West-Jersey pioneer., 1868-10-23

cheaply as possible; she upon him, as a
selfish, appropriative creature, who must
be .conciliated, but whom she is perfectly
justified in hoodwinking and deceiving.
This creates domestic atmosphere in
which few of the virtues can thrive, and
the influence of which extends far beyond
the household in which it originates.
1t is true that marriage, imperfect as it
is, has been and is still, though less than
formerly, desired by women, but it is
simply because they have had no other
resource. Without it they have beer
shut out from position, from society, from
participation in the commonest pleasure:
and epjoyments of social life, and from
all prospect of achieving for themselves q
home for the future. The needle, or en-
ployment in family, were the only re,
sources by which women could obtain a
livelihood, and are still the dependence
of nine-tenths of those who work fol-
their living.
The aspect of affairs has very materi.
ally altered, however; these are no longer
the only resources The pen, the medi.
cal college, the artists brush, and the
draughtman's pencil have already re.
leased many women from drudgery, and
opened the path to her of an honorable
independence.
More gratifying and encouraging still,
is the fact that women are beginning to
lose their timidity, and seek the rewards
of business skill and enterprise. Most
Of the large millinery and dressmaking
establishments are carried on by women,
but we have, in addition, women as pros
porous proprietors of mems and women s
furnishing goods, of ladies' hair-dressing
and hair-making saloons, of fruit and
canning stores, of restaurants, of dry
goods and clothing houses, and more than
one in the city of New York has made a
fortune in the purchase and sale of real
estate
A possibility of achievement as the
reward of her own exertions will soon
make the mere name of wife, without
freedom of action or equality of position,
very undesirable to clever. intelligent
women, and if man wishes to secure a
companion for himself, and good and
ereditable mother for his children, he
must offer greater inducements than the
chances of the shelter and table he NAV
be willing to provide, and the dress, not
a costly one, and the shoes, not dear ones
(no mention made Of stockings,) which
grave court has just decided woman
may claim Of her husband
Worse than this, hunger, starvation,
nakedness, she may be willing, nay,
happy to share with him-but it must be
with the understanding, that if better
falls to their lot, she has right to
share in that also-not the grudged
right of the tolerated dependent, but the
free right of an equal partner in the firm,
who, knowing its resources, and acting in
concert, or being willing to be guided by
its business manager, shares cheerfully
its losses or enjoys making her own dis.
position of some portion of its gains.
Men are willing to take infinite pains,
and pay enormous sums for a single
specimen of rare breed of horses; why
do they not consider it worth while to
take some care, and spend some money
in producing an extra race of children
Undoubtedly, certain value is attached
to the maternal function-but nowhere
is SO little consideration attached to it as
in the family, and by husbands, at least,
so far as their wives are concerned. The
bearing Of child involves long period
of incouvence, and more or less of suffer
ing; it involves that mortal agony which
is all the human system can endure, and
live-it involves lifetime afterward of
unceasing watchfulness and care. Is all
this worth nothing? 1t ought to be the
best paid work in the world
But have women no interest in chill
dren for their own sakes? Certainly they
have, but it is not unnaturally weakened
by the unequal demands made upon
them. Men have nothing to dread with
reference to children; no physical risks
or suffering, no sacrifice of personal COM
fort or pleasure. If they stake the
baby" it is plaything to amuse an idle
moment, not as duty to which every
other consideration must give way. From
women, the suffering and sacrifice both
are required, and the modern theory is,
that they must aid in the support of their
children besides, without thinking it any
hardship.
There is no objection to men and
entering into business partner
ship; any more than there could be to
two men sustaining the same relation,
but it ought in that case to be mere
business contract, into which the idea of
or household should not enter.
The moment woman becomes wife, she
assumes the liability of becoming a
mother, responsibility which units her
for properly discharging business obliga-
tions If no pecuniary value is attached
to this function. and its weight of work
and cares, it leaves her in just the con-
dition in which wives are to-day, wholly
dependent, aud therefore wholly subor-
dinate to the wills aud desires of their
husbands.
1t is time that this condition of things
was changed. Let the idle, the frivolous,
the weak, continue to sell themselves for
the doubtful shelter, the grudged food,
The reluctant clothing; but the women of
thought and brain, who have the courage
and capability to carve out their own
way. if need be, and whose presence and
Affection should prove the most powerful |
Incentive to deeds worthy of an exalted
manhood, need not, and ought not to ac-
,ept so humiliating position.
As condition of marriage, let them
lemand perfect equality, equality of
lain upon the income, in acknowledge
nent of the value OF the wifely and
notherly function, equality of right in
be disposition Of it, as return for the
ime spent and labor performed in the
ischarge of obligations which unfit them
or other. and, possibly, more congenial
When this principle Of equality and
nifty of interests is acted upon, there
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