Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1854-05-06
THE ANTI-sLAvERY BUG LIE.

legislators, or successors to such, have already
aiken many advance steps in the march Of progress
md the recognition Of the needs Of the sex whose
welfare we seek.
We know that appeals similar to ours are being
made elsewhere, but in our own case. we feel es-
pecially honOred and hopeful in coming before a
legislative body which has represented more nearly
and promptly than those of many Of our sister
States the higher freedom and effort of our age
Thus stating the basis upon which We venture
before you-the agencies which have influenced,
the motives which have prompted, and the hopes
which encourage to efOrt-let us refer more
definitely to the special petition whose granting we
seek. We have asked that women should have
equal rights with man-yow sisters, wives and
mothers with yourselves, in the holding and dis
posing of property We know, as before in
timatel, that preceding Legislatures have SO
modified and amended our statutes, that woman
has here the right denied in many of our States to
property which comes to her by inheritance or be-
quest before marriage, and that such property may
be secured to her after marriage-but We also
know that of all the "rents and profits" Of such
property, If real estate she is stilllegdy deprived
and may, therefore, although the virtual owner of
broad acres, be as pcnniless beggar any paupcr
of the town--accordng to the cruelty caprice Of
the man to whom she is legally bound that Of all
the earnings of her hours Of early morning or
weary midnight toll of all the outcomings OF her
to her. but may be at any time seized and appro-
priated by an unnanly and tyranRical or debauched
husband, while herself and children are reduced
to the verge Of starvation, aye even beyond thai
verge il she be to proud or too tender TO make
complaint; that she is still treated with legal in.
justice in the denial Of her right to be n joint
partner during the life, and sole heir at the death
Of the husband, to all the property Inherited from
either ancestry, or acquired by mutual thrift and
skill and industry; that in direct contradiction tC
the universal admission Of her equality of mora
nature and the superior trustworhiness and con
stancy Of her mOtherlOve, she is prcjudged by the
ior ms unworthy Of equal confidence toward the
children OF her care and sorrow, who are subject
during the life Of the father, to he taken from her
and without her consent, or in disregard to her en-
treaties, apprenticed by him under the worst o.
conditions, or given away ns he may choose tina
in case OF divorce, although the husband may hav,
been the guilty one, the children are IegdHy his
and are thus oltentimcs taken from a loving ant
capable mother, at n tender age TO be committed t.
the " tender mercics" and evil example of a re
vcngciul and degraded fnthor-and that in case O
the death Of the father, however poorly lie ma,
nave hllcd, or however greatly he may have dis
hunorcd that relation, the children may also be ic
gaiiy taken from her guardianship, or entrusted t.
1t only to choose another guardian ut an age to,
early for prudent choice, and under n legal provis
ion which thus weakens and impars every way he
authority, by its implied assumption Of her infer
lorty and incapacity that the law yet enters will
ct' c ~ Iscngv' anu 'he Iu'neSs ah'
portlonng heartlcssy, the sacred memorials of tn
dead, and II the husband have left no children
wv al save hieagre WWd OF the proper
to relatives upon the husbands side however dis
tant or above nccd-and, if there be children set
ung up ts guardianship over both widow an'
orphan while in fact, the poor dolt may have bcel
the survivor tbc actual or ond cn;i, "o 49, o
dcnco ""N '''-''' N'P0'
such laws. contlcmor If tho sono,o r,o, has,
been less ,ainoLv nninst in Tho dor" 81 nIf ;ano,
ing of Womnn's common bnnoniiy In ,ho fand
where all elevation il denicd Lcr and undor mn,
erpmonts whore costo and ra,L ,,i,n roood ~ oo'
and oyershadow nltocethcr tho inJ,yidmoI Lima
being but. under her n,c.crt condition os
daughter of n free domocracv md wi,h ,be Ga -,
I of her undcninble suner;ori,y in ,,ul,;,ndos :
cases. in mind. conasity and ~ ali ,hc hiabcr n
tributes of humanity. 10 tho aon hro,hcr hnshan
and father or more distant ,noin roIa,;ro ,,nn
whose good pleasusc these lovs nov, ,noko hor 4,
pendent; they are not only grossly uniust but D
dicyouSy innppropriatc when NOT oIns too sorrov
fully cruel.
4 Gentlemen of the Senotc--brolbors lot II ~,
be said by YOU that our appeals are groundless nm
T our appearance only an outLrcok nf unbnIv nn,h
ton when throughout eitv md bomlo, and 'bilIsid
of our own beautiful State. snrb decds orc don
under the aeis of your laws and .he nrotertinn ,
your legislation. as should mako ,be oars ~ n
who hear them 10 tinole. surh doods of ,,ropo an
oppression as should crimson the cheek of oiI ci,
ilizaion and write JayJayisD, over our iudc;ol an
Legislative records.
; Wo bove osLod r,o.oo,.ou A.. A. =,
cloc,ivc fronc%is m ',i' ',ie rignt VI u
e ~ s'""''' "oin""-'n"' r'sh'
, "hicn executes me !'ee mans will, as lghtnir
I ooes the VIII oil Uou'
2 You NAV thoughtlessly Imagine that such r;gbt
: little needed in the case of woman.
, But ,rhy, we would ask. is il less needed than
G vour own? Is her nature so utte,ly different th
a ts interests are not as Intimately Connected wi
her wellbcinc as are YOUR interests with vou orr
+ Are her relations 10 society and the world loss rc
:. and vital than yours? Arc tho great themes
lrullc thought and governmental action. less
Inc wife and mother. than TO the SON husband a,
lntber? can IL be less 70 her i'm those most tend
4 of ali relations. that means of physcal and ma,
5 death arc suffered TO claim the nrotoction oI l.
, III H.. L.. Ill, .,,,o IL ~ :: -. =, -