Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-03-07
Communications.
CORRESPONDENCE FROM NEW YORK.
ETNA, Tompkins County,
Eahrnarv O6 1877

ETNA, Tompkins County,
February 20, 1857.
DEAR MI am aware the Bugle is not the place
to discuss the question Ct Woman's Rights, yet |
presume you can have no objection to place upon
record as mere items of news, facts which have a
bearing upon the subject.
/ 90 not mean to tell you Of the Report in favor
of extending to women the elective franchise,
which our neighbor, of the Ohio Senate has pre-
sented to that body, for your readers, l presume,
are well posted in relation to that matter. Nor do
| mean to speak of aurora Leigh" by Elizabeth
Barrett Browning, which some enthusiasts pro
nounce a noble poem in vindication of Woman's
Rights, for that is within reacl, Of those who wish
to read it. But | do wish to call your attention to
a work of rare merit which l accidentally met
with, and which has been mcasurably lett to
"wasto its sweetness on the desert air" The work
l refer to is "a POEM ON WoMAN's RlGnrs," and
respectfully presented, "To all who advocate the
theory of woman's equality with the man, in mat
ters pertaining to government" 1t was written
by a Baptist minister of Mclean, Tonipkins Co.,
New York,-the Rec. Alcin Bennet.
When l return to Ohio, l intend bringing a copy
with me, so that if deemed advisable, the copy
right may be purchased, tho work stereotyped for
extensive circulation, and used as an antidote to
the efforts of those who countenance the Woman's
Rights movement. | shall not pretend to describe
to you this poem of l48 lines, for the fact is, it is
indesc,ibabLe, or to use the language with which
writer's of fctions sometimes cap IA climax-'it is
more easily conceived than described"
Should you ask me which of the ancient or mod
ern poets the writer most resembles, should
frankly confess my inability to reply to your ques'
ton. That you and your readers may have an
opportunity OF judging for yourselves of the style
and character of the production, / will copy the
conclusion of the Epic-if it be an Epic. The
extract | send you, | intend to use myself, for you
must know that my wifc-and allow her in these
matters to do pretty much as she chooses-is to
lecture on Sunday next in McLain on the subject
of Woman's Rights, and if l can only get her con-
sent to nv reading the lines below before she COM
mences lecturing, l shall have no fears for the re-
suit.
"Let woule, haze their rights, all men of sense will
cay;
We will protect, and never take their rights away
But let them know this truth, which we aloud pro
claim,
He too huve rights, which we can never give to
otis theirs 10 sweep the hoase, and theirs to bake
the meat,
Or,6oil the pot, and set the table when we eat;
To make the bread, and make the cheese, aud but.
ter too;
A thousand little things they have a rigN to DO;
n $500. .l>.lo, 10 ,napI than xroll N NJ RI
robe keep;
To nurse the babe, and rock tho crying thing 10
sleep,
IT'S theirs, to kindly wipe with soft affections
hand,
The tears of grief and sorrow, from the eyes Of
man.
We know twas natures God who gave such right;
, to them;
These rights they'll ALWAYS kcep,-they cannot
turn to men.
"'Tis thine, o man! to treat these tender womer
To furnish them a home where they may happy
dwell.
l. IT'S thine, to daily toll and sweat; the axe to WELD
e The trees to fell, the beams to hew. the house tt
Il build;
o To till the ground, to hold the plough, the seed tt
n SOW,
e 70 reap the grain, to raise the corn, the grass t.
: NOV;
: IT'S thine, to see the table we'll supplied with food
+. That wife and child may have to eat that which j
s good;
0 IT'S thine to drive intruders back, the foe to meet
The woman to protect, and clothe from head to feet
t And cross the briny waves to bring her prett.
d things,
S Or sit in Halls, to shape our course with foreigl
!, kings.
!. "Such rights as these, o man; are thine to bav
S and mold,
And keep from those who ssae, from those VIII
choose to scold.
= II every man and woman kept their proper place,
Where they were put by him, who is the God O
grace,
y Our friends we could enjoy, and then should har
Ply be,
4 Without complaining girls who want more liberty
There, isn't that grand, sublime, glorious? 7
g be sure, in view of the fact that Victoria is tn
present occupant of the British throne, l woul
"A rather that the 9TH line from the conclusion read,
Il, "Or sit in Halls to shape our course with foreiy
&c kings and queens"
! But this objection is but trivial-it is rs a spec
(. upon the sun.
70 Yours, for mans rights,
B.. S. j.
TO J. D. COPELAND.