The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1868-11-12

oi demandsand Concessions. Ideas,
which rule oil ages and mako his
tory, ara irrepressible and irrcsist.
iblo. The idea which in this age
has taken possession OF the worlds
mind is lhlt Of universal Mffragos
Appomattox, SadOwa thegeaens
revolution in Spain, are only SO
many blows directed TO clearing
away the obstacles to the universal
cniranchisement otthoso for whom
governments exist, and for whom.
in fact, the globe exists, The Peo'
pIc. acrg
Negro suffrage in tho United
States is an effect of tho movement
Of this idea in the world, as is the
dem0nd for woman suffrage, which
will triumph ultimately just as
surely AS manhood suffrage. Ia
England the movement is much
tnrther advanced than in the Unit
ed states. Not only are the ladies
there taking an active part in the
campaign. but twenty thousand
women throughout the kingdom
have had their names placed On
the register by tho overseers, or
have appeared before tho Revising
BarristerS as claimants Of the right
Of suffrage.
But the most becoming and tho
most urgently. demanded woman'S
movement Of the day originated
in Germany, eliminating in
Convention al Stu.tgardt. on tho
18th inst. Tho Conference was
not for the purpose of considering
and demanding political privileges
or rights, but to consider questions
of vastly more practical impor-
tancc and more certainly within
the sphere Ot the sex. The three
chief questions considered were,
first. how to best regulate the ply
sicnl education or children; second
ly. how TO effect reforms in dress;
thirdly, how to make benevolent
female institutions seIfsupporting.
The rearing of children "fash-
ionably,' especially girls, in Eu-
rope and America, is one OF tho
crying evils of the time, and ono
OF the curses flowing TO sucCeeding
generations. II the women of Ger
many, who are models of house
wifcry and domestic women, can
inaugurate q reform in this re-
spect, they will do immeasureab!e
good and receive the blessings of
those for whom, after all the lives
Of women are given, and in whom
Is absorbed the woman's heart, viz:
the children.
. AS to tho evils of dress, oven
those who indulge in all the follies
OF fashion acknowledge their absur-
dlty and their tyranny. If women
dressed to please men they would
dress with taste and simplicity, in-
stead of painting and feathering
themselves like the Indian squaw,
rearing their hair into the shy
like the African negress, or dis
torting their bodies by that most
aboniinable Of ancient or modern
follies, the Grecian Bend, into a
moving and be-dressed letter S, Or
into the figure Of u school girl, af-
fccted with what Fanny Fern
terms n spain under tho apron"
But SO long as they dress to "wor-
ry each othor,' as fashionable wo-
men acknowledge they do, there
will be need of 5tuttgardt Conyen-
tions.
If this conference should be the
beginning of a movement which
shall finally save many women
from those crimes Of dress which
destroy health and life, it will bo
accepted as great success, and
sensible people can be recoDciled
to endure those fOllies of dress
which injuro no one, unless it be
the wcarer, by giving her a repu
tation for folly or ior weakness Of
character.
Tho questions which the Con.
vcntioh was TO discuss are stated
in the following programme:
l. TO find out the best ways anil
means TO teach young mothers
how best to regulate tho physical
education of their children.
2. The establishment of small
museums of literature, art, and in
dustry. These museums would
not merely contain the best works
of literature and art especially ad-
apted for women but they would
principally be kind of schools or
academies. Places for meetings.
lectures, and tho like, in which
topics, such as the education of
children and matters Of domestic
interest, should be treated by COM
petent women and men, il these
can be prevailed upon to assist in
Ithe movement. There would also
DO Sunday schools for women and
girls of all classes, savings banks.
supply associations, offices for those
that wanted places, &c. l
3. Tho commencement OF q re-
form in dress, chiefly directed
against the yagaries OF fashion, and
the best ways and means to carry
out this reform etfectually. AS u
basis for this reform, the following
points have been accepted:
a. That nothing be declared
sold fashioned" which has onco
beon found useful and appropriate
aud becoming. l7
/ b. That nothing now be adopted
unless it has proved itself to be
both TO the purpose andansweriug
the demands Of good taste.
c. That all garments and objects