Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1860-07-07

For the Antislavery Bugls.
ABOUT w0MAE's RIGHTS AND W0MAE's
DRESS.

" hG1
What is all this modern cry about WON ans
TightsH OF what utility are those conventions got
up TO coax or reason men into granting us the pri.
vilege of dropping a bit Of paper into a boxl-
Before aspiring 70 this honor (H) would i, not be
well to syail ourselves Of those rights which legis-
lators Cannot if they would take from us.
For az I take ii, woman's first and greatest right
lie the right to herself This then includes the
right to clothe herself in garments well-ftting and
comfortable, suitable, in short, for a reasonable and
civilized creature. But does she so clothe herself?
Look at the apparel of a modern woman. While
two inches in width of gauze and ribbons, s%ufices
as a covering for q ladies brain, the voluminous
skirts distended by monstrous hoops that fotter
her lower limbs, would If made Of suitable mate
rial, clothe at least a dozen men.
Then a ladies dress must be made to ct so neat
ly, that the wearer can breath Only with difficulty.
Women complain-and with truth-ihat men have
monopolized all lucrative employments, and yet
where lies the blameH
What sane man obliged to carve out bis own
fortune, would ex pect to succeed in life clad in the
ridiculous h%abiliments be processes so much to
admire in the opposite sex.
The Madam Blaze style Of dress may do for a
doll, who has no cares, an Empress who has no
duties, but for a practical everyday woman who
expects to be of use in this great busy world, surely
it IS time some more comfortable and convenient
fashion of clothing was adopted.
But cries the old fogy-alarmed lest women in
casting off their physical letters, should snap some
mental chains--'Woman was not intended to take
an active part in the business of life; she is too
refined and delicate, her mission is to make home
delightful, to guide the infant mind in the paths
of wisdom and ~virtae, to smooth the couch Of suf-
fering, and-pray spare us good friend, we have
heard all that twaddle before. 1t has beed echoed
by Press and Pulpit, by Orator, and Poet, ever
since woman has dared to utter o truly womanly
thought.
But you ought to know that in order to make
hcme delightful as you express it, there must be
baking, washing, ironing, and cleaning done every
wOek; besides quite a number of other chores, too
numerous to mention; said chores to be done by
delicate and refined females, who ought to display
more sense than they do while aping the ridicu-
lous fashions Of a mu shroom aristocracy.
As to the occupation of nursing tho sick, which
gentlemen declare so appropriate and beautiful an
office for angelic ladies, we are empbatically told
by one whose opinion on that subject will hardly
be disputed, Florence Nightiugale) that men by
reason of their more convenient attire, make more
efficient nurses than women, and that female gar
ments unfit the wearers for the duties Of the sick
room.
Harriet Martineau and scores of other intelligent
and noble women-ay, and men too-have borne
a fearless testimony against the prevailing errors
in female dress, and pointed out the sad conse
qsences of such folly, but still mothers 60 on fet
tering the limbs of their young daughters will
balloon skirts, COMPRISING the lungs aud chest
and leaving the shoulders, neck, and arms bar,
even in co Id weather.
Need woman weak and inc ficient-renGered 81
by her own ~folly-marvel if she have no right
which a man is bound to respect?'
G.. L. NJ.