Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1861-02-09
tri7s5t For the Ant-slayery Dugle.
EQUAL RIGHTS-CIRCULATING PETI-
TIONS, &c.
ELIZA CARMAN.

r. ..' ....
II is q little amusing to listen to the various
excuses, remonstrances, &c, by different classes Of
individuals, when you present them a petition
asking a.modifcation of the existing laws relating
TO women, and ask their signature.
One man when asked to sign, says "No," very
abruptly, and very decidedly, as if to refuse were
= matter of pleasure, as well as duty. Ask him
why, and the reply is, 'they have more than equal
rights now; the widow is too literally dealt with,
has q years support given her, which is generally
enough for two years; there must be one head Of
the family, &c., &C." They have no idea Of 'three
In one" or the complete Union of tVo in one that
makes a harmonizing whole. No use of reason
ing with him, for reason only initiates, never con-
WAGES him on this point; for has not Paul laid
down the law against the woman, and from Paul
there can be no appeal. So We pass on, feel
ing more than ever the need of action upon this
subject, for she arbitrary refusal Of this man, may
stir up q deeper hatred for domestic and home OPP
preston, which we see 10 different degrees, almost
everywhere, and which is 30 common that both
eppressor aud oppressed are sometimes half I'M
conscious OF it. And this stage, marks the worst
state of the, wrong-the emi-unconsciousnes OF
their own degradation, thai marks the contented
slave s-a s-.H.v
The next was a woman, who readily put her
ZANE to the petition; and we i~nwardly smiled as
she did 50, remembering that but two ,or three
years ago. the same person refused to read an ar
ticle upon the subject of woman's rights-"always
skipped over every. paragraph upon the subject,
had all the rights She wanted, and that was all she
asked - Verify there is progress where We least
expect it, and people sometimes move, or are NOV
ed, when they know it not Wonder if the BuglC
has not been an influence for The risht-in- this in
stance, and lifted the crust ofprejudice just q lit
tie, for IL has been thrown, 10 the way Of those
who needed it's stirring notes to arouse them from
q sleep Of ages.
Again, it is presented to a rery cautious man
who is really conscientious; who thinks womer
should have tn ,ir rights, isn't quite sure but tina
they should DO allowed to vote, would feel very
bad, to have his widow subjected to the annoyance
of having her property appraised, set apart, an
cold according to law, has the utmost c~onfdenc
in her ability to manage the property aud hav
sole charge Of the children" But he is very eau
aious, must have time to think, is a little suspi
ieioss of ''sbat white heap y%onder," don't kno,
what may be concealed under the mysteriou
purbho VI SEdutlbB- khNEA q NS"i PSAoNhoA SAA
tencs"-and SO after studying the few brief line
of the petition, returns it, saying "Pl not sign
to-day" a
Then it is passed to q man, q little akin in ser
timsnt TO the irst, who viii not sign it ''becuus
there are 60 many womsn-."W We do not kno'
what terrible i~RvectiFe against womankinG woul
have followed; probably that they were extrava
giant, spendthrifts, a., &C., but knowing that 70
every mother, wife and daughter, who would b
obliged to plead guilty to this accusation, Their
would be found her mate among the Lords of ere
alton" GO presuming npon q slight dash of rela
tionship, we ~playfully interrupted him with
"there are SO many men -" intending to follow
: out the parallel to the utmost extent, and he wise
= ~ desisted from flushing the sentence, which
weald doubtless have been true of both sexes. Bu
it these failings of character do not deprive one o
che right 10 manage and control his own earnings
Z Why should it the otheri 1t is a significant fac
T. that in this instance, as in many others the wifi
puts her name down without hesitation.
( , One rather laughable instance of refusal wa
by The wife of a man much given to intemporanoe
She eonnesced reading the petition, and wher
she reached the sentence THAT you place the wife
i, upon an equality with her husband'-she handel
: u back with a look of disgust, saying with sucl
"a tone Of irony, con an equality with her has
band, I want no more Of IT," ere "
Another viii not sign, because she Hhas NJ
6 irightssH aaether because women can't hays an,
rights. nor men either;'' another thinks, it FwOGi
9 make diseord In families" men earn the money
7 do the ''proTiding' and ought to have sole man
,ilassnsni, &c; aud 50 90 through the whole eata
J Iogus Of reasons that hsVe birth ia prejudice an
, lguorauce. Bot the tinae must come when tn
ITs.Ag shkH see tbat .aoaeo4se7 tsfracs tibgs 60
I'll. senaa, z. "a q $50 p,,sS3s they fi,e Dr. sink
,Tsssttesdd VARIED or godlike. bond or hse."Sss
@osysS' .asss- ~ gCRS e0tsE.
A.u-..n1I. n.rrr- LIN 10 1871 .