The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1865-11-15
Women In the Departments.
A Racy Letter from Mrs. swissbeIm.

The Washington Chronicle publishes SEN
sible, racy letter from Mrs. Jane G. Swiss
helm, on the duties Of women in the public
department, which is SO applicable to them
and also to the sterner sex, in all relations
Of life, that we transfer it to our columns
After stating her claims to be heard on the
grounds that she led the advance on the wo-
mans rights question, at a time when it was
unpopular to do so, she says:
The employment of women in the Govern
ment Departments is an experiment. 1t has
not, thus far, been so complete success as
its friends could wish, and may possibly yet
be pronounced a failure. The fault is chief
persevere in carrying the drawing-room to
the office Unless this mistake can be cor
rected, the experiment must fail
fixed rule Of good breeding excludes
the shop from the parlor, A man who Tugs
his business, habitually, into his social hour 3
is always bore; and what should we think
Of one who went to his counting or consult
ing room in the ball-dress of the previous
evening"
During business hours men require to be
released from the restraints of the drawing
room-not certainly from the rules Of good
manners or good morals, but from the
etiquette Of society. In the social circle it
is all right; they should pay all due atten-
ton 10 their . natural enemies" who con-
tinue to present them with the old apple Of
disobedience but to ask them TO keep up
state Of chronic admiration for taper waists,
glossy ringlets, bewitching smiles, and al! the
ct ceteras, is strain upon human endurance
which must snap the cord.
In business hours men must ..mind their
own business" or the worlds work will be
left undone; and If the presence Of women
among them disturbs the even flow Of
thought. the women must and should get
out Of the way.
II is painfully humiliating to any lover Of
the race to see American women Of ednca-
ton holding important places in the grandest
Government the world ever saw, and imitat-
ing the costume and manners Of the Partisan
grisettes. Let any thinker watch the troops
Of women stump, stump, stumping, or rather
thump. thump, humping up and down the
long, stone stairways of our different de-
partments, with their feet crushed into shoes
50 tight that all elasticity of step is gone,
and the foot comes down like an old-f shion-
ed stick leg, while the shoe, which, if large
enough, would last easily six months, must
burst in one; let him or her look at the spread
ing hoop and fashily festooned and orna-
mented skirts which invite attention to these
poor crushed and crippled feet; let him or her
note the jaunty hats and cunning" feath-
ers; the poor hair stuffed with :. rats and
"mice' and bundles Of buffalo hide, which
make one sick with disgust, and then bediz-
ened with buds and spangles enough to salts
fy the vanity Of brace Of Chippewa squaws,
and let him say what these women are ex-
ternally, but bad limitations Of the genuine
grisette: 1t would certainly be better for
humanity that all this class Of Government
employees should starve at home than they
should corrupt public morals. and we lower
the national standard Of womanly delicacy
by recognizing their right to fill the honora-
bic positions many Of them occupy.