Muscatine journal. [volume] (Bloomington, Iowa) 1849-185?, 1853-10-14
For the Journal.
WOmaR'S Rights.

Mr.. EDITOR In your paper of the 7th
inst, you ask what good has been accom-.
plished by the late Woman's Rights Con.
vention in New York, and answer ssnoth-
ing." That is just difference of opinion.
The public agitation of any subject that
has righteousness, justice, equality, and
common humanity for foundation, will
surely produce its effect upon . thinking,
rejecting and benevolent community; and
If woman's condition is compatible with
the laws of equality, justice ana humanity,
then where does wrong and oppression exist
on earth? Where is freedom trampled upou
If woman is free? Our fathers Of IS threw
of the yoke Of England because they were
taxed without being represented. Is not
woman in the same situation ? Our rights
in this nation ere protected by the ballot
box every privilege is obtain d through
the ballot-box, and who gave man the privi
lege to represent woman there? Ianswer,
it is usurpation and like all other oppres-
sions is based upon physical power and
maintained by the same.
You say the education and training of the
children is woman's peculiar business. So
do |. Now, in order to make an education
produce any influence upon the mind, it
must be of some partial use to the individ-
ual who receives it. Tell us, will you,
what use an education would be of to wo-
man who can aspire no higher than to nurse
the babies and get the meals ready in prop
er season for her lord ? just tell US, if YOU
please, what scenes those are that men alone
are fitted to meet? Are they proper for
men to meet? Are they within woman's
physical capacity? If so, why are they
not proper for her? just tell us what is
proper for man and what is proper for wo-
man Must she be confined to the kitchen
the wash-tub, coarsest of slop-work and
shirt making? Is her sphere alone to be
found in the very drogs of human employ
ment, AMI that at starvation wages? Has
she no part nor lot in the great work of hu-
man redemption May she not help to sup
press vice and crime? May she not help
W uo"lC lhOSc strcauS VI HOt uumudtlOn
which now food the world and wlther and
blast all human hopes, among which is in
temperance, from which she suffers so
much?
Now, it strikes me, it would be great
blessing to humanity and to woman if she
was n little more mas uline than she is. If
somc Of them could walk mile and not
rant they would he better of. The Wo.
nuns Rights Convention which met in
New York wa, suite genteel and spirited
a Hair, and ordcrl, so far as its members
were concerned, but the Worlds Temper
ance Convention was disgrace to humans
ty. Certainly the case must be urgent
which impels ministers of the gospel to act
the blackg uard in public assembly, and
.hat too in the presence of ladies. What n
spectacle it must have been to
see venerable ministers Of our meek and
peaceful religion transported with rage
and bursting with holy indignation because
a woman ished to assist in supprtssing
and had come up to the con-
vention to avow her intentions to the world!
Now, sir, if woman's condition is what
it should be, you can show it, and should
be glad you would do so-not by assertion,
bat by rca son and experience.
The time will soon como when man o.
your juhg emcnt will be ashamed to have it
known that be had ever held such senti :
mcnts rs that a.ticle contains.
RosE ABELL.