Muscatine journal. [volume] (Bloomington, Iowa) 1849-185?, 1853-06-03

There seems to Be considerable agitation
throughout the whole country upon the
subject Of "Woman's Rights." Our col.
umns have ever been open 10 any who d.
sired 70 discuss the matter, and ~ have
been pleased to publish several eommuni-
cations upon the subject.
Woman's rights! What 10 Il that woman
dsmandss Il she dissatis6sd with che sphere
in which she moves? Can she ask for
more elevated position in society," Does
she desire to occupy higher niche in the
temple Of fams2 This latter inquiry can
not sdmit Of an affirmative reply, Tor the
the name Of woman il already inscribed on
the very threshold Of heaven, and TO prog
ress higher she must throw Of her mortal.
~.
How holy, how sublime . mission has
woman to perform on sarthl How mighty,
yea how terrible the power man has invest
cd her with! In her hands 10 entrusted the
future welfare Of the most enlightened and
intelligent nation upon which the sun ever
deigned to shine. Yes, tho women Of our
country are to forever shape ito destiniss.
II in the counsels Of the nation corrupt
and unprineipled men have gained seesss
by trsschsry, arti6ce or double dealing, you
may rest assured woman has failed 10 ssset
her part we'll" II in our legislative halls
you hear the grim yell Of disunion, depend
upon Il woman has failed TO do her duty; II
you end the general character Of our eoun-
try base and immoral, and the fselings and
tastes Of its people vitiated, then woman
is soaring above her sphere; II you 6nd our
psnitentiariss and jails crowded with de-
PRAYED and vicious knsvss; il you behold
that direst curse Of despair-intsmpsranes,
stalking like . cloud Of FIRE over the fairsst
portion of the civilised world, consuming
and destroying myriads Of human beings in
its devasting course, you may nationally
conclude woman 10 agitating reform.
Give country pure and virtuous women
and il need never fear for its men. II would
then be - impossible for corruption and
diseord TO disturb the harmony Of ito gov
eminent, - for purity and virtue to dis
grace their possessor.
Woman you have . noble work TO per.
form. The moulding the dsstiniss Of .
mighty nation 10 not visionary phantom,
neither is il an snviabls task. Then arouse
you! Wake up! Throw aside the miscon-
esived notions that you are degraded and
dsbassd; that man 10 your opprsssor and
calumniator. Did not man place implicit
confidence in your integrity, judgment and
wisdom, in the name Of heaven Why does
he permit you to occupy station sslittls be-
low the angslsp" You have msritsd this
appellation BY exercising that mild, gentle
and bsns6oent inAssnes which il has pleased
heaven to deny 10 man. Man, on the con-
trafy, 10 possessed Of stern, eonmandina
influence which the sxperisnss Of Ill age,
has dcmonstratsdi 10 infinitely weaker thaa
that yielded BY woman.
n Woman, you are already ssAtsd upon The
highest summit Of worldly fame or earthly
! grandeur, and We wonder not that you
grow dissy casing down fronyour SELF bail,
pyramid on high: We do not esnsurs you
for striving to throw OF the wsighty res
possibilities imposed upon you, bat in this
age Of progress, We cannot conceive why
you should desire TO rstrogads, and be
willing to occupy station on IN equality
with the sterner sex. You are, at the sam.
time laboring to destroy and demolish the
very foundation Of our eountry's happi.
ness and prosperity; and that too, without
permitting even foot-hold to remain up
on which to erect monument over ito RI.
ins. Let people overturn the Onoral in.
institutions Of their country without sug-
costing or creating Improvements, and TIL
whole civilized world would condemn th.
perpetrators to endless infamy and dis
grace.
Tom Paine-a man who labored with
esmmendabls vigor and easnestness In de.
tending our eountry's rights in tho 'stimsa
that tried mems SOULS" and who done .,
much towards the successful prosecution ol
the American Revelation ~ any other per.
son, and who received vote Of thanks fol
such services from the United States Con
gress, WAS afterwards doomed 10 infamy
and disgrace BY the unanimous voice Of
this same American people. What caused
this complete revelation in the minds Of
the people? Tom Paine strove 10 tear into
shreds the very bulwark which protects u
from internal annihilstion. He sought q
destroy the beautiful temple which he, him.
self, had laborsd 80 sealoasiy to construct
and adorn, and that, too, without recon-
mending or substisias feasible plan Of
moral or religious government in it stead
Woman, be content. At least DO not e.
itats reform Ut the risk OF nation's hap.
pinsss and prosperity. Mature fsvsrsst
can never b prodactivs' Of any great good
and to occupy any other sphere, except III,
one which you now sncunber, and fol
which nature has sbundaatly qual:Asd you
would Be to thwart the beniAesat designs ol
your Creator.
HCLosED Ur.-We learn from the Burlins.
ton Telegraph, that on the 18th, the Shsr.
il, By order Of the Court, closed up Ill the
drinking establishmsnts in that town. A
good idea. We do not contend that Til
will suppress drunkenness sntirely-but