The Kansas herald of freedom., 1856-03-08

sious3su quesuohs touching the char
rcter of the Legislation which IS to cons
crate the virgin, nay. the sarugs soif of
Kansas, to progressive civilization.
1t is legitimate subject of inauirv
what new rounds viii Kansas add TO d.
ladder of Freedom? for each new Ss.,.
has taken some step in advance Of i.
predecessors, rejected some legal barba,
ism, some remnant of feudalism still !,
wrought in the policy of older STATE
What new pledges of humanity shall
eternal justice win from the Legislators
of Kansas? That Kansas will legislst.
with the intent to protect her Sxk;,.
male citizens in the enjoyment Of equ.l
rights, is . conceded point. She esnnO,
do less than this. But the black mali,
and white females, what will she do for
them? The latter will be allowed to livs
in the State because-happy eifcun.
stance-the free '.whiie males can't Get
along comfortably without them Bu
will the area of their freedom be extend.
led? The adopted constitution ignores
their political rights will the Legisls.
ture recognize their equal, legal rights
Will it copy the laws of the Easten
States, or the more generous provisions
lof the Illinois and the Missouri code for
married women and widows? Will they
initiate the laws of Kentucky and Can
Isda and allow women (the educators Of
the race, to vote in district school meet
lings? Or will they continue to IA,
widows and single women. yet deny
them the right of representation, even i
matters admitted to be in "woman's
lsphere ?'' Will our Kansas Legislature
learn from Iowa, and restore to the moth.
ters of the State their joint rights Of
guardianship, giving the mother equally
with the father the control of the child
during their joint lives. and in the even.
Of his death. recognizing her as guardian
during its minority? hope the warn.
hearted, honest yeomanry among your
Legislators will see to this themselves,
for if the lawyers fix up the matter, they
may think the prospect for business in
the settlement of estates fairer, if they
compel the widowed mothers in al
the States except Iowa-to pay the court
fee for the privilege of being appointed
guardian over her own children. The
! widows and children, in the present an.
rsngement of settling estates by Law,
when the fathers die, are taxed and rob.
I bed IN. The ehaPe .of sfses for cousmisSias-
ers' administrators and judges Services
But the lime is coming when this whol
system of legal espionage vii: be abolish
ed; when community will deem it un.
necessary and outrageous to send mel
into the desolated home of the widow to
overhaul and appraise her household
goods, divide up the resources, discon.
tinue the business, and thus break up
the family, often compelling the broken.
hearted mother to 'put out'' her little
ones from under her own care, and turn.
ing herself out to service or the poor
house. | repeat, the time will come
when community will deem such cours
as suicidal to the interests of the family
! and community. as if applied in the case
+. of the mothers decesse. Let the wid.
owed mothers remain as nndislurbed IS
: the widowed fathers to prosecute the bu,i
ness, meet the debts, and keep their
| children under their own hearing, and
let the action of probate courts be confR.
. ed to the settlement of such estates and
. such only as have no capable surviving
partner, in case such partner desires the
aid of legal advisers. If injustice OBJ.
$ tains, let the courts decide, as in other
t cases. Is this asking TOO much for wo-
men, on whom the greater responsibility
in the care and training of their children
t is admitted to rest !? If they are the
$ weaker sex physically, why do Legisla-
i tors cut them off with less means forsup-
port, when death sewers the union? The
: Surviving husband, the stronger man,
n must retain his home and all the proper
: ty when the mother dies, in order ''tO
: keep the family together r But the
mother, whose influence and training are
e deemed SO necessary for the childreH, and
e 10 prepare them for Statesmen, Presidents,
Governors, judges; Fathers of strug.
: CLING Kansas l ask you not to do By
: woman as she has been done by in tbs
4 Legislation of other States-Iask you DO.
to protect children as they are protected
: in other and old States, but entreat YOU
t to legislate for the mothers, legislase fOr
, your wives as you legislate for yourselves
a Make them your companions, your equals
g in legal rights, that 10 case you die frst
your children may still nestle in moth-
} er's arms, be restrained by the loving
authority of q mother, and never fail d
: a protector by reason of the legal inabl-
e ity of their most disinterested parent and
!. friend.
Il But / did not intend to dwell so losl
. on this point when l commenced. Ii
d importance must be my excuse if tbs
g viii not suffice. let me add am mothei'
( and in the past have found my oEnbsnd,
e eied by the Law which denies the rightO
q guardianship over her first children o
: the mother married again.
i With heart painfully alive to ID:
). safety and honor of our noble State. tbs
9 is to be. ] remain truly yours. DC,