The Portland daily press., 1869-10-02
DAILY PRESS
Saturday Morning, October 2, 1869.
BY HORACE GREELEY.
CORTLAND

rnSt. L hoiu tnat God created our race,
maze ana Iemale. with clear-seeing intent
that it should thereby be rendered more efii-
cient, nobler, happier, than it otherwise couId
be, and that this diversity relates not to a SIM
Gle function merely, but extends to our entire
physical, intellectual, and emotional nature.
H. L hold that this distinction is so innate.
vital, essential, that the first man and the first
woman, having realized that sit is not good
that man should be alone" and having blend
ed their efforts and their fortunes for mutual
well-being accordingly, at once recognized the
intrinsic fitness of each Tor distinct eXertions
for the common good; and that the man went
forth to collect the bounties of nature or con-
STRAIN them into such forms as would be con-
ducive to their subsistence, while the woman
took charge OF the bower, cabin or cave,
which formed their abiding place, and pro
ceeded to make the mutual couch OF leaves,
or boughs, or grass, to render the interior OF
their lodge as comely and cosey as sine might,
to fashion garments from the bark or flores,
or skins which the man from time to time
brought in. and to preserve and prepare the
food likewise procured by him, so as to rem
der it useful, palatable and nutritious to both,
to the extent of her knowledge and ability.
III. believe that, when the time had ar
rived for establishing a government or state,
other than that oldest and simplest patriarch-
the men assembled for the purpose, whether
generally or by delegate, leaving the women
at home, attending TO their proper business,
and this because of a mutual and general in
tuition that such was the Divine order, die
tated by the highest good OF the entire human
family. '
IV. 1 hold that the appointe sphere OF
man is broader, not higher than that OF wo7
man-that the household is her kingdom,
within which her influence should be para
mount, and her decisions have the force of
law. OF course, true wife will consult her
husband on all matters of Importance. and
will evince great Difference to his wishes,
tastes, fee ings, aversions; just as q true hus1-
band will evince like Difference to those OF his
wife; but nature has assigned to each dis
tinct, definite sphere, ana the happiness ol
both, the due development and well being ol
their children, the comfort and enjoyment OF
their guests, dictate that each should recog-
nize the others precedence within the proper
radius of his or her dominion.
V. 1 affirm the right of woman to do
whatever she cando well, even though her
ability be exceptional, and not common to her
sex and L honor the wife or daughter who
having a crippled or bed-ridden husband or
father cast upon her for support, tlls with her
own hands the farm or garden whence she de-
that case, l would have her work by herself
or with companions of her own SEX so far as
possible. The promiscuous employment OF
men and women in shop or field has hitherto
led to gross Irregularities and corruptions
and l do not believe the time near at hand
when such commineling may confidently be
expected not to result in such lamentablt
consequences. s8a..aut L..4.E i.5s
vi. As to teaching-one of the few pur
suits wherein men and women may be prop
erly associated-I deem it best that, above the
age of fifteen, girls should be instructed b
women, boys by men, and that girls should
acquire knowledge and skill in any trade Of
handicraft whereby they may earn an honest
useful livelihood; and l consider type-settins
one to which they are especially adapted; but
if, having acquired this or any other, they are
to solicit work from printery to printery, ant
take their places in the composing room indis
criminately with men, l am sure the mora
evils of such commingling will greatly out
weigh any pecuniary advantages that may bC
fairly expected from it.
