1850-1851, 1851-08-14
The Bloomer Costume.
Declaration Of independence, July4 1851.

becomes necessary for the women VI one ma
lion TO break oil the bonds which Fashion has
'hrown around them, and 10 assume among the
females OF other nations separate and distinct
dress, 10 which the laws OF Nature aud q re-
gard Tor their Eealth 80 fully en!tls them, de
cent respect for the opinions Of mankind re
qures that they should declare the causes which
mpel them to thi' ass umption.
We hold these truths 10 be self evident, that
all " linen are created squal-that they are en-.
dowei by their Creator with certain inalienable
righ'', and among these are lile, liberty and the
pursuit OF health-that to secure these rights
dresses are Instituted, deriving their fashion
from The consent Of those who adopt them
that whenever any form Of dress becomes des.
iructive of health or comfort 1t is the right Of
woman 10 alter or abolish it, and 10 institute a
new dress formed and shaped or such princi.
pies, and arranging It's contour after such
mode as to them shall seem most likely to pro.
mote their health and insure their happiness.
Prudence, indeed, will dictate that costumes
loEg established should not be changed for light
and tr'tling causes-and accordingly woful ex-
perience hath shown that womanKind are more
disposed TO suffer, while the evils arising from
their costume are sufleIable, than to right them.
selves by abolishing the long aud very incon-
venient skirts to which they have been accus-
toned But when the long trains Of their dress.
es, invariably swesping the pavement as they
move along, evince a design OF the part of the
Tyranness Fashion 10 reduce our women under
its absolute des2o'lsm. 1t 10 their right-it 10
:heir duty to throw of the long and cumber
some skirts, and TO provide shorter ones for
their future wear.
Such have been the patient suffering Of our
American women, and such is now the neces-
sity which constrains them to alter their for
mer system Of dress, and to adopt other modes
for their future comfort.
The history OF the present Tyrannsss FASH
ion is a history Of repeated injuries both to the
comf,rt Of the women and to their pockets,
having in direct object the constant soiling Of
their garments, and the ruination Of their health.
To prove this, let facts be submitted TO all can
did women, and to the rest OF the world.
She has refused her assent to those modes Of
dress, most wholesome and necessary Tor the
preservation offsmale health.
She has forbidden her 'nan'u makers to in
troduce any new costumes however handsome
and convenient, until her consent has been Ub-
'a'ned.
ohe mas refused Tor the accommodation oi
large district. of women, the privilege to dress
in frocks and trowsers-a right most inestima
BILE to them and formidable to their tyrants on
ly.
She has aimed to pevent the women from
assembling together to deliberate on the advan.
tnge' which would result from throwing off'he
yoke oi the Iyranne'', Tor the sole purpose OF
forcing them to constant compliance with her
own measures. -.
She Ia, invariably a''ailed with r'd'cue all
those OF the sex who' with womanly iirmnes',
have endeavored TO assert Their rights and re-
gam their Independence
She has endeavored 20 prevent the adoption
OF the new costume IN all the States, Tor the
purpose OF enabling foreigners to MAINTAIN that
influence in regard to the modes OF dress which
shey nave always exerten over the women of
this country.
She has Affected to render the mantua makers
independent Of ard superior TO, those who
ought in fact to hold them under their power.
She has combined with dre''msker' abroad
to subject our women to modes OF costume
foreign to, and injurious to, their American
constitutions ns-prohbiing them, by acts oi pre-
tended jurisdic,ion-
From venturing to promenade our streets in
the proposed new and every way becoming fe-
! male appeared
: From consulting their own comfort and con-
venience in regard TO locomotion and the free
use of their limbs:
From abandoning the long skirts 90 volu-
minous in their folds, and SO prejudcial to
I health:
+ From cutting of their long trains in all parts
= Of the United States:
From introducing any new costume di'ap-
t proved Of by Paris mantua-lnaker.
0 sac has, BY forcing upon Us her oxtravagan'
modes of dress, plundered our pockets, com
b m,,ed ravages on our health, and destroyed The