Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-01-17
For tbs Ohio ,tatsinan.I
Needed Reform In law.

The duty Of legislators towards any disfren-
chlsed class becomes one Of grave import.
when we consider how difficult IL is, for one to
enter into sympathy with those whose relations
are not identical with their own. Even In go
cial rotations, We find 1t difficult to fully com
prehena tho needs of those richer and more fa-
vored, or OF those poorer and less favored than
ourselves. The lord cannot speak for the CON-
moner, nor the commoncr for the lord. Only
few common bonds Of sympathy exist between
those whose conditions are extremely diaslml-
lar.
The delicate lady, whose unsandelled feet
have never trodden the rough hoor Of poverty,
can have but little knowledge of the actual
needs Of the toiling mother. who eats the bitter
bread of Cheerless poverty. The idolized wife
can know little of the want of legal protection
that is felt by the victim of brutalized hum an.
ity, more than the full fed know how to pity
the starving IL is related of Maria Antoin~
ette, that when It was told in her presence, that
| the people of Paris were in want of bread, her
innocent reply was, "why do they not eat cake
then, il they cannot get bfead2"
The question of the legal relations of marie ed
women, is often met in this way. What more
do women wantl They have husbands TO pro-
vide for them, children to love them, friends to
admire them-what more can they ask? And
many gentle hearted mother repeats the echo,
not dreaming that when death shall take from
her the beloved protector, the law law will pre-
| sumo her incompetent TO continue the business
relations of the family, and will compel divis.
ion Of interest, often very fatal to the general
welfare Of the whole.
IL will act aside the natural authority of the
mother and institute the authority Of the court.
thus making 10 effect the law Of God void through
| mems traditions; for that law commands,
"Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy
days may be long in the'land which the Lord thy
God giveth thee" Many promising ron has
been led to ruin through setting aside the guar
dianship Of bis mother and choosing one whose
worldliness has corrupted the fountains OF viz
tue in his early years.
Ia former times, the want OF education on the
part of women, and, indeed, the war like char
acters OF men, often rendered 1t apparently
needful that women and children should be un
der especial guardianship and protection. In.
deed, the subject relations, such as that of Vas
sal TO his lord, and subject to the Sovereign,
were based upon the theory OF protection, af-
forded by the stronger 10 the weaker and less
competent
In some measure, ut least, this has been out
grown in the onward progress OF the world -
The masses of our men, in State like this,
are intelligent, and being free from any legal
oppression, they claim to. be capable of self.
government. Is the progress Of woman lees
than that of mani Has not she kept step with
him 10 this general advancement? May she not
now be trusted with her share in the guar dian.
ship of her children, and in her right to her
own energicsl We confess We are not able to
see any just cause Why the restrictions that in
telligent men would spurn, restrictions that
have ceased to be iavors, and have grown to be
disabilities, should longer continue over intelli-
gent, high toned women, simply because they
have chosen to become wives and mothers.
Ohio has already condemned much of the
old time Legislation, and established precedents
that inevitably lead ber forward in this good
work. By existing laws, the wife OF drunkard,
a convict, lunatic, or an idiot, may act as the
guardian of her own children, and may contract,
and be contracted with in any business relation
New York had for sometime such laws on her
statute books, but she saw that was not enough
. aud last wioter, the popular sentiment OF thu
state was so fully expressed through petitions tina
. her legislature felt compelled TO remove al
caste legislation for married women, and al
once restored to them the full equality Of right
as guardians of their children, and as responsi
BILE persons in all business relations. Will no
| Ohio do the eame2