VII. As to government; Iheartily wish thu
women of our country, and of each state
would choose their wisest aud their best to as
semble as delegates, consider the needs an
wrongs of their sex, and memorabilia Congress
aud their respective Legislatures for the re
moval Of those wrongs. am confident tha
such delegates, fairly chosen by the genera
voice of their sex, would make no demand
that would not heartily second. 1 believ
valuable suggestions might be expected iron
such congregation of the gentler and purel
sex. But tfrom Congress or Legislature elect
ed by men and women voting together, AM
made up in good part OF such women as woult
naturally aspire to and enjoy seats therein
and being closeted on committees with sucl
men as they would meet therein, pray to b'
delivered. 'H 3 h3-i'd ' 11lt
VIII. OF my seven children, but two sur
vive, both girls, for whom l would make life
as fair and hopeful as may be. presume
them quite as capable as most other girls tt
do their part in whatever befits their sex ant
their station. / wou d have their lives active
useful, beneflcent and respected. if l thought
it well for them to be voters, jurywomen
electioneerers, and candidates for office,
have no conceivable motive Ior seeking to in
terpose barrier to their following such ca
r.er. But l do not, cannot believe that sucf
is the sphere for which they were designed by
an All-wise Father. / believe that theil
chances of usefulness and OF happiness would
be seriously diminished by precipitating them
on such a course. L greatly prefer that they
should be women, such as Milton portrayed
in Eve and Shakespeare in Imoeene.
TX. For it were blindness not to see tha
the essential character Of the household must
be very different from what it ever has beer
when Smith spends his evenings at the Uniol
League, and Mrs. Smith enjoys hers at tn
Manhattan Club tor their respective counter
parts in any city or village); he by doing hi
best to elect the Republican,, she rendering
her hearty support to the Democratic or what
ever may be the rival ticket. Their home
if the name may be still retained-'will b.
another Yarrow" from that which long age
won the beloved appelatlon. Smith and
Mrs. Smith will meet at breakfast in no moot
for reciprocal endearments, and little fitted +,
show forth to their children how "birds il
their little nests agree; they will be more in
clned to canvass with aceIbity their riva
| candidates; and if Smith should happen Il
| find in the morning paper some cheering re
turns from Pennsy lvania, Ohio, OF some 9th
er State previously regarded as douetiul, h
will be apt to announce them in such term
as to elicit a reminder that he is a brute,
while, if the news should happen to fayo
Mrs. Smiths ticket, am not at all sure tha
her use OF it would not be equally provoking
and as sharply resented. In short, shall ex
pect antagonism in politics to be at least a
| fruitful source of separations as incompati
bllity OF temper now is. g lq.fAT ..l...l
| X. As to employment for women, hol
| that there is an immensity OF work to be don
that Specially pertains to the sphere of We
| man, which goes undone or is done very bat
| ly and eXpensively because most women n
| ject it. This country is in present, pressin
| need of one hundred thousand scientific, skill
| full, thoroughly qualified cooks; but very te
| American-born young women are seeking
| adapt themselves to this urgent national nee,
| We are poorly fed, as a people; our mea
| half cooked or burned to crisp; our brea
| is often sOur or sOouy and uuie oeneral
| tasteess, indigestibe, innutritious, becaus
its makers are grossly ignorant and bent o
| remaining so; the butter, on most OF our ta
| bles, is poor sort of grease; and as to soup
we do not know what they are, while for thos
| who know how to make them, they are tn
| cheapest, most paatable, most nutritious lorI
| of mingled animal and vegetable food. If th
| "Girl of the Period" could only be induce
| to leave the piano unaffected, and devote th
next year or two mainly to Soyer and th
| kitchen range, l feel very sure that her haI
| piness, as well as that of mankind, woul
thereby be signally promoted. lam conf
| dent that she would thus secure good wages,
proper dependence or rather (lnter-depen
ence, which is the nearest approach to the TO
i mer attainable in civilized socety,) gener;
respect, and qualify herself to be a shell
meet" for the industrious, frugal, energet
farmer or mechanic who, in due time, wi
probably ask her to become bis wife. r. go
I hope few will regard me as lacking syr
pathy with the many needy and ill-placed,
unplaced women of our day, who are anxiou
ly inquiring and looking for Something
do" 1t is because / would have this ella
smaller in the. next than it is in the presel
generation, that L speak so plainly as l. d
We are iearfully iniseducated people, aud IL
case is worse with our girls than it is WITH OF