Houma Ceres. [volume] (Houma, Parish of Terrebonne, La.) 1855-18??, 1855-08-09
The Proper sphere OF Woman.
BY HON. JOHN E. WARD.

The following extracts, taken from an
address delivered before the Graduating
Class of the Southern Female College, at
LAGRANGE, Ga, on the 4th of July, by
Hon. J. E. WARD, of Savannah, are we'll
timed and to the point. Speaking of the
true and proper sphere of woman, and al
luding to the social revolution involved in
the modern theory of Woman's Rights, as
taught by the Swishclms, Browns and Fos-
ters of the North, the author says:
If it be her own good will to carry
Marshal's Baton, and direct the course of
armies, the werld might well afford to
CRAFTY her at the present time. Her
achievements would certainly command
as much admiration as those Of the lordly
commander before Sebastopol. Should
she prefer the political arena, her voice
might echo through the halls of Congress
in swecter tones than are now heard in
either branch of that assembly. But,
whilst she was thus fulfilling the duties of
man, what would become Of sher own!
Shall the thousand delicate threads which
form the wool and warp of household
comfort be committed to the stronger but
coarser hands Of man? Shall he care for
the wants OF the fragile infant. whose very
life depends on incessant vigilance and
tenderest thought? Shall he strive to
modulate his voice to the soft accents.
and to dress his face in the smiles that
have so often cheered him in the hours OF
gloom, and sent him forth refreshed and
renewed for the combat of life! Believe
me, he would despair at the outset. We
acknowledge that it would need much
quickening of what is dull and sluggish
in us, much spiritualizing and etherealizing
Of what is heavy and earthly. ere we could
hope to fill woman's sphere with woman's
grace. II we oppose ourselves, therefore,
fair ladies, TO these changes in our social
economy, for which some of your sex have
of late so stoutly contended, it is not tina,
we suppose you incapable of performing
our accustomed labor, but that we shrink
with conscious inability from assuming
your more delicate, and certainly not less
important, duties. Should these changes
take place the world would still have its
rulers and its subjects, its statesmen and
its generals, its law givers and its law-ex.
Founders; but where, oh! where, would be
its homes and home delights! Where
would be the thousand tender associations
which bless our childhood, and on which
in age the memory loves to linger! Where
would be that chain so slight and yet so
strong, woven Of smiles and tears, of gen.
tie words and tender cares?-a chain
which woman, and only woman, weaves,
or can weave, yet which binds as nothing
else can bind our gay youth, and our ster-
ner manhood. to the purer memories and
holier aspirations that made our childhood
blessed. Hassqs ~
The author thus vindicates his own sex
from the charge Of degeneracy in chivalric
sentiment:
Perhaps, as have spoken Of chivalrous
courtesy, you have smiled at the express.
sion. You have said to YOURSELF chivalry
has passed away from the earth-it is now
only to be found in the pages Of the chron.
icler, the dreams of the poet, or the imag.
ination of the novelist. Who now girds
himself with knightly armor, and rides
forth in search of adventure, whereby he
may prove himself worthy of his lady's
favor! The Tournament, with its floating
banners and neighing steeds, its queens
Of beauty and Of love, and the gorgeously
appareled knights, who wore their colors,
and risked life and limb for one glance Of
their bright eyes, has indeed passed away.
The herald's voice is mute-the Marshal's
staff has fallen from his hand, and the
lists are closed forever. But is the knight.
~ spirit dead!-or is it not rather that we
enact now the stern reality Of that which
was once but family shadowed forth by
this mimicry Of war! No glittering ar
NOR now clothes our limbs, no waving
banner leads us on, no trumpet's call
stirs the quick blood, and enkindles the
glow Of courage, and no peans of praise
wait upon the victor. The world is our
battlefield, and from a greater than any
earthly power we derive the right to
stand within its lists, and the charge to
defend the right and to punish the wrong,
to protect the feeble, to be brave and true,
courteous and kind, and if we wear no
colors that proclaim our devotion to some
fair queen, not the less are we nerved for
a Al ,