The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1859-04-22
Noble Tribute to Women,

The Boston Courier, in commenting upon
tho remarkable speech of Mr. Graham,
counsel tor Slcklos at Washington-mukos
grand defence of woman whose general
charactes for virtue Mr.. Graham shametuliy
slandercd TIE Courier says:
Mr. Graham seems TO be one of those
fluent speakers of whom Campbell remarks,
that they have not so much command OF
language as their language has command
of them. No matter how simple or axlo-
matte statement is to be made. he wreathes
around 1t so many artificial flowers of rhelor-
ic ne overlays it with so much tuwdry or
namontation, that tho wearied mind refuses
to search for the hidden point. His argu-
lneut seems ouly adapted to justce's
court of the time of MUthusaloh, when the
life of man was nine hundred years tor it is
quite out OF proportion to the present allOt-
tod age of three score add ten. Passing,
without comment. over the absurd aud i'm.
piUus argument drawn from the Bible
passlug over his statement TO the jury, that
/ they we're to pronounce the estimate of an
/ American Jury on he value Of the marriage
bed, passing over the comparison of the
killing OF hoy to the execution of the con.
dumned Baltimore murderers-passing over
/ his uuchrIstiau remarks, that to ar injured
| husband there remains only suicide or mur-
der-wo must protest in the name of the
women of America against the insulting cs-
! innate put upon female chastity and
slrungth OF virtue by the argument of Mr.
Graham,
lie commenced by telling tho jury that
bad Key not been slain, their own wiye:
and daughters would not have been safe
that they might have been marked for So
duCtiOn, and that thUy would have beef
called upon to satisfy the insat ate appo
tte Of the deceased" He then told tn,
twelve intelligent men before him that If al
action for damages was to be the only re
dress against tho aduterer, ,itheir wives livet
in u verv perllOUs atmosphere, and the,
: might as well let tho iutamy come at once
he next stated that woman was the weake
} vessaI, that her name was frailty, and tha
tho strong arm of her husband was neede,
to restrain her within the paths of recttudo
and 50 on, through his entire address, h.
! was constantly Implying that the genera
I character of woman was such that lbur
, tine had only to beckOn to her and sh
> would follow him with eager wantonness T.
her own destruction. Ii is impossible TO
, us to know from whom MIR. Graham ha
gained his ideas of female virtue; but oithe
S his associations have been most unfortu
0 nate, or else his own nature is deplorabl
: incapable OF approaching the character {
Q woman. There IS no fortress 50 impiegna
. bic US tho citadel of u yirtuuus woman
T. hUart; there is power in the silent il
+ hueuce Ut female chastity TO make n strOu
y man quail and become MS an infant. AT
= we to be told that the only protection "
d have against the adulterer is the fear h
e has OF the husbands avenging arm Thi
II our wives ana sisters have no safeguard
r the purity of their own souls, but if OF
physical protection is removed they Wi
10 tall at once into the palpabe snare
, Tho remarks of the counsel arc insultr
J. to the dignity of every vlrtuOus woman
n the land. Shame on that man who dares
l. judge of female honor by the conduct
lo that VITO and mother who would 90 fro
l. her own house ut tho wave OF handkG
'e chief to place of deliberate asslgnatiu
Ut and there gIvo herself to tho embraces of
'y paramDur AS c, myensatlon Tor wea
le moss OF body there IL given to woman
of strength OF sou. more mighty than Il
rs strength of armies, and IN defence of l.
I'd purity she will awe by her moral power Il
$. bOldUst liOertlno that ever deilud the La
- OF God nr man. Yet Mr. Gral n seems
II think that bolts aud bars alone can ke
re- her from tho degradation of lust. We pi
to him upon whom no better appreciation
re the nobility OF woman has ever Gawned."