New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-06-06
THE RIGHTS OF WOMAN.
Chic WomaD's Right Convention.
Correspondence Of the New-forN Tribune.
FIRST DAY-EyENISG SESSION
AKroS. (Ohio) Wednesday, May

Alan early hour the church WAS crowded
oh an intelligent audience, a-l many went away,
ING unable to find standing room
The resolutions previously introduced by the Com
.,t,ee. recognizing The perfect equality Of Woman
9Th Man and demanding the repeal OF all laws and
..,,,,ery customs making distinctions between the
seyes- we're still under discussion.
n, IL well here to state the doctrine Of Won ans
Rights that one may have az excuse for cayihng.
soeernc or miTcprcSentng THIS reform. as the peO-
30 Of both sexes are habitually doing. The links Of
he philosophical cham that encrces TINS subject
Freetom IS a law Of Nature, and demands a TO-
,sl exemption from all restraints Nature repels re-
sfrant because It impedes her own development.
Mar IS an intelligent being, having the control
ofhis Own conduct but as he IS also social being,
and is brought into relation with every other inie-
gent existence, he must have regard well TO the
interests Of others as OF himself N the regulation Of
his conduct
fenor development, TO regard the rights Of others ,
life liberty and property are n1angered-thcrefore
society has the right TO prescribe such Restraints upon
human liberty as are demanded 10 preserve the public
.rdr; and this is the only ground on which the re-
snaints of law custom can be justly imposcdit Is
amattcr Of necessity.
4 Laws making distinctions between the sexes in
respect 10 rights unnecessary for the preservation
ohe public order and as all unnecessary restraints
soutraYcEc Nature IN her onward work of develop
Ing The True and the Good, 50 do the peculiar re-
lilfOStQ upon NNOiHdi lNlIitlt NtI QcNtOp-
nent and occasion much OF the political social and
rsIi0ious disorder that prcYails
q Nature has defined the spheres Of the sexes, and
an human enactments can improve the natural order
N tbs respect the sexes should be equally permit
led 10 follow the attractions Of nature, and al re-
GRANTS should be upon iDvDordity alone, and be
e0naIly imposed upon both man and woman.
4 Roth sexes should be educated under precisely
the samo influences. and by the same means for
;he male and the female plant grow ont Of the same
coil so the male and the female cannot be truly
developed unless brought under precisely the same
disciplinary influences.
anse for discussion between the friends and the enc
ses of tins reform, IS, whether the pubic OTdeT de-
mands any restraints upon woman which are not
also imposed upon man. The reporter hereof under
akes TO say that all the advocates OF WOman'S
Rights recognize the above as the fundamental prn-
eples of the reform, and DC believes that few can be
found to dissent from one OF them. If they are adj
mtted by all, the injustice of which woman com
rains is papabe TO all, and the question Is whether
his Injustice shall be contlnucdl
The evening session was devoted TO the discussion
AZ the principles of the resolutions. After short
,reeches from J. w. Walker, and NJ Il. Robinson Of
IA, Bugle. Mrs. Cor, and Mrs. SwISSHELM of The
saturday Visitor, ably argued the relations OF the
sexes.
had frequently been compared with that Of the slave,
and she thought with considerable justice. she
found very striking analogy IN many instances.
The master eXaCtS the labor OF the slave so the nus
band has The right 10 exact the labor OF ms wife. The
master may chaStlsc ms slave 80 may the husband
chastse his wife. The master may restrain the ilb-
srty OF the slave so may the husband that oil 'he
wife in cases of gross ml>dCmeanOr, Whlle ne may
visit the house Of shame, the gaming table, and the
dunkards haunt, and over. his conduct the law al
lows her to exercise no other than moral restraint.
But there is one species of restraint which she
can exercise and that is 10 insist upon accompanying
him on these missions. lft be right Tor nm 10 go, II
snght for her to assist him IN that righteousness
The slave has no right under the law 10 his own
rfgf hsrfC
band may take the hard earnings OF ms wife which
are necessary 20 buy bread for the children ana ldy-
sh them upon the harOt who has robbed her OF ms
affections The wife has no legal control over her
children the husband may bind them out without
even consulting her The husband, while the wife hVes
with him. compelled To furnish her with the neces-
saries of life, but he rs not obliged 10 do any thng
more for her, and he has authority TO compel her 10
live where and move when he directs. In one sense
the wife Is considered the property OF the husOahu.
He is entitled to her services and earnings, can sue
for an injury done her, the same as though done 10
his horses cattle, &c, and put the collected damages
In his own pocket But she has no CLAIMS on MS
property while he lives, except Tor necessary support
and has no right OF action for an INJURY done TO NM
though she lose his society, protection ana support
bV the means Her reputation may be injured, ana
vet without the consent of her husband she cannot
appeal TO the law, and ruth that consent ne again
pockets the damages
Should he leave her for the space of three years
without providing for her necessities, the law VIII
grant her a divorce. And # during that perOl Oh
neglect she OBTAIN Claims TOT StiNl''n
her own hands, he may collect at his pleasure ana
pocket the money.
And vet these laws says Blackstone, are for The
most part intended for the protection ana oenehl Oh
woman-S0 great fayorlte Is the female sex IN the
laws Of England. Great laughtcr) ,
II is true that the wife is permitted 10 ENJOY ulS
her life One-third of the income of her hSoahd eS-
tate after has DEATH and certain articles oil houSenou
necessity are set off to the widow very lately, too'
through the laborS of the Land RcormerS, the Home
stead Exemption has begun to improve her cohuluoh
IN some States.
Mrs Goes speech was most effective: 1t was
Spiced with genteel and cutting sarcasm tht uIo'S
home the expressions 10 which her sex Is SuDJecte1
Mrs. SwISSHELM followed IN her peculiar StrNh Oh
Wit and sarcasm which excited the greatest m'IIl,
ment Having some objections TO the manner anu
matter OF the regular resolutions, she presenter an
interesting series which embodied her own we VI
Che reform, and the mode of carrying IL forward SuS
relieved the Committees resolutions "'!C OVu.',.
IN language OF improper severity ana ullStI ~
redundancy and some of which were uncalIcI iol
and unworthy of the Convention. She objected on
this account TO the third, fourth and MIN
as gwen below The reporter regrets the absence Oh
copy Of her resolutions. Her mode OF oPcI1'lo"
Was TO cOnfne attention TO one single species % "
preston until that is removed, and then, as she eN
pressed It, plant our batteries for more euS'tuHi
assault upon other oppreSSlonS She MOuAu az" H.
have 1t distinctly understood that We recognize ''S
male and female body the male and the female mlhu,
and male and female duties and thal We IcPu ,h
the notion that the sexes are perfectly equal IN iheSe
respects Woman is not equal To man III az 'n''s''
neither Is man equal to woman IN all respects. -
The resolutions OF Mrs SwlSShelm were Iaiu oH
the table with those of the committee, TO DC V"'O' "t
al some other time, and the Convention adlouihV"'