The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-04-04


'ition and pro-slsvery circumlocution bin of Mr..
Critteadeo.
vvoanen's Rights.
series ofieotures is being given in this city
on the much worn question of women's rights.
Mr.. James T. Brady delivered the first lecture
Of The course. II was duly reported; but, as it
seems, the reporter, being unable to gather
from Mr.. Brady's discourse whether he was or
WAS not in favor Of women going TO the polls
and voting at elections, phrased that portion of
his report in such a manner as to elicit from Mr.
Brady the following note:--
TO THE EDrron OF TIE nsRALp.
Your editorial notice Of my lecture may produce an
End agnins. extending the right Of suffrage ana
myself to approve s.sn M
II strikes us that this note leaves the matter
where it stood. that is to say, in utter uncer-
tsinty. Mr.. Brady 'avows himself unprepared
to approve such measure" That means that
he has not yet looked into the subject deep
enough to form an opinioa, or that he has not
been retained on either side-not by any means
that he is opposed 10 female suffrage. Mr..
Brady is "unprepared' to give an opinion on
mercantile squabbie till he has got his fee
Hs is ''unprepared" to decide novel point of
law until he has consulted ''the books" He is
'unprepared" to move for an appeal until be
has consulted with his client. Just 80, he is
''unprepared' to go for ladies voting in the
midst of shoulder hitters aud short boys until
we'll, until he sees which way the cat jumps, we
presume.
If further study and preparation" should
satisfy Mr.. Brady of the propriety of letting
women go to the polls, some very interesting
contrasts may be drawn between Brady the
lawyer and Brady the lecturer and philosopher.
But few months have elapsed since this same
James I. Brady, then retained In a scandalous
but too famous case growing out of the inideli-
ty of wife and the viliany Of a worthless para
mour, proclaimed the startlingly novel doctrine
that husband has, by the law of this land, the
right to coerce bic wife, by the employment of
brute force, into submission TO his lawful and
reasonable commands He did not precisely
borrow the old analogy Of the "thumbstickr
But certainly, under his rendering OF the law,
husband who objected to bis wife going out
shopping as one or two husbands have been
known to do since the deluge, would be justified
in seizing her by the throat and retaining her
a prisoner in her room by the same means as he
would use to his dog. II, hereafter, as we said,
light should burst upon Mr.. Brady's mind. and
he should ripen to consciousness Of women's
rights as citizens, with what remorse aud horror
will he not remember his famous dictum in the
the sex for the hard usage his opinion must
have stimulated on the part OF brutal has-
bands!
We cannot help thinking that men of Mr..
Brady's position could employ their time much
more usefully otherwise than in lecturing on
women's rights. There is nothing to be said on
the bsckneyed subject of "woman-her rights
and wroDgs'-which has not been dinned into
the ears Of every one who would listen,
and OF msny who would rather have
been excused, over and over again with
in the past ten or twelve years Every
body who is in the habit of forming opinions
has formed one on the subject; and as there arc
no new facts TO discover, there is no likelihood
of changing it. The whole subject has been
thoroughly aud exbaussively considered by the
thinking public; il there be question in the
whole range Of ethics and philosophy to which
the expression can be applied, the question OF
womens rights is res judicctG.
Ii is the settled and fixed sentiment of the
public Of this and Of all civilized countries that
the rights of women. like her duties. are bounded
by the limits Of her household: that the votes
she has to cast must be polled at her own tea
table; that her politics must be principles of
domestic economy, and that her authority must
be exercised exclusively over her ehdren and
her servants. She has right to decent treat.
ment from her husband. She has a right
single--to the product OF her own labor. She
has right to whatever property the law and
sound titles confer upon Der. Beyond this she
has no rights properly 50 called-with which
the public have any concern.
The modern idea that women ought to
share with the stronger sex the rights and
duties Of the latter originated with that sect of
blind theorists who have likewise endowed the
ism. 1t was eagerly embraced by number Of
weak minds, easily led of in support of any
novel doctrine. II was adopted by all the
spinsters who had abandoned all hope
OF marrying by all the married wo.
men where childlessness left void in
their minds; by a number Of females who
arc on the highway to the lunatic aylum; aud
by quite number Of interesting males in petit
coats, thorough old women in every sense.
For eight or ten years the theory has been
ailoa, among these sects now rising 10 the sur
face in some idle town, now sinking out Of
sight for months; now forming an alliance with
free love, and again with Fourierism; but
everywhere confined TO the classes we have
mentioned, and secuted by all sensible people.
We doubt whether the present effort to re-
vive IL in New York will be Of any value TO the