Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-12-28

hdCe-sueetst lasJ nlBDtt on tne SUBJECT OF
establishing O home for the reformation of
Megdalenes. The ed6ce was compactly
filled, and the speaker succeeded in interest
ing the audience during the hour and three
quarters which she consumed in delivering
her address. She appears earnest in her eiz
forts and devoted to the cause of the eleva-
ton and reformation of the fallen of her
sex; and this amply cOmpensates for all the
faults in her elocution.
She said that we must not rush headlong
into reform, but calmly consider every step
before we take it. Nothing should be done
without calm reflection and a careful calcula-
ton of all the results that may accrue. Her
object was TO induce society TO stretch forth
its hand and rescue those of her sex who
have fallen, and who are now outcasts as
well as those who may hereafter become so.
In this work several objections and OBJ
stacles presented themselves. 1t was said
that these females-these women of the
town-were irreclaimable, that no matter
what was done or what inducements were
held out, the destinations of their dreadful
life were sure to hurry them downward to
destruction.
But this was only imaginary. She had
yet to learn of one created thing even the
humblest animal, that God formed for de-
struction. But 10 whom shall the Magda.
lene fly2 She is cast off by her sisters, and
those females who would cheerfully stretch
forth the hand Of friendship to the man who
had brought ruin and desolation upon her,
would turn away with scorn and contempt
from his victim. Let it be remembered that
in all crimes against chastity there must be
| two criminals.
The second objection is, that Magdalenes
are necessary members of society-that if
they were taken away mo house would be safe
mrutfianly attack, no virtue ashield against
violence. This objection, too, was with
| out validity. Man possessed large destruct-
| lveness; yet no one ever proposed to have
| appointed victims to satisfy his desires. Each
individual possessed the organ of acquisitive-
ness but there were no houses erected on
| purpose to permit him to commit legalzed
robbery. We must not look to legislation
| legislators are too frequently of that class of
persons who, in their pride and strength,
| trample frail women down.
The crime against women has always ex-
! listed. 1t must have originated in the age
when might was the only standard of right,
| and when the strong man regarded the in
mates of his harem as so many tributes to
his power. AS society became more civilized.
| the system of polygamy was introduced But
| it was not till the great founder of the
Christian Church appeared, that female
| slavery received rebuke, and the proper
! system OF marriage was instituted. The cli-
mate of the North was favorable to virtue.
and hence the practice of polygamy was
abandoned in Europe.
The reign of mind is now superseding
| that of might, and now is the time to strike
for the elevation of down-trodden humanity.
| She did not demand what was popularity
termed "women's rights" but God will re-
| quire the talent back again, whoever its
| possessor.
She had found the lowest animal capable
of Improvement by training, and she did
not believe that humanity could be sunk so
| low as to be beyond reclamation. Let the
| proper means be employed and every fallen
| creature can be placed in that elevated posi-
| ton which God and Nature designed he or
she should occupy. Let man place himself
| in the position of those fallen women; let
him be the sCoff of all his old companions
| let every avenue to honest employment be
shut out every door be closed upon him; let
him feelthe pinchings of hunger, or be shell
terless amid storm and cold, and how much
! better would he be than those poor creatures
in our streets? They sell their virtue for
bread, and are unchaste for shelter; but man
| has no such excuse.
| Since her (tbe speaker's) childhood, she
had been before the public, first, as a musi-
clan, and within the last three years as n
| public speaker. In her professional capacity
she had had frequent opportunities to OBJ
| serve these women. In her native country
| NA1bBAahuy mOlO 10 10 10 all
| places OF public amusement, free of charge
in order TO induce men to go there. In
| Paris, she found the women of the town.
| still more wretched. Fully fifty every
month-and their number is increasing
drown themselves in the Seine. Who can
imagine the wretchedness of those who,
driven to. desperation, throw off that life
destined for better purpose2 In America
hospitality is extended to every class, except
| tho MonAalana. It,ff fOr hon tl,a : 1
word-no offer Of protection-no shelter
If one attempted to reform, she could not
obtain honest employment, without de-
celVlng her employer; and then if her real
| character became known, she would be at
once cast of, for what she has been, no mat
ter how exemplary her conduct at the time.
| Then how shall she be reformed? You tell
her to go to Jesus; but she will answer that
she lives in the world. and must have bread
But if every method of acquiring a liveIi-
| hood by ordinary labor is shut out, is there
not some speciality at which she can find
employment
| People buy goods, nor ask by whose hands
| they are manufactured; they purchase bou-
| quets, nor ask how chaste the one who ar
ranged them. Can they not be employed in
manufacturing some thing which is neces-
saTy, and will command price?
The raising of flowers was an ennoblinp
pursuit. 1t cultivated the taste, elevated
| the character and was conducive to cheer
| fulness and health and she proposed to have
| a great reform-tar of this kind, where seeds
could be cultivated and sold, as successfully
and prohtably as by the Shakers; where medi-
cinal roots could be raised and prepared;
where bouquets could be arranged; and
where the lost ones could bury, in happy,
cheerful pursuits, the bitter recollections Of
the past. Such an institution would be self
sustaining, as all institutions, to be flourish
| ing, must be. Such labor would be well
adapted to the object in view, and would fit
those engaged in it to again go forth, re-
| generated, and such adopts, that their service
would be Indispensable.
To carry out her project, $4,000 would be
needed but lest some one might suspect she
appropriated the money to her own pur-
poses, not one dollar should 90 into her
hands. In every town she entrusted the
funds raised to responsible parties; and, in
Cincinnati, Mr.. Conway and Mr.. Lowell
would act as her agents.
After she had concluded, Mr.. Conway de-
liYered brief address, and exhorted iiber-
ality. A collection was then taken, and a
considerable sum raised, and more prom
ised.
The leyees of the little fairy, Dollie Dut-
ton, close Tuesday evening. She gives levees
this and every afternoon and evening to that
| time, at Concert Hall Pixies Opera-housa