Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1853-01-08
6rlerteo ArtitIrs.
Employment for Women.


A contributor to llale's TO Dag, after n
pi'ilul disclaimer regarding Woman Rights
conventions, niukes the following just re-
n arks =
AT the hazard of hoirg considered ft
subject for straight Jacket we contend that
large portion Uf tie female seX from the
effect of custom and prejudice founded uci-
ther on nature nor common sense are deifuud-
ed Of their just rights. Every wurinn who
rs Obliged to gain livelihood by her own
exertiops, is subject to lnrdslips and wrongs,
which galanlry, IL not pliilanthrnpy should
encourage TO remove. Female labor, which,
AS general thing, il the lowest Kind of
drudgery, never receives an equitable renu-
neration. A firstraie drcss-niukcr gains u
dollar day for twelve hours labor. By
working every day in the year, she may ho
able to board and clothe herself, and have
few dollars left TO supply her other wants, or
TO meet the expenses OF sickness, which her
wearing occupation is sure to engcndcr-
Female teachers, TO whom we enliust our
little bnrharians," md which labor is of
the most harrassing nature, are worse paid
than the drcss-makcrs. In the dccending
scale of female labor, from The schoo-teacl-
er TO the maid-ot-all-work, the wages of Ia
Dor decrease as the drudgcry increases.
These evils can be greatly diminished; /;
and, although we cannot hope for the assis-
tance Of the theoretical philuntropsls who
are found in such supGrlluous pr0iusion in
New England, il is nevertheless to be hoped
that the practical bcnc,olcncc of the CON.
munity may be directed TO this object.
There nre many cmploymenis which are
so well adapted to women, MS apparently
TO be their prcrogaiive, which are now
usurped by men. What man ever entered
store on Washington street and saw hulf-
dozen or dozen over-dresscd, perliimed,
stIrking coxcoms,-lellows less lhnn wo-
men, in the shape Of men,-belind the
counter retailing pins md measuring of
tape, or dcludng inexperienced school girls
into purchasing worthless articles "ai nn
alarming slcrficc," without blushing for his
nlanlincss
The good sense of community reyolts at
this custom aud the term counterirIinpcr."
by which those noodles nrc designated, is a
term of repronch, implying, as it does, cf- |
ieminnncy, deception, nnd conceit. These |
" knights Of the yard stick" are robLiug hon
est women Of their bread, by usurping the
business which belongs to Them. Better
would il be for the community, better for
their own mnnness, thu, these fellows should
serve us porters, or even sweep the crossings,
thnn ill offices which disgrace themselves,
aud defruud those whom il should he the
duty ct every one TO protect. There are
other pursuits suited to women, requiring less
wear aud tear Of body than those which are
usually considered feminine enplnymeuis;
such as certain kinds of painting, carpentry,
and other mechanical professions.
So long as female labor retains its present
menial character and receives an inadequate
compensation, the cause Of virtue must be
the sufferer. by eleva,ing female labor, we
elevate the character of the lnborcrs; and !
10y removing the incentives to vice, we shall |
efieciunlly eradicate vice itself from the |
community.