Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1861-03-16


all yours. You have no protection for them, how
ever. Your are At the caprice Of Legislation, which
may richly endow you with privileges to-day, and
sweep from you every vestige of freedom to-mor-
row. But this is your sphere. Government is the
natural right Of women, and not Of men, we are
supposing.
As you advance in life, you conclude that mar
riage is the higbeIt and best form Of human socie-
ty; and you resolve to forego this right to person
.altJ-this great premium on celi5acy, and enter
upon that relation. The ceremony is completed, and
your indemnity is lost in the person of your wife.
The ring with which you ate welded, is a SYM
Dol Of her proprietorship. The earthly goods with
which you are endowed, nre the neecssaries Of life.
Before that event you received q fair days wages
for q fair days work. but now, if your employer
pay you, it is at hfs risk. The wages are not yours
they belong to your wife. She is the legal own
err Of your time, and the svails Of it, and can COM
pei your employer to render TO her remuneration
for the same. No matter how much you earn
You are entitled simply to food and clothing
You may have more, you may be clothed in pur.
pie and fne linen, and glitter with jewels. That
will depend wholly upon the means, the taste and
the vanity Of your wife. She may give you more
than you earn, or she may give you less. That is
for her to say, and from her decision there is no
appeal.
Again, you are assaulted in perstn or reputation,
foul-mouthed SANDER may spit his venom Upon
you, or, Jou may meet with an accident-msy be
crippled for life by the negligence or malice of
some individual, or company, that is abundantly
able to make restitution. But how can you get
%redress1 VIVA. does the law know Ct you7 II
your wife cares enough about the injuries you have
sustained, to bring a suit, it may be done; and il
damages are recovered they will 60 into her pocket,
and not into yours.
During c%overture you inherit a small estate, from
your parent or some other RELATIVES; and this you
will undoubtedly possess 10 fee simple. But what
benefit do you derive from III All the issues,
rents and profits thereof belong to your wife.
You might, perhaps. be allowed to make repairs
and pay taxes, but further than that you have
nothing to do with it whatever, and will no. have
so long as your wife lives.
At the time of your marriage, you were an ex-
ecutor to o large estate, but your letters Testament
tary were revoked by that new relation. Perhaps
you we're guardian for some orphan in whom you
took a deep ~in,erest-you stood in the place of q
parent who has passed on to another sphere. Blu.
the trust was transferred from you to o stranger.
What time have you for any fduciary Officer You
are wholly merged into the existence of one person,
in whom and through whom you must live and
move, and have your legal being.
| fancy that all these experiences would seem
very strange to gentlemen. You would become
nervous, and could scarcely identify yourself, and
no wonder, for there is not much Of you left in
| tbia pap Ordar nf thin0a ~ idantify Vim xnnlh
soy, ''If it is ], | have lost myself! ] have lost
my birthrightl" Ah, you forget the solare of the
affections, the bliss of domestic ties. Is i. moi
enough to be the husband of Mrs. John Smith, oil
Mrs. Edward Livingston, or Mrs. somebody else!
But l imagine that you still say, II am SO circum
scribed! so shut up! 30 hedged iDl l am like .ht
man who felt the walls Of the room closing in upor
himi" Doubtless you are very uncomfortable, bu
there must be h~eadship, remember, and law, anC
custom, and public opinion have made you anc
your wife one, and that one is The wife. There i
no use in complaining, you had better submit ga
ciously as we do. Smile upon your letters, an
declare you have all the rights you want. Cove
up the wrong, and then cultivate in your soul al
endurance of it all Divine. That is what you ad
mire in US. r.5-
am not through with your legal condition.
Your children grow up around you, and your wifi
has a paramount right to them. She can bin'
them out, give them away, appoint guardians a
her death. all without your consent, and whethe
she will exercise this power, will depend upon he
disposition, and the circumstances that surrOun
you.
. All this time you have been making ON effort t
accumulate property. You have toiled early an
late, you cast in your lot together, and shared Wit
each other all the burdens and trials of existence
You have probably worked more hours in a da
+, , than she; and then you had some money as a Mt
: cleus to begin with, but that don't matter, you
interests are one, and sou are both wholly devote
: to the main purpose. You have ~practiced econC
my, frugality and unceasing vigilance in you pu
suit. 'ti
At length your wife passes away-she is Gale
to her last account. Now come the NORWOOD an
the gall that penetrate to the inner life. tt
grave lays its cold honors over your companion
- over one upon whom you have learned to Deepen
: one who stood between you and the world,
! which you knew but little. You have been di
ciplined into a subordinate Place, living only
- the reflected light of another, e~seheWing all Sc
reliance, scarcely speaking your own words
thinking your own thoughts. The afectional pa
of your nature only, has had development, and
chief object has departed, and you are left unsu
ported, unscreened, with a new part to perform,
"A new character to perscnate. You are OverwhelI
ed with grieI. You are shaken like q reed by I
ot tempest.
r. The Law, however, takes no coguizance of 20
/. condition. A settlement Of the estate Is demands
and the appointment Of legal guardians for 20
children. / will not go through with the sicke
ing details. I will not show how the property y
have helped to acquire passes into the hands
strangers. l will not count up the expenses of a
80 ministration aud Of guardianship. l will q
W speak Of the pittance left in your hands, or the
10 su,ting provision of the Elk plates, six cups and 8
~saucers, etc. / will not refer to the right of dow
20 and show that with that paltry sum, you will
q