The New York herald., 1868-01-31
NOTES ON NEW BOOKS.

WOMAN's WRONGS: A COUNTER TRRITANT By
Gail Hamilton. Boston: Ticknor Il Fields. 1865
This 10 fppant biting. noisy compound Of argument
and scoldng-partiy aimed one Dr. Todd and stupid
men In general and partly and more wisely aiming 10
point out some faacIes Of Suffrage theorists
Scarcely person VIII read The rst seventy pages and
not eoncede thar there right wrong that woman
fully enjoys with little dspute-that namely OF fumlng
in print or bong inoonssquen nonsensica and rdicu.
ous without limit on tosraby fine paper and fh good.
clear typo This the part in which the author oasts
DR.. Todd. Perhaps the Doctor deserves all
that the lady says or him; yet the good
easy man, as quoted in these pages, seems have had
heart what Mistress Hamilton certainly regard
as an honest purpose since all that part Of the volume
not specifically given up TO scoIdng al the reverend
worthy specifically given up 10 the attempt TO estab
sh by argument and exclamation views essentially the
the Doctors. Il may be- therefore, that the
trouble between Hamilton and Todd is only that old and
proverbial incompatabty that s prevents agreement
between 1.-TWO Of a trade"
Having gotten through that part Of the volume which
treats OF ,ho shortcomings OF Todd tho reader will find
that Mistress Hamion's style improves with her tenn
per In all ina, early part she seems In arguing against
adversary argue for the theorists and her words
are dimsy In the part in which she points
out the Of the theorists she gives her thought
in strong, clear nes whence It may either be Inferred
that the former case she views IT, s Inherently fee
BILE, or that her heart In tho latter view for where
her heart must finally be matter Of Inference since,
however positive she In Mye, she always rather
tells what she would propose in . given contingency
than what she actually docs propose in this grea, open
discussion OF womans relation to society When she 10
positive II is on points obvious and 80 often urged
that thoy needed new advocate We have here what
has been often enough seen bcfore-a call the world
for arguments against womsns claim 70 vote II said
"A remarkable feature Of the discussion s the scarcity OF
reasons brought against female suffrage. The
burden Of proof lies with those Who deny the existence
and the exercise OF this right Not at all and such
thought could only be based Misunderstanding Of
the simpler elements Of argument. No one can be
justly called upon to furnish reasons why women should
not vote. Men stand upon the established order OF
things In which the suffrage 10 denied TO women. 1f
anybody wishes TO change that established order 10
for that body 70 advance good and sufficient reasons
for the proposed change, and Tor society to hear
them, 70 answer them II IL choose or be able, and
thon determine for or against This misconception IN
one OF the multitude Of things In her book that Gail
Hamilton has reesved and repeated from those who
have gone over this subject before her.
or the relative capabilities OF the subject could
not 70 untouched, ana we have the usual parade OF
tho names Of women who have proved themselves supe
ror In line 10 the average Of male humanity. 10
not this On argument more humiliating than any put
OF the ssxsA and can number her fingers the women
who seem 70 al her ideal Of grsatnesa who could
name In a Gail Hamiltons little volume the msn who
have been thousandfod greater than any OF these.
Her very ability 70 asns hW yopsa We rslA ot hW
orHumenk