Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1865-06-29
WOlLANlS RIGHTN


The inallenable rights" Of women, in enligkt,
enc 4 countri. s. are the right to the respect and
protection Of the steiner sex, and, perhaps the
right to 90 as they please, within the limits of
the law and the bounds Of prOpriety, which they
rarely transcend. But other rights" are claimed
for them, which have heretofore been mOnopolized
BY the lords Of creation Mr. John Stuart
NIL, thu distinguished candidate for the Eng.
lish Parliament for Westminster, insists that the
fair sex should have the right Of suffrage. At 4
meeting recently held to promote his election,
Sergeant Parry tan eminent Lawyer, who was
MIXERS eounsslh said in the course Of a witty
speech.
Logically there Is No answer to the assertion
that woman has q right 10 vote; but then the
.Eaclish are so practical Women are made TO
safer the penalties OF the law, and woman has
en- tired fer treason in my day. One Of the
Creatsst mOnarchs that ever ruled over England
was q woman, and enc Of the greatest rules over
England still Women vote in local elections,
and have seen many an old woman carried OF
IN a cab 10 exercise her right; women are liable,
even now, az common Law 10 act as cOnstables,
and Il is we'll known that they frequently serve
Is Overseers.
These remarks were received with much ap.
plause. We observe that woman has writ
tea TO the Spectator, protesting against rs as
sumption that women are conteRtsd with their
present political status because they are not max
ing much fuss about il. DR.. Lancaster F. r. e,
has siYsn his vote for female suffrage. he de-
clares that il is dishonorable that men should
cry Long live the Queen" in one breath, and
then against the exercise Of suffrage by those Of
the Queens sex generally. All this agitation for
reform has come Of the mere nomination Of Mr.
Nil for Parliament. What may We not expect
when he gets in
The Dress Reform Convention was in session
at Rochester, n. y, last week. We had supposed
that since Mrs. BlOomer had returned 10 dimity
the agitation Of Womans right TO " wear the
pants would cease but the advocates Of the re-
form seem as Jealous aud persistent IA ever. One
Or.tle leading spirits at the Rochester Conyen-
ton vas Or. jackson. An extract or two
from the proceedings Of this meeting may not
prove unlnteresting to our readers
Dr. Jackson legged leave 10 introduce Mrs.
Pauline J.. Roberts, Of Pekn Niagara county,
known as the VOman farmer. lie said that she
aud her daughters did all the work OF the farm,
plOWing sowing, reapiag, etc.
Mrs Roberts was called for 10 come on the
stage, with her daughters, which she did, four #
her girls accompanying her. she made few re-
marks giving the reasons that led her % adopt
thgshOft skirts. The whole family, mother and
daughters, were healthy looking lot and looked
Is If they cculd DO a mans work anywhere
% When Mrs Roberts came on 20 the stage, the
President said that her husband might come too
he need not be ashamed Of his family Some
one In the audience remarked that he was only
a man, and the President replied, that Is So aud
twill make no difference, then, whether he comes
ornOt."
DIR. Gates followed Mrs. Roberts with a few
very pointed remarks. he was strongly in favor
Of the short skirts. He called the attention Of
the audience 20 the young ladies on the stage 70
note their healthy look, etc.
Ms Hasbrouck, the President made q very
spirited and eloquent speech. She was not in
favor Of compromise In any degree. She was In
favor Of wearing the whole dress and al all times
(" The whole or none ?
Dr. Heald OF Delaware, took the floor. He
was in favor Of adopting the American costume
Is much as possible. If ladies did not wish TO
wear the short skirts, they could lay aside the
tight lacing, al least. he said that young men
thought q small waist beautiful Il was a great
mistake. The large waist was beautiful and
healthy.
Or. Duncan was in favor Of dispe nsinz with
all skiTts. He spoke Of cases where women bad
went into the army. He saw no harm in their
wearing the uniform, and lighting with the men.
Mrs. King made her first attempt 10 speaking
Tor tue cause OF the relOrn- one ma worn the
dress awhile aud then laid il aside on account Of
the opposition she had met She did nOs now
believe IN compromise. and would wear the dress
Rt all times. She had met a great deal Of perse-
cution In this city.
Or. jackson replied that be believed that all
women should be allowed 10 choose their own
style Of dress II the men believed in the dress
form, let them stand by every woman who wears
the short dress. short dre1s is q sign Of q
womans purity. II woman takes care Of her
heath and dress, she is sound az heart.
Happily for the "RefOmsrs" they do not live
under the Jewish dlspensatiOn. The Mosaic code
inteFdicted the Bloomer costume as follows:
sThe woman shall not wear that which pertains
unto man, neither shall msu put on a woman's
garment; for Gil that DO so are abominate unto
the Losd thy God.-DeuterOnomy % 5.