Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1854-05-06

We, your niemorialists respectfully represent to
your honorable body, that by the common law OF
England, and the common law, constitution, and
statutes OF the State of Ohio which together con
stltute the Law as at present administered, woman
IS deprived Of certain natural rghts which ought
20 be inscparabc from her existence and is sub
Joctcd 70 certain legal disabilities which circum-
scribe her sphere, and diminish her usefulness.
Deprived of these rights, which were originally
nsurped by the husband, and subjected TO these
disabilities, which were afterwards by him enacted
into laws, TO insure his ilgoucn possessions, the
persohd IOcrfy Hc property, and he children of the
wife, legally and by consequence actually con-
trolled by the husband In the opinion Of your
mcmoralists these usogcs which arc many and
grievous, ought to be thoroughly and speedily re-
dressed and their disabilities, which are Of n like
character, ought to be ns thoroughly and speedily
removed. Therefore, We earnestly pray you in
whom Is vested the power Of restoration, so 70
change the constitution and laws Of this State:
lst, That marriage shall not destroy the legal in
dividuality.o of woman.
by marriage the husband and wife arc ono per.
son in law, that is the very being or LEGAL exist
cnce of woman is suspended during the marriage
or Incorporated or consolidated into that Of the
husband, aId ncithar party by any conveyance nj
common Law, can give an estate to the other nci.
toer can n,hey contract or eoycnant one with the
other Black. 355, 1856
ID, That the husband shall not have powcr TO
control the personal liberty of his wife
by this old law, the husband might give his wife
correction IN the same moderation that man was
allowed to correct his apprentices or children; but
in tho time Of Blackstone the wife might bnye SO.
curity OF the peace against her husband though
the courts of law still permitted tho husband 10.
restrain his wife of her liberty. Black SG6. In
the state Of Ohio the law and tho practice of the
courts are IN every respect the same as in England
at the period above mentioned. The husband may
compel his wife to remain at home when she would
prefer to 60 abroad to 20 10 one church when she
would prefer to 90 to another, to change her resi-
dencc whenever !; suits his convenience, and to do
numerous other things of similar character that
need not here be enumerated.
81. That the husband shall not have power to
bind or apprentice his offspring without the consent
Of his WIFE,
By the Law of England the mother has no legal
power over her child at any age and is only en-
titled to its and respect while the power
of tho father, which is almost absolute extends to
majority Black 373
This power is also recognized in Ohio, the stat
utes of which provide, that any male person within
the arc OF twenty-one years, or female person
within the age OF eighteen years may be bound
until they arrive NJ those ages respectively or iur
shorter period, to serve rs clerk apprentice ol
servant and that the indcnturc Of service shall be
Signed and sealed by the father. Swans Statutes G3
4th. That the wife may sue and be sued indc
pendent Of her husband or other person.
1t is rule Of the common law that every agree
mont of any nature, entered into by n married
woman, without the express or implied consent o
her husband, is absolutely void aud this rule pre-
walls SO strongly that woman may avail hcrse
OF hei cOvcrture to defeat Il contract though sh,
may have been guilty of fraud Black $751;
In Ohio where married woman is n partv he
husband may be joined with her except when th
action covers her separate property. she may SUI
without her husband, by her next friend. Wher
the action is between herself and her husband
she may be sued alone, but in every such actio
other thnn for divorce alimony, she shall prost
cute and defend by her next friend. Civil Code c
60.
5th. That the wife may maintain in her ow
name and right, an action for injury done her pcl
son, reputation, or property. -
by the common law which prevails in Ohio tn
wife could bring or maintain an action for an in
jury done to her own person, but the husban
could bring such action without the consent of hi
wife, the same as for an injury inflicted on hi
beast, and apply to his own use the damage thu
obtained. lie could also sustain an action for n
injury done his wife, reputation, but the wife q
daughter being minor had not then and hay
not now, any redress whatever but through til
the husband or the father Female virtue is no,
fcctly exposed to to the ISLANDERS Of malignity am
falschood Tor any one may proclaim in converse
tion, that the finest maid, or the chastcst motron
is the most meritrcious and incontinent of women
with impunity, or free from the nnmadversions {
the temporal courts and female honor. which
dcarcr to the sex than their lives, is left 10 be th
sport Of the abandoned calumnator Black 3G7
9th. lhat all property accumulated during co,
crture shall be owned by husband and wife i
common.
Womans personal property by marriage, b,
comes absolutely her husbands, which Mt his deaf
hc may leave entirely away from her, and the hu
band IS absolutely master Of the profits of hi
wiic,s hands during coyerture; and If he has ha
living child, and survives the wife, he retains m
whole of those lands, il they are estates of imheri
ancc during his life but the wife, if she survive,
is only entitled to dover out Of her husbands Q
1.eS yeG o' ihheri'ahce' lhis Is common law. Blac
O',. ..o,.
ps ,tu 'inso n', VI Dio' tno husband so far
eon,oa w o""ei V, MS Wl'es personal prOpcrt
-i'' II .nes "i,i'o ~ sei',rS her real estate, al
s~so~No ~ e1o hlono}, n y - ms ana II the money
i d a.'.I' 'i IIu.lns lle marriage invested
llhus "ni tho ttlc u'hcl % nlmhell, The lands q