Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-10-10
Woman and Marriage.

The most persistent and Outspokeu
opponents oi marriage at this day are
found among women. That class Of
women vuigarly termed strong
minded, almost without exception,
wage against this Institution a cease
less warfare. Novels written by wO-
men dwell with touching and long
drawn pathOS on the infelicities OF
married life. The active female cOn-
lures up horrors which it charges di-
rectly upon the relation which the
laws of society compel the sexes to
hold to each other. The progressive
spirit of the age, as eXempiifled in the
writings Of females has eInaneipated
itself from these shaekles. The word
has not vet gone forth that ONE
shall not marry, but every measure Is
adopted to bring the position of wife
hood into d~isrepute. In fact, the
quiet old fOgy women who are content
to become wives and mothers are re-
garded half pityingly and half con-
t~emptuOusly. The bold, pushing, ag-
gressive female admits reluctantly
that this kind of life may do for some,
but not for them. They were created
for a higher purpose. let those
suckle fools who viii, the task IS not
for them.
The WOman's Rights movement Is
practically an anti-marriage move
ment. Its advocates almost without
exception either take ground openly
against marriage or seek by covert
sneers to weaken its hold upon the
public mind. Under the guise of q
distinct individualism, an individu-
alism which shall rule the marriage
relations as we'll as other relations of
life, a rule of action is advocated which
IS incompatible with any relation but
that of voluntary association of the
sexes. These lectures do not all take
the ground openly, but the animus
which directs their assaults upon the
marriage relation can be seen. We
do not believe that all who sympa-
thiZe with the movement understand
the full purpose Of its leading advO-
Gates. They know doubtless Of in
stances of domestic infelicity, and
their sympathy goes out in a vague
way as it always goes out to the un-
fortunate. AstOry told with stream
ing eyes touches their hearts. They
see only the point at which their view
is directed. The suffering and angelic
heroine of the novel or lecture en-
SlOCoCo XII AlCAl II 01T-
nIOny and beauty of the system Is
lost sight of in contemplation of some
exceptional injustice resulting from 10.
In this way, by having their minds
constantly directed against exeeD-
instances, many women lend
the influence of name and position to
push forward a work from which they
would shrink in terror could they see
its legitimate result.
Whatever unequal burdens matri-
mony may impose upon women, any
other conceivable relation of the sexes
would be infinitely worse, Make
women independent if they desire ID,
open to them all trades and profess
endOW them with the ballot
and the right to hold office; place
them, 50 Ear as mOney-making Is o a
cerned, upon an exact equality with
men, and in the race Of life they will
be- weighed down with a burden inn
possible to escape. Without marriage
men would cease, in the holy sense OF
the word, to be fathers. Women,
however, would continue to be moth
ms, There Is a destiny from which
neither law o lecture will relieve
hem. If the child Is a drag upon the
mother, with the father to aid In its
support and education, what Will it
with the father estranged, free to
fOubt the fact Of paternity and free to
wade the responsibility when admit
ed? Nature has sealed the offspring
o the mother. In the dread hour al
maternity she finds herself with the
infant upon her bosom. The
ather may have passed from earth, or
he bulk OF the globe may be between
hem; yet there is the child. The
mother cannot, II she would, deny
Ter offspring.
Subject to these conditions, the force
which every Woman must feel, 1t Is
.e0neeiVahle how a sane, right
woman should make wal
Ipon the only relation which holds
nan equally responsible with the WO-
pan in the care and education OF
hildren. The relation may not be
'erfect-at least its results are not al
rays what we might deSlre-yet il
nay be said that human wisdom has
Exhausted itself in repeated attempts
D perfect it. The evident aim Of the
carriage law is the procurement Of
istice. The weaker party In the eOn-
Is as carefully protected as barren =
lords can protect her. The law can
ut secure love, kindness, appreeia-
ION, not the least of the thousand
Othings that make married life a
eautiiul existence; but the law can
unlsh gross infraetiOns OF the implied
of the contract. The law a u
OF make men just or women yirtu-
US, but it can offer a premium on
and virtue. This our marriage
w does. Public opinion holds ia
contempt the man who Deglects
provide for his family than the man
no steals through devotion to IL.
law nor public opinion a
lieve woman entirely from the bur-
IN imposed By nature; but it seems
10 object of our marriage to divide as
as may be the burden between
two. And yet women who have
Terything to lose and nothing tegain
bringing this law into disrep1te
. directing their sharpest weap0ns
,ainst it,