Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1852-06-05
NO. 38.

who shrink with horror from the thought of
companionship with SO monsifous q being
ns a woman fully nlive to the widest ard
best interests of humanity, would still he
met. So while we urge the right of woman
20 an independent recogniTon,nt lnerc mat.
ter of justice apart from all consideration Of
consequences, we yet do not hesitate to exa
press our most entire confidence that all
such results could not but he in every souse
desirable and happy, The very iriYoliiy
which men now mock or mourn according
60 their Mood would be removed by an ear
nest enlightened interest in the graver aues.
sicrs which so delight, absorb, and deveIope
thp intellects of statesmen and pllanthro-
pists. The acquiring of nn education which
should fit her for independence aud self rcli.
unce, and give her steady aim in life, would
banish the hours of unrest and listlessness
which now prevail and more than all else
would rescue the most holy of all relations
the beautiful sacrament of marriage
from being profaned to necessity, and be-
coming curse. And in all the relations of
life would the benefit Of an enlarged aud
generous culture be eminently manifest
The consciousness of life thoroughly lived
out, of fitness for all its needs aud cnier-
gencies, aud of Just estimate in the scale
of being, would he, to those who could so
well appreciate them, immcasurable blcs-
sings. Suffered to assert herself not echo
another, TO reverence the image and voice OF
her God ia and about her, limited to the copy
of no imperfect model, and thwartcd Ivy the
will of no erring mortal, woman, with her
high aspirations aud heroic endurance, would
attempt all the possible in Goodness and
Truth, mud earth would behold n being of
higher beauty aud loGier proportions than
hnup Irann,pI 80 Il.
my filth in the mission Of woman aud her
fitness for il, that cannot fear that any re-
suits OF glaring improperly or narrow indies
cretion shall ensuc from granting the full
frecdOm of her being. Certainly her innate
sense of proprety, aud all of purely selfish
ambition would forbid any unbccoming ego.
tism of place or power, and even her present
state of cultivation, aud admitted superiority
of moral nature, would fit her for compari-
son, to say the least with many, who 10y vir-
tue of mere manhood have, aud hold su.
prcnlacy over her.
| am well aware of the considerations
which avail to hinder the cooperation of
those who cannot gainsuy the arguments, or
deny the facts urged by the advocates of This
question, aud many of whom, cannot but
have ns women and MS thinkers, n hearty IN
terest therein. With some, il is n lack oi
sympathy with different shades Of opinion
advanced; with others, n spirit of caste thu,
shrinks from contact with the personal aud
social position of many of those engaged.
But it would not he wise To seek, nor well to
find n perfect unaninity of views in the
counsels OF any who aim at evolving the
highest good. This could only be Obtained
by n compromise of individuality neither de-
sirable nor becoming; or n uniformity OF
mental organization totally unlike tlint or
,aincd by the wisdom of the Creator. And
the exclusive spirit which cannot recognize
each fellow luborer who is efficient aud true
in any department of useful effort, is beneath
n human creature, impossible to an earnest
ursrlfsh soul, aud must, it generally applied,
purnlizc and PROSTATE all efforts aud lnstl-
iulions.
1t is also objected that no practical good
can lie accomplished by the assembling oI
conventions; but to me it seems much II we
eau but rci,crate by the voice of multitude
upon the public ear, the right Of woman to
M individual hearing. For here in orr land,
no man can be truthful 10 the genius OF our
80 vnuntcd institutions, who shall deny to
any being that first right of all and 10y urg-
inr the alternative of granting woman Il
moral agent, aud all the rights aud freedom
of one, or consistently denying both, we
shall rouse him to his present injustice; for
| am not of those who would dcnouncc us
willul oppressors, those who have hereto
fore been thouglcssly unjust. cannot be-
lieve that the many, bound by the ties OF
near relationship To loving, dependent women
could Systematically wrong them. And TO
such as these, stating our arguments fairly,
and presenting our claims kindly, we may
confidently sppcal. Justice may be tardy,
but it will surely come.
Aud we ask only of the opposition that il
lie n manly one-measuring weapon hy
weapon in open conflict, rather Than 10y the
cowardly thrust in the dark, and the easy but
weak smeer. We know it has been assumed
legitimate among women of superficial
miuds aud perverted nlultons,
-"To wink reputation down."
hut we have yet TO learn that :" the eternal
wears of Truth" can be thus easily obtera-
fed. Indeed, il were TO he hoped for the
mere credit of their own ability, that those
who have the honor TO represent the Anclen,
family of the Opposition to all which tran
scends the low lines of former vision, or eX
,ceeds the bounds of past efforts, should nj
ieast spare us the repetition of the oldcn
farce, over which, from tho time of Calico,
md Harvey, and Des Caus,
.'Has pcaled the loud laugh of the world"
For no more now than then, can facts he dis
proved by rdicule, or earnest investigation
sienced by neglect. Enquiry, now no lon
ger a tiinorous fedgling, mounts with bold
strokes on tireless wing in magnanimous
search after the ultimate in Goodness and
Truth, and vain are all attempts to fet!er or
stay that dauntless flight. Courage, disdain.
ing its earlier aud brutal manifestation upon
the battle field, is doing its npbler work
lighting the eye, nervng the hand, aud swell
ling the heart of even pale fhced maidens,
and meek-eyed matrons, for deeds of high
.endeavor and holy triumph. Sisters;