The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-07-31
CH ES TON.
SATURDAY MORNING. JULY 81, 1869.
The Woman Question.
mate success.

Vn0 "Oneh SAessAVAss
The suByEcr1os OF WOMEN. By John Stuart
Mill. New York : D. Appleton Co. Charles
ton John Russell.
It is not easy to sum up in few sentences
the condensed reasoning Of Mr.. Mills essay
on the Subsection Of Women; but its whole
purpose is defined in tho first page, where
the author announces his intention Of ex
planning the grounds Of an opinion which
he has held with constantly increasing
strength Of conviction: "Thst the princi-
"ple which regulates the existing socisl re-
citations between the two sexes-the legal
s'subordinstion Of one EEK to the other-'s
"wropg in itself, and is now one Of the chi,
s.hindrancss to human improvement; 81 ID
"thst thought to be replaced by principle
"of perfect equality, admitting no power
"or privilege on the one side, nor disabil-
city on the OTHER" The essay is divided
into four chapters. The first is intended to
rebut the general presumption against the
truth Of his theories, Mr.. Mill arguing that
there has never been an experiment Of any
other than the existing system, that the d.
pendence Of women on men is relic Of
barbsrous times, that We know little phile-
sophically as to the nature Of women, and
that if they are disqualified by nature from
any employments, We may trust to free
competition to find it out. In tho second
chapter Mr.. Mill points out what are the
particular social arrangements Of which he
complains, showing chat the most promi-
nent e,n is tho state Of the marriage law,
wkioh gives the husband absolute rights
over the person and property Of his wife.
This arbitrary power causes many evils;
but when "two people ride horse one must
ssit behind" Mr.. Mill, however, says
that voluntary partnerships do not neces-
ssrily imply that one partner is to have the
entire control, although such Q principle
would be less dangerous in cases where the
union may be dissolved at will. The third
chapter is designed to prove tho capacity
Of women for proftting by the propose d
changes, and the final chapter IL an answ,r
to tha question, what definite good results
are to be anticipated
The whole essay displays in high de-
gree the power Of logical arrangement, the
capacity for oompressing into few pages
the essence Of long train Of thought, and
the fullness and weightiness Of style for
which Mr.. Mill is distinguished; and it is
marked by an almost passionate enthusi-
asm in the cause which he advocates. The
work is one of great power; but Mr.. Mill
has neglected to answer the strongest Ar
gument that can be brought against him
he has discussed marriage with scarcely
any reference to sexual morality. This
omission tells also against the argument for
the free admission Of women to professions.
Women will, it is true, only take to those
trades where they can make money; but it
does not follow that they will avoid trades
which are demoralizing, though not unprof-
liable. When women are made in every
way the equals Of men they will NO longer
have claim upon the care and protection
Of men. They must shift for themselves,
and NO legislation will be sufficient to save
them from obvious dangers. These ctn-
siderations are overlooked by Mr.. Mill, and
his book, though full Of generous feeling,
is open to this objection. While We have
no desire to see women dabbling in politics,
or treading the rougher walks Of life, we
should wish to give them every privilege
necessary to their comfort and security.
The agitation on the subject will naturally
lead in the direction of changing the mar
riage laws and of giving to women pro-
lection against wrong, as well as the right
to erjoy their own inherited or acquired
possessions. This is worth striving for,
and in later years Mr.. Mills experiment
may be tried without danger. In the mean
while, those who are interested in the dis
cussion of one Of the great questions of
the day may probably read the essay on
"The Subsection of Women"