The Kansas herald of freedom. [volume] (Wakarusa, Kan. Territory) 1854-1860, 1859-07-09


The recent agitation of the right of suf-
frage for woman has called out from a
portion of the Republican press of Kan
sas unnanly sneers, as to woman's demand
for her rights and commonplace cant
about her appropriate sphere. This is
the utterance of the par-excellence friends
of freedom, the men who are Just now
claiming all the honor and justice and
honesty current in politica, circles men
who talk about human rights, and the
Declaration of Independence, and the
rights of foreigners to civil freedom here
and governmental protection abroad; who
consider CAss poltroon because he does
not maintain for the foreigner revisiting
his native land, rights which are not
recognized by international law. Yet
these men dictatorially pirate to women
about the beauties of domesticity, and
tell her to stay at home, mind the babies,
and salute her husband with loving
kiss at his return from political caucus
ing. They will not allow any one to de-
fine the sphere of the negro but himself;
yet turn right around and in the next
breath mark out the sphere of woman,
and attempt to make her "the fnger-post
of scorn" if she even desires to define her
own sphere or give free scope to her own
activities, in any direction in which her
pure and unsullied soul-which they gal
lantly accord to her-prompts her to
move. They would not have her NEEDLE
with politics because of its corruptness.
If they are such corrupt and loathsome
creatures, with whom contact at the polls
is contamination, why do they insult
woman by prating of her duty to meet
them with a smile and kiss, and loving
words and deeds =? Do they suppose she
can loue meu so sunk in corruption-men
continually exposed to and influenced by
shO uduSciOuS OHCOto Vi tuo oieCtifc lIdu-
chise =? If their manhood is so tottering,
and moral nature so debased, then it may
we'll be concluded that free governments
are failures, and we may as we'll submit
to the Inauguration of monarchy. The
pitiful special pleadings of this set of ad-
vocates of human rights is unworthy of
true men.
In striking contrast with the course of
such papers, are the articles in the lead
ing Quarterly Reviews of England. The
Westminster, North British, and Edinburgh
Reviews have all spoken in favor of the
enlargement of woman's sphere, and of
granting her permission for the fullest
and freest action of all her faculties in
whatever sphere she may choose. The
following extract we clip from an article
in the Edinburgh Review for April, on
'Female Industry :"
"From that time (the uprising of mid
die CLASSY to this, the need and the sup
ply of female industry have gone on in
creasing, and latterly at an unparalleled
rate, while our ideas, our language, and
our arrangements have not altered in any
corresponding degree. We go on talking
as if it were still true that every woman
is, or ought to be, supported by father,
brother, or husband we are only begin
ming to think of the claim of all workers
that their work should be paid for by
its quality, and its place in the market,
irrespective of the status of the worker;-
we are only beginning to see that the time
must come when such artificial deprecia.
ton must cease, under the great natural
laws of society. We are probably to a
MANI unaware of the amount of the bust
ness oflife in England done by women; and
if we do not attend to the fact in time,
this knowledge will be forced upon us in
some disadvantageous or disagreeable way.
A social organization framed for a COM
munity of which half stayed at home
while the other half went TO work, cannot
answer the purposes of society, of which
quarter remains at home while three
quarters go out to work. This seems to
be clear enough. 1t does not follow that
extensive changes in the law are needed
or that anybody is called upon to revolu
tionize his thoughts or his proceedings
The natural laws Of society will do what.
ever has to be done, when once recognized
and allowed to act. They will settle all
considerable social points-all the contro.
versies Of the labor market, and the strife,
about consideration and honor All that
We contend for at this moment is, thai
the case should be examined and admit
ted. With this new condition
of affairs, new duties and new views mus
be accepted. Old distractions must b.
removed; and the aim must be set before
US, as nation as well as in private life
to provide for the free development anC
full use of the powers of every membe
of the community. In other words, w
must improve and extend education to the
utmost; and then open fair field to the
powers and energies we have educed
This will secure our welfare, nationally
and in our homes, to which few element,
can contribute more vitality and more rich
ly than the independent industry Of oul
countrywomen."
Free Exhibition of Fireworks,
While many of our citizens were en-.
| loving themselves in the pavilion of the