The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-02-12

The meaning of all this is that If woman
who imagines she has genius Tor sculpture
gets q contract from Government for work, IL
makes her virtue, that is, her chastity, subject
for the scrutiny of the public whose money
she pockets.n And scrutiny means, in this case,
TO suspect and accuse. In the question oil woman
suffrage, IL is necessary TO consider the feartul
disadvantage women will labor under In any
competition with men in political adalrs from
their vulnelability TO slander In the matter OIL
chastity, and from the disposition OF their own
sex to use this poisoned weapon against them;
fer although Mrs. Swlsshelm is distinguished
above all other women who have come before
the public as writers or speakers for license
OF the pen, yet there may be many others
who have the same qualities IN a lesser de-
gree; and the prospect seems to leave put
this alternative, either that women Will have
to keep out of political competition with
men or with each other i'm order TO avoid bad
name, and thus only the hardened will enter
the strife, or that this slander will become
so common that it will cease to be regarded
and thus the moral tone OF society will be low-
cred to tolCratiOn of the name, which will be
very like liberation of the thing. Many years
ago Mrs. SWisshelm achieved a nOtoriety in the
public press by habit of writing sharp and
rough things of persons. Stimulated by this
fame, she made greater attempts. Finding that
attacks upon private character were regarded as
the spiciest things for the press, and had the
greatest circulation, she made this q specially.
She became kind of she Thersites of the press.
She talks of virtue, but the 1act of mere bodily
chastity is of little worth where there is such
foulness of mental habit In her coarseness
she seems unaware that in the eye of Justice there
is no worse loss of virtue than that which is
exhibited By uttering an untounded insiuuation
against the chastity of another woman. She
speaks of having grown old. 1t is time for her
TO mend her manners, so that she may gain that
respect which should accompany old age
Mrs. Swisshelm goes OH TO justify her reviling
OF Mrs. Sprague during the impeachment trial.
She says:-
My statements about Mrs. Sprague were
made when her name was in every newspaper as
the head and front Of the opposition TO impeach-
ment ana when the etiquette of the press made
her legitimate subject of public comment.
When any one seriously attempts to deny any
thing have published, it is time enough for me
to prove it."
Deny! When did denial help a illuminated
woman? The Swisshelnis know that when they
inject their venom there is no cure. Like the
venomous snake, it is their nature to strike
to,kill. What an eXquisltely feminine view of
the liability of women If they meddle with
public affairs and of the etiquette OF the press,
and the range of legitimate public discussion, is
this which iholds that if it is reported that a
woman is exercising any influence in public
question, her character is immediately to be
"sCrutiniZed" after the Swisshelm manner! And
what a high moral ground is this which 9s.
sumes that if SANDER be not denied il is iusti.
Cincinnati Gazette