New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-02-22
CONJUGAL "REBUKEs."
In Mrs. Z. Oakes Smith late disquisition OF
Divorce she lets drop the following remark;

Divorce she lets drop the following remark;
&" One reason why men are more true, noble ana
beautiful in their aspect abroad, - because tney ht'o
no m. unanimous IDEAS in regard n home Tley carry
the meanness or arrogance or dishonesty "aA-1 ua1'
10 retuke there, sbroSd"
1t would appear from this paragraph that
Mrs. Smith is little inclined 10 De rdd'es! in
her reforms Of the relations between the sexes.
Mrs. Smith is doubtless an excellent woman,
and woman Of strong powers. But she Is
also. plainly. to say the least a managing wo'
man. And We entertain vague suspicion that
If al the women were TO become just ike her,
that there would soon have to be reform
started in favor of meas rights. Mrs Smith
declares very distinctly that the reason why
men are no better than they should be, is be-
cause they are not properly "rebuked at
home. She is evidently of opinion that 8
little diurnal training on the part of the wife
would essentially improve the mind and man
nsrs of the husband. Now we wish TO De pa
tent with the efforts of woman to help her
self and improve her condition, and therefore
we feel sorry TO see such things as this come
from the pen Of woman who is aiming at the
mission of reformer in this respect. The idea
of making a pan noble and beautiful in bis
aspect abroad BY starting him dowa stairs OF
pleasant morning and out on 70 the sidewalk by
the sharp sting of a rebuke from his wife,
does not come over us like the odor OF roses.
1t may be the best way to make a" beauty
of a husband according 20 Mrs. Smiths notion
of that appendsge to woman, but really we
should mt fancy the sample OF man who could
be improved by such a process.
Ii is such poor trash as this that brings down
overwhelming rdicule upon the very best en-
beavers in the best of causes. Than such
suggestion as is here contained, there is moth
ing more intrinsically odious in the worst laws
of the past in relation to the authority OF the
man over the woman. IL is the essence of sta
tutes providing that woman might be logged
by the husband with q stick no bigger than his
thumb. For in just such an idea, are all such
laws bottomed. 1t is that of conjugal correction.
IL is first "rebuke," and then a pulling OF
the ears, and so on, step by step, till the
woman is led out with halter round the neck
and disposed of to the highest bidder. What
Mrs. Smith would seem 20 intimate, is, that
turn about is fair play" And that what has
been tried upon the women hitherto for their
improvement, should now be tried upon the
men. 1t is dismal to find discussion on these
topics thus turning back upon its sources.
We are perfectly content to admit the doc
trine of the equality of the sexes in the con-
jugal relation, and to spurn the idea of slavish
submission on the part of the wife, beliey'
ing that its necessary consequence is the de-
graduation of the woman, and the brutalizing Of
the man. But this is far enough short Of adyo-
eating the idea of the propriety of mutual re-
buke." We would make home the heaven oi
the affections. The doctrine Of rebukes
makes it their hell.