The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1859-04-07

youth from the fatal influence of these
evil institutions? | never knew man
who, after the habit of drinking was
confirmed, was ever persuaded by all
the smiles and tears, or prayers and
grodns of soife, mother, sister or daugh-
ter, to abandon his cups. 49,
/ Let man become addicted to gamb-
ling, and though his wife may be an
angel, and though she may use her
utmost eloquence to allure him from
the fatal path, yet he will follow on-he
will consign her to poverty - he will
consign her to the grave, but he will
follow the demon that has ensnared
him. - i'A'5s ~
Don't the liquor vender know that
every woman in the land almost, wonld
vote down his business if she could;
and yet he braves her opinion because
he knows she is poaoerless. If he meets
lady on the walk he will bow gallantly
and give her the inside of the walk,
and that is the amount of her influence
over him. He will send her husband,
or brother, or SON, home to her drunk
at night, (f they have money enough
to pay for the liquor) and he don't care
a fiddle-string what she thinks of him.
But the mother (they tell us) moulds
the infant mind" On her, therefore,
rests the responsibility of forming the
moral characters of her children.
No matter what the father does-no
matter what the influences are by
which they are surrounded : it is. the
mothers duty to rear her children to
the love and practice of virtue = to
stand between them and all bad exam
ples-to neutralize by her teachings all
the evil effects of those institutions
which bad laws foster in society---to
counteract and turn back the whole
current of demoralizing influences
which flow in from. every side. This
is mothers task. Why, it would be
a match for a legion of angels; and
yet she is expected to perform it alone.
Well, the deep love which mother
feels for her children, generally prompts
her to do the best that her Judgment
dictates. She instructs, warns, en-
treats, weeps and prays, and has her
heart broke at last by finding her labor
lost.
Now, it appears to me, that every
man who exercises the elective fran
chise, is more responsible for the NOR
ais of the rising generation, than the
mothers. Man has fettered. oman
and yet he asks her to perform mira
cles. He tells her that her influence is
omnipotent, and then he tranaples upon
1T. He expects her acisdona and Uirtte
to redeem the race; yet he will not
trust her to make single laao. He
tells her that her mission is to purify
and elevate man; yet he scorns her
counsel, and throws every obstacle in
the way to counteract her efforts.
4" Female influence ]" Why, it is the
greatest hunabag that ever was pat
ented. 1t is a. phantom, about as sub
stantiaI as the knight-hood of Don
Quixotte and yet this imaginary pos
session-this sort of chloride-of-lime
quality, which is complimentary as
cribed to woman, is given her 1--WE are
lOlu DIS dii cfUtC"ec'eo yOP 1eo eJ'ec "
citizenship, and is all sufficient, and
ought to make her very contented and
grateful.
| have heard of one or two instances
where public nuisances have been
remoyed by sfemale influence" But,
alas they were compelled to use mas
cuIine tools, axes, saws, &C., to accom-
plish the feat. Tears and prayers had
availed nothing.
But am occupying too much space
with an unpopular subject; If any of
the {. lords of CREATION will undertake
the task of furnishing a reason why
women should not enjoy equal civil and
political rights with man : why she
should not be permitted to use all the
talents which God has given her, he
will shed ray of light upon more
than one benighted mind.
Yours respectfully,
FLORENCE.