Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1851-08-09

NU " SOulCO VI put
version and Generalization, both to the ia
vored class and to those ut whose expence
they are favored; producing none of the
good which il is the custom to ascribe to il,
and forming a bar, almost insuperable while
it lasts, TO any really vital Improvement, eith-
or in tie character or in the social condition
of the human race.
OBJECTION FROM CUSTOM.
These propositions it is now our purpose TO
maintain. But before entering on them, we
would cndeavor TO dispel the preliminary OBJ
ieciions to which, in the minds of persons to
wlon the subject is new, are apt to prevent
a real aud conscientious examination of it
The Chief of these obstacles is that most
formidable one, custom. Women never have
had equal rights with men. The claim in
their behalf of the common rights of man
kind, is looked upon as barred by universal
practice. This strongest of preiudices, the
prejudice against what is new and unknown,
has, indeed, in an age of changes like the
present lost much of its force if il had not,
there would be little hope of prevailing again
| against il. Over thrce-fourih of the habita-
BILE world, even at this day, the answer, " il
has always been So" closes all discussion.
But it is the boast of modern Europeans, and
of their American kindred, that they know
and do many things which their forelaihers
neither knew nor did and il is perhaps the
most unquestonable point of superiority in
| the present above former ages, that habit is
not now the tyrant it formerly was over opn-
ions and modes of action, and that the wor-
ship of custom is a declining idontry. An
uncustomary thought, on n subject which
touches the great interests of life, still star
ties when first present; but if it can be kept
before the mind until the impression of
strangeness wears of, it obtains hearing,
aud us rational consideration us the intel
| lect Of the hearer is accustomed to bestow
on any other subject.
In the present case, the prejudice of Gus
tom is doubtless on the unjust side. Great
thinkers, indeed, at different times, from
Plato to Condorcet, besides some of the
most eminent names of the present age,
| have made emphatic protests in favor of
The equality OF women. Aud there have
been voluntary societies, religious or secli-
lar, of which the Society of Friends is the
most known, by whom that principle was
| recognised But there has been no political
community or nation in which, by law, aud
usuage, women have not been in a state of
political and civil inicfiority. In the ancient
world the same fact was alleged, with equal
truth, in behalf of slavery. 1t might have
been alleged in favor of the mitigatcd form
of slavery, serldoln, all through the middle |
ages. 1t was urged against freedom of in
dustry, freedom of conscience, freedom of
the press; none of these liberties were
thought compatible with n wcll-ordcred |
State, until they had proved their possibility |
10y actually existing as iacts. That AN insti- |
tuition or practice is customary is 10 pre-
sumption of its goodness, when any other
sufficient cause eau he assigned for its exis- |
tence. There is no difficulty in understand !
in why the subjection of women has been |
custom. No other explanation is needed |
than physical force.
1hat those who were physically weaker
should have been made legally inferior is
quite contormable TO the mode in which the
world has been governed. Until very late
ly, the rule of physical strength was the
general law of human affairs. Throughout
history, the nations races, classes, which |
lound themselves the strongest, either in mus |
cles, in riches, or in military discipline, have
conqured aud held in subjection the rest
IT, even in the most improved nations, the
law of the sword Is at last discountenunced
as unworthy, it is only since the calumniat-
ed eighteenth century. Wars of conquest
| have only ceased since democratic revolu-
tons began. The world is very young, and
has but just begun to cast off Injustice. Ii
| 'J 6NNhi'5 Aih Vi HNSlO SluNtlNs-
II is only now getting rid of monarchical
despotism. 1t is only now getting rid of
hereditary feudal nobility. 1t is only now
getting rid of disabilities on the ground OF
religion. 1t is only beginning to treat any
men as citizens, except the rich aud n favor
ed portion OF the middle class. Can we
wonder that II has not yet done as much for
women! As Society was constituted until
the last few generations, inequality was its
very basis; association grounded on equal
rights scarcely existed; to be equals was to
be enemies; two persons could hardly CO.
operate IN anything, or meet in any amic-
able relation, without the laws appointing
that one of them should he superior to the
other. Mankind have outgrown this state,
and all tlnDgs now tend to substitute, as the
general principle of human relations, a Iust
equality, instead of the dominion of the
strongest. But of all relations, that between
men and women being the nearest and
most intimate, and connected with the great
est number OF strong emotions, was sure TO
be the last TO throw off the old rule and re-
celve tile new for ia proportion TO the
strength of feeling, is the tenacty with
which il clings TO the forms and circumstan-
ces with which il has even accidentally be-
come associated
When prejudice, which has any hold on
the feelings, find itself reduced TO the un-
pleasant necessity of assigning reasons, il
thinks It has done enough when il has re-
asserted the very point in dispute, in phrases
which appeal TO the pre-eXisting feeling
Thus, many persons think they have SUI.
ficienty justified the restrictions on yomens
field of action, when they have said that the
pursuits from which women are excluded are
unieminine, and that the proper sphere of wo-
men is not politics or publicity, but private
domestic life.
A Recommendation
TO FRIEND WANTING BOOK KEEPER.