The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1867-04-27
Women in America.

welcome the notorious General B. +. But
Ter (the Beast Butler of the South), not
because he had gained battles, but because
he had administered the civil government
Of Louisiana, and the unfortunate city of
New Orleans, with ferocious rigor, and
because, above all, he had insulted in the
grosseSt and most unmanly manner every
Southern woman who expressed her sym
pathy with the cause for which their hus.
bands, fathers, brothers or sons were
pouring out their hearts blood as if itI
were water. During the very heat of the
struggle, when Dir. Lincoln scarcely dared
to hope for success; when Dir Seward kept
constantly renewing his little bill Of victo-
ry ut ninety days sight; when Generals
Mcclellan, Pope, Hooker, Burnside aud
some others, only met tho Southern hosts
10 be foiled and repulsed--it was woman,
pert, insolcnt, ignorant, voluble, and
shameless. Who, 'atumpcd" the North
from town TO town, and city to city. dcliy-
ering inaammatory lectures in which she
criticised the plans, the strategy, and the
personal character Of the Generals, de-
uoauced their supposed their incompe-
;encc or their trcachery. held up nr
Lincoln TO public odium as budoon and
an embecile, aud the whole Administration
as ser o. incapables. In all her haran-
cues she had no word Of praise except for
General Butler, who had done nothing
but evil, or for the negro race, which was
the pretext. though not the cause Of the
bloodsed. The bloodshcd she never once
seemed to deplore, but pounded her coun.
lrymen to new slaughter with as much
gusto as If she delightepd IN blood aud
misery. And it was not the men of
America, but the women, who crowded
to her lectures, applauding them 10 the
echo, till this pestilent yirago, with a
strong nasal drawl, became the fashon,
and managed TO earn rs much as hun
dred pounds pdr night by her yilliGcatioD
Of the most eminent and patriotic of her
counirymeu. In England, when women
appear as lecturers, it Is mostly on those
graceful subjects Of music, romance, po-
etry, or the drama, IN the discussion OF
which the taste may be cultivated and
the judgement satisfied, but on which the
fierce yindictiyc passions Of an auditory
are not likely to be excited. II is not 50
in America; il never was so during the
civil war. The female lecturer always
claims the right to lecture on religion aud
on politics, on war and on peace and il not
generally thought 10 unscx her mind in
the process. In social politics the women
of the North are equally independent in
thought aud action The strong-mindcd
among them take au obieotion, rs they
may we'll do, to the absurd style Of mod
ern female dress, as woll as to its serious
expense; but instead of gradual reform
such ar might enlist the sympathies Of
those who are not quite 50 strong-minded
they rush to the extreme, and adopt a
hybrid male costume, which they call the
"Bloomer," from its ingentrcss, and strut
about the streets, where they are some
times mobbed, though. as general rule
they excite only the rude observation and
laughter of the BY passers. Even in far
moro important matters than dress, the
women imperfectly educated, of that class
Of fools, male and female who 1'rush in
where angels fear to tread" assume to
themselves liberty the exercise of which
in any other country in the world would
infalibly brand them with the stigma
which General Butler in vain sought TO
afix upon the rebellious women Of the
South. Having come to the conclusion
that the submission, of the wife to the
husband in marriage is inconsistent with
with the perfect equality Of the sexes, and
that marriage, in fact, is bat another form
of slavery, in which the weaker is held
in bondage by the stronger, not on account
of color or race, but on account Of what
thcy-rather than use the word sex call
"gonder" they jointhe society of .Free
Love-" holding that Free Love is as good
as Free Trade, or Free Press, or any 9TH
cr form of liberty. These Free Low
ers hold their annual congress in New
York. Boston, or other Northern city and
women, without shame inveigh on strictly
philosophical princiI pies against marriage
end protest that they never will submit to
the bondage. They assert the right of
the wife to put away her husband or vice
uersa, not merely for faults of conduct
or incompatibility Of ftemper, but for mere
caprice, safety or change of mind. One
of these women, having husband who
had the misfortune to lose bis leg by an
accident, which led to its amputation,
publicly declaimed against the law which
would not grant her divorce from per-
son who had become physically imperfect
and whose presence was consequently dis
agreeable to her. Her remarks were re-
ceivod with vehement applause by her
auditory.
Then thore is the "Woman's Rights
Society," to the doctrines of which it may
be supposed the philosophical member
for Westminster is convert, inasmuch
as he advocates one Of their principal ten
ets--that woman has as much natural
right to vote for members of the legisla-
ture, and for the government of the body
polite, as a man. A sensible, amiabie.
witty and accomplished lady of New York
was asked to become member of this
society, but politely declined. 81 know" /"
she said, ffbut of ono great right that o
woman has--the right to possess q good
husband: that right is mine, and / look
no further" A few weeks ago a Mrs.
Cady Stanton was candidate for tho rep
resentation Of one district Of the city Of
New York in the next Congress, and re-
ceived four votes out of a constituency
of tWenty-seven thousand It's not like
", however, that her example will be
contagious; though, ifwomen are to have
the political privilege OF voting, as the
i.Waman's Rights Society" aud Mr.. Mills