The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1867-08-30
WoMAN's RIGHTS IN DANGER,

"S' F4Sssut eiSFallon ano growing PRIV
leges. The theme is popular among
certain class, and wants not of orators
such as they are. The advocates of Fe
t male Suffrage and Equality of the Sexe
are many. From the United States Sen
ator, whose ambition for office would dra.
his soul to perdition, to the pedagogue il
the school rooml From the ambition:
divine who thunders bis eloquenee in de,
fence of this imaginary reform, to the
/ chirruping of the merest school girl,
We hear that woman is oppressed,
and that nothing but the JaHoi
sill give her that dignity and influence
that naturally belongs to her. Bot at the
risk of being called heterodox, we venture
to say that this is all talk-mere talk
Mauger all sueh fine sbeec hes! your
grandmothers were just as free as you
are, and history records no complaints
from them. 10 alllhe legitimate relations
of liie-in the privileges of education and
general improvement, they were just as
much on an equality with the other sex.
Let US look back little, not to the
Pilgrim Fathers-not to old England
look back-away in the distant past, on
the plains of Palestine-see that shep-
herd, simple in habit, venerable to lock
on, the friend of God. and in all ages
since, the Gather of the faithful" See
in the tent door that dignifed matron.
BUSY at her domestic employmsnts. pres
pairing the frugal breakfast while the
patriarch waters the herds, or SETTLING
for the stranger the kid which the pat
ria rch has dressed or tending the little
nurseling of the flock which the dam has
forsaken, does she camplain of ingrati
tude and inequalities? Is she not respec-
ted and loved of her husband?-an that
woman's heart can claim? Does she not
know that she is the friend and compan-
ion of Abraham? Antiquity has never
thought of disgracing Itself by handing
down to postsrity complaints from such
women as Sarah.
The simple form of society which is
here presented may be characterized as
stationary. It's customs and institutions
remain from age essentially the same.
The shepherd of the East at the present
day leads the same life and cuitivates the
same manners as his elder brethren il
the days when Abraham and Lot divided
the plain between them. The Beduoin of
the desert is the same now IS when Mo-
ses led the children of Israel through his
barren domains. And wherever the pas
to:al life was continued, there was pre-
sented the same simplicity of manners.
It was where society sank 6ezos0, or rose,
By the culture of science or the arts,
above this medium that universal degen-
eracy followed, both of doctrines and
morals. Now look again-to tie Teutonic |
nations Of the North, at the time they
were laid open to view by Roman arms
little before the Christian era. Here are
the beginnings Of Eaglish history in the
forests of Germany. Here is the foun~
dalion of those Institutions which have
been transmitted through our English
ancestors to bless our native land.
The form of society here was also no
madic. The manners of these rude PEG
pie have been traced by the Roman wri-
ters with much curiosity aud some de-
tail. Tacilus admires with a noble heart
their simple virtues as strongly eontrasted
with the voup'uous manners Of Italy.
l select few items ofeuch as have per-
thence to our subject. In no other ma
ton, be says, are The rights Of the mar
risge relation so happily guarded. Here
the husband and wife are bound together
by the mutual ties of love. Here the
marriage relation is governed By the laws
OF Christianity, and is not sought to be
subveIted by ambitious men or designing
women. While in Greece and Rome, men
must be compelled by law or enticed by
large dover to enter into matrimonial al
liances. Here i was all otherwise. The
wife did not bring dover to her hus-
band, but the husband % the wife. Aud
these gifts were not such as ministered to
female delieacy or vanity, but we're in
strumenls OF utility for war or agricul-
ture. In Rome eitbsr party could repu- I
diase The marriage alliance for the slight
est alleged cause and with perfect facility. !
Wen the Roman government sought to
subvert lhs marriage relation as recog-
nized by Christianity, from that moment
her destiny was sealed. In Germany
this sacred bond was placed on the strict
ly defined basis where The Gospel places
it. He says also that in matters of i'm
portanee they consulted with their NO
men, and gave great weight to their Opin-
ions; for. says be. ..khey link there Is in
seonaan something tths divine"
Beautiful sentiment. AID embodyipg
more of gepuine thought and right feeling
than could be crowded into the brains OF
nation Of modern would be feformers.
Such were the manners and domestic
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