Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-06-27
JEFFERsON DAVIS ON WOMAN.

We make the following additional ex-
tract from DIR. CRAvEN's recent work. en-
titled prison Life Of JEFFERSON DAVIS y
FEMALE IECTUREEs-THE TRUE MISSION OF
WOMAN.
Mr.. DAVIS is referred TO some remark of
Miss ANNA DICKINSON, hostile 20 himself
which he had seen in the papers; also re-
calling that lac had heard of the lady's hon
uring Fortress Monroe with her presence
some six weeks before-he supposed to de-
rive her inspiration iI,m an actual view Of
his casemate, or possibly TO catch a secret
view of him through the admiring favor of
Gen. Mills, or some smitten officer. lie
had noticed that Miss DICKINSON had fig
ured largely upon the lecturing stage, and
had undeniable talent; but the talent rather
of a Munad or Pythoncss than most Of the
mild virgins who wOrshiped Ncsta, and
kept the fires of faith and charity forever
burning on her pure affairs. Womans
appearance in the political arena was
dcplorable departure from the golden path
which nature had marked ont for her The
male animal was endowed with more than
sufficient bclligcrcucy for all purposes of
healthy agitation; and woman's part in the
social economy, rs she had been made beau
tiiul and gentle, should be 10 soothc asperi-
ties rather than deepen and make more
rough the cross-tracks ploHghcd in the road
of life 10y the diycrging passions and opin-
ions of men. Ii was revolutionary age
iransportations and novelties were the fan
cies Of the day, and woman on the political
rostrum was only an outcropping of the dis
organized and disorganizing ideas now in
control Of the popular mind. The clamor
r
the professions and employments heretofore
engrossed by men was another phase of the
same malady. They demanded TO be self
supporting, forgetful that their most tender
charm and safest avmor lay in helplessness
Woman's oiliceembraced all the sweetest and
hottest duties OF suffering humanity. Her
true altar is the happy tireside, not the TO
rum with lis foul breath and distracting
clamors Physically unable to defend them
selves from injury or insult, their weakness
Is a claim which the man must be utterly
base who disregards.
The highest test Of civilization is the def
crcnce paid 20 women. They are like the
beautiful vines of the South winding around
the rugged forest trees and clothing them
with beauty; but let them attempt living
apart from this support, and they will soon
trail along the ground in muddy and tramp
led impurity. While woman depends on
man faroverything, mans love accepts, aud
his generosity can never do enough 10 dis
charge the delicious and sacred obligations;
hut let women enter into the rider employ
ments of life ~ mans rival. and she passes
herself rs a slave under those memorable
laws of trade which are without sex or senti-
menL Perhaps in one branch of medicine
there might appear a fitness In her claim 60
naturalization but even in that branch cir
cumstances Of sudden difficulty and danger
were of every day occurrence, requiring the
steadier nerves, cooler judgment and quick
or action of. medical man Ia deal with. If
asked for his subimest ideal of what woman
should be in time Of war, he would point 70
the dear woman of his people as he had seen
them during the struggle. The Spartan
mother sent forth her hov, bidding him re-
turn with honor, either carrying his shield
or on H. The women OF the South sent
forth their sons, directing them 10 return
with victory; 10 return with wounds dis
abliug them from further service, or never
90 return at all. Al they had was flung into
the contest-be luty, grace, passion. oma-
ment: the eNqui tie frivolities so dear to the
>cNwere cast aside their songs, ifthey had any
hearts to sing, were patriotic; their trihkets
were flung into the public crucibio; the car
pet from their lloors were portioned out as
blankets 10 the suffering soldiers Of their
cause, women bred 10 every refinement of
luxury wore homespuns made byttheir own
hands when materials for an army balloon
were wanted, the incest silk dresses were
sent in, and there was only competition Be-
secure their acceptance. As nurscrs OF the
siek, n encourHgers and 1iroriders for the
conibatauts a. angels of charity and mercy
adopting rs their own children made or
phans in defense OF their homes, as patient
and beautiful household deities, accepting
every sacrifice with unconcern, and tighten
ing the burdens Of war by every arr, blan-
di,hmont and labor proper 10 their sphere
The dear women Of his people deserved 10
take ranl, with the highest heroines Of the
graitdcstd avsofshe greatesd- countries. Talk
ing further upon woman, Mr.. DAVIS stated
has belief that when women proved uniaith-
ful to their marriage vows, il will in almost
every instance be found the husbands fault.
Men throw their wives, or allow them to be
thrown, into the companionship Of male as
s0ciaIes whom they know 60 be dissolute;
neglect them while the Illicit lover pays
every attention, and then grow angry at the
result Of their own criminal folly. II is
either this OF that the man has chosen,
withou, sufficient inquiry, a woman whose
unfitness for the relations of wife might have
been readily ascertained. No woman will
errif treated properly by a husband worthy
of the name; but she Is the weaker vessel,
and mnst be protected. D.