Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1856-02-09
From Putnam for February.
A WORD FOR MEMS RIGHTS.

The notions which rule inside of mems heads,
and The praises in vogue to represent them are
hardly less liable to huctuation than is the fashion
Of the outward adornment, whether by hats, caps,
bonnets, pe'iwigs, or powder. Sixty or seventy
years ago, scarcely anything was SO much talked
Of as the rights of man. Where this phrase came
from, we cannot tell. 1t is not to be met with in
any writer of prior date to the middle of the last
century. James Otis used it in his famous tract
on the Rights of the American Colonies, nor are
We aware of any earlier appearance of it in print.
Sudden, however, and obscure as it's first appear
ance was, it took, and soon became one of the
most fashionable of phrases. 1t played a great
part in the American Revolution. 1t found its
way into our Declaration of independence, and
into the fundamental laws of most of our States
IL played a still greater part in the French revolu-
tion. Ten or a dozen French constitutions. more
or less, were founded upon it. Thomas Paine
wrote q famous book, with this title. For q while,
nothing was so much talked of as the rights of
map--talked of, we say--fOr, rs happened in the
case Of the thirsty Indian, so with respect to these
rights, it was pretty much all talk, with very little
cider.
In sixty years, however, fashions have changed.
The rights of man-once in everybody's mouth
are seldom heard Of now days--unless it be in an
abolition convention-OI, if mentioned at all, in
Congr ess and other respectable places, these rights
once the hope OF humanity, are referred TO, only
to be sneered at, as II flourish of rhetoric-a chi.
mera of the imagination.
Still, We are not left speeches. nor hopeless
Hope still remains at the bottom of the box, with
. line sounding phrase to back it. Let tho men
70 to the deuce. What of that? Does not lovely
woman still remain to us? To-day, the fashiona.
BILE phrase is -wOman's rights.
The women have discovered, or think they have
that they are. and long have been tyrannized over,
in the most brutal manner, by society, the laws,
and their husbands.
Woman's rights is now the watch-word of q new
nnvapnanf far snsini rafnrp, nnA auan Ga. xncl;t,aal
revolution-the women, among other things, claim,
ing to vote.
1t must be confessed that such general outcries
are not commonly raised, without some reason
They are the natural expressions of pain and un
satisfied desire. 1t was not without reason thai
America and Europe, towards the close of the last
century, raised the cry of the rights of man; and
90, we dare say, il is not without reason that thu
rights of woman are now dinged into our ears. =
Nor is this cry without a marked effect, not mere
ly upon manners and society, but also upon laws
Almost all our State legislatures are at work will
more or less diligence and enthusiasm, ~modifyin,
their statute books, under the influence of thi
new zeal. To that we do not object. Putnam i
for reform. Putnam is for progress. Putnam i
for woman's rights; but also for mans rights-fo
everybody's rights, and, in that spirit, we are go
ing to offer a few hints to our legislators, who's,
v~aulting zeal, on behalf Of the ladies, seems q lit
tie in danger of overlapping itself, and joltiug OF
.fethsr side. 1t is well to stand straight, but no
well to tumble over backward, in attempting t.
do SO.
Those who 60 about to modify our existing laws
rs 10 the relation of husband and wife, will d,
we'll 10 reject that the old English common law OF
this subject, if it be n rude and barbarous system
little suited to our advanced and refined state 0
society-which we do not deny-is also a cOnsis
tent and logical system, Of which the diferen
parts mutually rest upon and sustain each other
In the repair, or modification of such a system. i
is material that every part oil it should be takel
into account. Changes in one part will involv
and require changes in other parts; otherwise, al
terations, made with a view only to relieve tn
wife from tyranny and oppression, may work
corresponding injustice to the husband. Nor ar
Abe changes already made in our laws. partly b,
legislation and partly by usage, free from giarinI
instances of This sort.
The English common law makes the HUSBAND
the guardian and master of the wife. who stands
20 him in the relation Of q child and a servant. Ii
virtue VI this relation, the husband is legally re
sponsibie for the acts Of the wife. If she Sian
doris or assaults her neighbors, he is Joined witt
tho ~ife in the action to recover damages, and b,
alone Is legally responsible for the amount of dam
ages recovered. even to the extent Of being sent Il
jail in defanit Of payment He is likewise respon
sible for debts contracted by the wife to the sam,
extent ekas . father is responsible for the debts o
mis- minor children. Even in criminal proceeding
IL ID he wh3 must pay, or 20 TO Jail for DOT pawn,
the fines imposed on his wife; and there are man,
easss. even cases of felony, in which the wife, act
ing in concert with Der husband is excused iron
all panishmea.. On die presumption that she act
By bis eompaisiDn. though ia fact she may. as j.
= tks nesed case sf Maebesh's wife. have beea th
instigator- Pablo opiaion goes even fe- Soer thai
the law, and holds The husband accountable, to
certain extent, for all misbehaviors aud indiscre
tiszs 0u ths part OF bis wifs. Not only 10 he I