Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-03-24
Ths EarnIars and Rlahts of Women

The great State of New York has set a noble
example in the treatment which ii accOrds to
women About dozen years ago the State of
New York enacted a law giving to married
wpm.n the right to receive and hold property
The lavg was looked upon as an innovation and
with djstrurt, but time has dissipated ape
prebensions that DO one dreams Of urging its
repeal. This law protects who have
r- property, but net women who have none
women who depend upon their daily lsboF for
their daily bread, and which drunken or
worthless husband may rob them Of
az New York has just taken another step In the
right direction, and has passed an act with
scarcely dissenting voice in both branches of
the General Assembly, giving women exclusive
eOntrog Of the earnings of their own hands It
places the married woman as to her sole and
separate properly, and 70 her acquisitions,
either BY bequest or her own labor, on COM
pletely Independent footing. If she has the
ability or the skill to procure subsiStepee OF
"a future for herself it cannot be seized for the
de5ts or squandered on the prOhgacies of others
The married woman is declared to be the joint
guardian of her children, with her husband,
with equal powers, rights and duties in regard
TO them, with her husband
This inRoTatiOn of the old English Common
indeed her legal existence, in that of the
husband, is one of the best evidences of human
progress towards complete humanity. 1t is
not novel experiment in New York, but ia the
conclusion Of series of experime .reInarksthe
Evening Post, all of which have worked well,
and which have marked the gradual progress
from the traditions Of the feudal ages towards
ideasmore consonant with a enlightened
period. Although New York in this matter is
IN advance OF her sister States. and of England,
{ Dodistant day viii see her example initiated in
"a this bsnefeent reform.
the reform which New York legislators
have inaugurated, with good adds the
Post, society ought to carry out and extend in
other relations and in respect to other classes
Of women. The theory Of our social life which
so generally obtains, that women as class
ought to be dependent on men, cannot, or at
lesstis not unfortunately, reduced to practice
While so many of them constantly thrown
a upon the world to get their daily bread that
- theory will be unable to hold its own Domes-
tic duties are undoubtedly woman's proper
duties and the family and the home her Iegiti-
mate and proper place; but there are too many
who have no real home, and consequently no
home duties. They cannot all count upon the
protection of fathers, husbands and brothers,
and such as cannot must seek ivings for them
selves. Destitute women crowd the scenes,
not only in cities, but in nearly every vii
iage and and even rural locality Il is too late
20 inquire whether ought to take
upan their own shoulders the duties of daily
- labor. They doing already, under
a. = Che compulsion Of necessity, in vast
bsrs, and with the most deplorable disadvan-
tages When we discuss, therefore, the
"a duties on which they may be best employ
ed, we ars not but deelng with facts as they
stand Nobody By this desires TO invest
man with new rights" or to charge her with
any new mission She is best placed as
mans heIpmate, but that place, unhappily she
cannot always find and, she cannot, it is
obviousv the Wisest course to make the best of
the difficulty by substituting some other spheres
Of usefulness. In other words, occups.
e -s9 tons are TO be opened to her. Women cannot
all Be sempstresses or teachers, OF milliRers,
or keep little shops for selling tsp and thread.
ef Toe attention Of Philanthropists has already
n been turned to the subject, and numerous
q ports and speeches show how many branches Of
- art and how many departments of labor are
really open 10 female industry if the preju-
dices OF society could be but once discarded-|
Modelling, engraving, lithographic drawing
s- fligFes- work, and fifty other forms of design.
~ ing, would afloId ample scope and excellent
8 remuueraton for special capacities The wits
of Vanity Fair do not ceass to poke their fun
.ffT at the counter jumpers, as they call the Young
: men who attend retail shops to the eEcnson
Of women SO much better fitted to the work
It is also argued that there are many public
ofices-postal, refornatory, commercial and
oshers-in which they might easily find suit
able and remuneratiye employment.