The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1857-07-09
Beating and Numbering Wives.

1t is no uncommon thing. in these days, to hear
of husband cruelty beating, or brutally murder
ing his wife. Society has become so accustomed
to the cries of helpless women and children, that
their horrd shrieks excite but little attention, and
the thrilling reports which greet the eye in almost
every newspaper are soon read and forgotten.--
There are some, however, whose ears never become
reconccd to the cries of misery-some who are
constantly panied with the misery of their fel-
low beings---and they have been studying the
causes which are operating to produce these sad
results We copy from Life Illustrated an extract
from On able article on this subect,which contains,
in our estimation, correct solution of the pro-
blem:
at is astonishing very. What makss man
beat or kill his wife What is the cause, and what
the remedy? Learned doctors discourse marvel
ousIy about moral insanity and arrangement Of the
bodily functions. Sage morasts thunder huge
anathemas against the depravity of our natures,or
of some natures. Profound legislators enact and
revise and repeal, and codify. and re-enact strin-
gent statutes. All these things are excellent in
their way, but they do not meet the questions be-
fore u.s. As well might the well-meaning child,
with paper fan in hand, undertake to keep off the
locomotive, or blow back the rushing tornado.
1t is said as we and our readers are aware, and
as everybody knows that all such men use lntoxi.
cI ing liquors and that,n all cases ut preceding
the whipping or the killing the husband "had been
drinking freely" But what has this TO do with it,
we should like TO know? -..
When drunkards kill their wives they are usu-
ally hung for it. OF course this is perfect pro-
lection 80 far as they are concerned But unior-
tunatey it does not help the matter with Others
The security of the drunkards wife requires him to-
be hung before he commits the murder. What wife
would care to have him punished in the way oil
hanging him afCrSard
But when husbands beat their wives short OF
killing them, they are brought up before the mag
is rate. He fines or imprisons them. How beau
tfully this proceeding protects the wife of his bos
ON and the children OF bis lCins 1t can never
Iuugh be admired Such man is almost always
a poor lahore. Much of his hard earnings ars
expended in the grug-shops for that which is not
bread. The woman struggles with all of wiles
devotion, and all of a mothers love to keep his
shame concealed and her sulferngs unknown, and
to keep her little ones from the alnshouse or from
furnishing before her eyes. But on u Saturday
evening, muddened with the Tunes OF the sparkling
denon he comes homenut to rest his weary limbs,
not TO lay the treasures OF weeks industry on
the family atarnot to prepare Tor season OF sweet
and re-nvigOraling rel ose and instruction oil the
coming Sabbah--but, 10 be at his 1ife The al
! righted childcn cry murder the wife shrieks in-
voluntarily tie neghbors are disturbed the
! police take him to the TOnbs where the fends Of
he wine-cup reycl ii lis blood and brain till Mon
day.
On Moadly the wife appears in court to beg off
! WI Y should she not2 How faithful and how true
are the instincts OF woman Unless she succeeds,
be vii be condemned to prison. thrown out of en-
/ ploymcnt pc hIps lose stuaion, and very likely
be obiged TO pay money into court Aud the
burden Of al tis mus; be mainly horne by herself
and childrcr. 81 it is the beaten wife VINO is most
punished after all. We'll may the instinct of SELF
| preservation prompt her to this course, 10 say
nothing Of that aft ction which, once fairly enhili-
iiled can seldom BE- extiuguished, however unworthy
mly tha object OF il become.
Bu, is be unworthy? Go not to the cold, un-
charitable world with this question. Never pre-
sent such question to mans intellect, but ask 1ro-
mans heart. Is he any the less worthy because
he beat her and because but for mere accident
he would have killed her? She says no, and is she
not r gh? {? She sees, with woman's clear nllu--
t on, the enemy to his peace as well as to hers in
/ some hi beyond the mIn; IN n something which
! i MT of the man or husband, but which traus-
forms him into a spirit ofcvil She knows it is the
nfGriating beverage which has worked through him
the rain OF her Domestic circle, and she would ftin
rescue him rnm tie grasp Of the destroyer. She
rgf bat what can she do ?