The North-Carolinian., 1858-01-30

~
Its sphere is not boundedby the metes Of anyone
c11nt: bnt corerrclca i in its cireunnt
so.,- s're; :; sas,a .ef of
I. = = s y J = =
| its fabors; n fine. wherevef human necessity
or human misery calls for relief, philanthropy
| responds in the universal language of human
ity. 1t has become cosmopolitan in its minis
terings, worldwide in its influence, and univer
sal in its application. But the objects of phil
anthrcpy are far from being all provided for,
and it's resources far from being exhausted. In
truth IT'S -labors can scarcely be said to have
more than commenced. New associations are
ILelng formed daily for new and important char
tiles Charity seems more than half disposed
to clip the wings of philanthropy, and to invite
her home She has been recently engaging her
:-a,tention towards the amelioration, in many in
stances of the condition of the female sec in our
society. With all our boasted enlightenment
many undue burthens sustained by the
weaker vessel A philanthropy at once fearless
and investigating seeks them out, and aims to
relieve them What field has it found in
opening new sources of employment for poor
girls imthe cities? How many has it taken from
the disease-inviting sewing stool, and placed in
the factory and printing Office? 1t has not
shrunk from prying into our domestic economy,
nor been frightened by the legal vsage OF our
/ sage legislators. 1t has sought to elevate wo
man from marital nonentity, and to soften the
hard conditions of the civil contract, which at
once deprves her of personal liberty and private
|property. Among these efforts of associated
philanthropy one class of suffering females seem
entirely to have escaped the searching eye of
the humanitarian. Why is it that there is no
combined effort to usher neglected ferssles- iuto
the bonds of that relation, which in some sort
constitutes their real and only life? The whole
country is studded with charitable Institutions:
the deaf, dumb, blind, insane, orphan, and In
dlgent, all have asylums, and their wants, as
far may, be supplied. The blind have sight
from the magic tone,-the dumb converse with
manual speech; the orphan finds parents in at.
tentive teachers; but who supplies or undertakes
husbands for, 'tfor single ladies Of certain age?
Is this not legitimate object of philanthropy
Who can listeh unmovcd to the recital of struggles
. with cold and unsympathizing race Of bache
lors; the taun is and jeers of gay an thoughtles.
mothers; and the crushing, grin ding weight o
hopeless celibacy! What bosom does not bleed
at the tn ought of ardent hopes and bitter dis
appointments, long and patient watching and
waiting, ith no record but the prospect o
lonely and indefinite maidenhood? Wha,
Christian phila nthropist can behold that-irrele
vancy Of nature, an old maid, the virgin with
her lamp extinguished, mourning in the darl
over the tomb of her lost beauty, and withered
hopes, and refuse helping hard to lift her te
her proper sphere and seat her on the throne o.
the domestic circle?
! How strange that there should not be in the
broad limits of our land single institution
private or public, whose direct object is to af
ford relief to these acknowledged objects of sym
l'pathy There are some it is true whose ulte
rior object it is to effect this relief, nor would
1 be understood to depreciate their laudable
efforts in this direction; such are the, "Bostoa
Society for furnishing female teachers for til
: South" The American Woman's Educationa
Association" (of which Miss Beecher is presi
5 dent, 1.-THE Woman's Rights Society of Uti
ca" and some others all bearing onward in
career of usefulness, and cffect ting much toward
the regeneration of old maids. But yet thei
efforts mixed up as they are with other meas
ures of reform, have not that extent and eficier
cy OF design which the Importance OF the sui
ject demands. Associated effort needs promI
ting ia director line towards the accomplish
v ment of its object. The reformer who is to fl
: the largest space in the eye of the nincteent
I century, will be he who cures that anomaly
r our society-involuntary celibacys The al
clients struggled against this evil by legislativ
effort, and the great American uttafian phi
osopher, Benjumin Franklin, looked to tina
source for cure of the evil among ourselves
n Rome had her Poppaan law, 10y which the hor
ors of the state were graduated according to tn
number of mans children, and which exclt
i ded the unmarried man from half the prlvelge
',ee of citizenship. caesar gave rewards to 'noS
at who had many children. All women unue
r. forty five years Of age, who had neither n"(
y band or children were forbid to were Je"eis'
Mt to ride in litters; excellent method ooN
III tinues the historian, "thus to attack cei''"0