Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-03-14

In Persia and Turkey, women grossly offend the
public nste II they suffer their faces to be in
hibited by law, in common with "pigs, dogs, and
other uuclean animals" MS the law styles them
from so much as entering their mosques.
Our ideas OF the proper sphere, duties, and ca
pabiities OF woman do not differ from these 50
much in kind, as degree. They are all based pom
the assumption that man has the right to decide
what are the rights to point ont the duties and to
fix the boundaries of womans sphere, which.
taking for true our cherished theory of govern
ment, to wit: the inaiiendJHty and equality Of
human rights can hardly be characterized by u
milder term than that of an impudent and opp.ess.
i've usurpation.
Who has authorized Us, whilst railing at miters
and croslers, and scepters, and shouting in the
ears of the British Lion, as sef-eyident truths
Representation and tcxaton are, and shall be in.
lseparable, ,"-"Covernmen to be Just must have
the consent of the governed" :" to say woman, one
half OF the whole race, shall, nevertheless, be
taxed, without representation, and governed with
out her consent? Who hath made us Judge be-
twixt her and her Maker?
1t is said woman's mental and moral organiza
ton is peculiar, differing widely from that of man
Perhaps so. She must then have peculiar fitness
of qualification to judge what will be wise and
Just government for her. Let her be free to choose
for herself, in the light Of her peculiar organiza
ton, to what she is best adapted She is better
qualified to judge of her proper sphere than man
can be. She knows her own wants and capahi
ties, Let us leave her, as God created he- free
agent, accountable to him for any violation of the
laws of her nature. lie has mingled the sexes in
the family relation they are associated on terms
of equality in some churches. They arc active
working and voting members Of literary and be-
nevolent societies. They vote Ms share holders in
stock companies, and in countries where less is
said about freedom, and equality, and represents
tion, they are often called to- and fill with dis.
tinguished ability, very important positions, and
cften discharge tho highest political trusts known
to their laws
Which of England s kings has shown more ex.
ocutiye ability than Elizabeth, or which La been
more conscientious and discreet than Anne and
Victoria Spain, too had her Jsabella.and France
her Maid of Orleans, her Madame Roland, yes
and her Charlotte Corday. Austria and Hungary
their Maria Theresa. Russia her Catharine and
even the Jealous Jewish Theocracy was judged
centuries, to put in the plea Of her incompetency
in political affairs.
BUTT is objected that it would not do for woman
particularly married woman, to be allowed tC
vote. Is might bring discord in the family if sh,
differed from her husband. If this objection wer,
worth anything at all, it would lie with tenfOlC
greater force against religious than political organ
izatons. No animosities are SO bitter and impa
cable as those growing out Of religious disagree
ments; yet we allow women to choose their relg
ious creed attend their favorite places of worship
and in some of them take equal part in tn
| church bt tsiness, and all this though the husban
be of an fer religion, aud no one on this side
| Turkey claims that the law should compel woma
to have no religion, or adopt that Of her husband
But, even if that objection good one, NOR
than half the adult women of the State are VI
married.
! 1t is said, too, that woman is not required I
perform military duty, and work on the roads, sh
ought not to vote. None but liable bodied" mer
under a certain age, are required to do militar
duty, and tie effect is practically the same in re
gard to the two days work on the roads, willis
women pay tax for military and road purpose
the same as men: A mans right to vote does no
depend on his ability to perform physical labor
why should a teonlan'SP BY the exclusion Q
won an from her due influence and voice in tn
government we lose that eevNting and refining
influence which she gives to religious, social ant
domestic life. Her presence at political meet
ings all agree, contributes greatly to their order
decorum and decency. Why should not the polls
also, be civilized by her presence.
Does not the morality of our politics domonstat
n great want Of the two qualities SO characteristic
of woman, heart and conscience?
The female element which works such miracle
OF reform in the rude manners Of men, in all tn
| departments of life where she has the freedom t
20, is nowhere more needed than in politics, o
at the polls.
! We have endeavored to show that the constitu
tional prohibition of female suffrage is n OF only
violation Of natural right, hut equally at war wit
the fundamental principles of the government
Let us now look at the practical results of thi
organic wrong After having taken away froi
woman the means of protecting her person an
, property, by the peaceable, but powerful ballo
d, how have we discharged the selfimposed duty {
r legislating for her? By every principle of homo
$ or even OF common honesty, we are bound to Sc
that her interests do not suffer in our hands. Tha
lif we depart at all from the principle of str
r equality it should be in her favor. Let US 81
G what are the facts.
= When woman marries she becomes almost a
;, initiated in the eyes Of the law, ezcep. as sn
s. iect of punishment. She loses the right to rece
II and control the wages of her own labor. 1t s.
be an administrators, or executrix, she is eouutt
+ as dead, and another must be appointed. IT S
J. have children they may be taken from her again
a her will, and placed ia the care of any one,
e matter how unfit, whom the father may sele
n He may even give them away by will.
It 1.-The personal property of the wife, such
n money, goods cattle, and other chattes, which S
had in possession at the time of her marriage,
her Own right, and not in the right OF anoth
= - vest Immediately in the husband, and he can
!, pose of them as he pleases. On his death they
to his representatives., like the residue Of his pre-
!, erty So, if any such goods or chattels come
l. her possession in her own rightafter the marria
\ they, in like manner, Immediately vest in
y husband"
!, "Such property of the wife, as bonds not
~ arrears of rent, legacies, which termed cho
i in action, do not vest in the husband, by M
operation Of marriage. To cnhle him to them,
must first reduce them into possession, by recov
o, ing the money, or altering the security as
ID making them payable to himself. If the husba
st appoint an attorney to receive debt or ella
I'd due the wife, and the attorney receive
a or if be mortgage the claim or debt, or assign
u for a valuable consideration, or recover judgem'
by suit, in his own name, or if he release IT, IN
Of these the right of the wife, upon the decea
Of Of the husband, is gone"
8 The real estate of the wife, such as houses a
lands is in nearly the same state of sulgecuon
o, the husbands will. He is entitled to all the rel
of and profits while they both live, and the husba
a can hold the estate during his life, even thou
ii. the Tife be dead A woman may thus be stripI
10 Of every available cent she ever had in the wo
as and even see it squandered in ministerng to
st low appetite or passions of debauchee OF h
in band And when by economy and toll, she n
ly have acquired the means of present subsister
ut this, too, may be lawtully taken from her, and
ly rled to the same base purpose. Even her fan
: r IL. harn n1xy rapn,