Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-07-26
Marriage and Maternity.

Miss Anthony in the Revolution. Sth.l
In late Revolution is an extract from
the New York Medical Gazette, rebuking
practice common among married
women, and demanding law for its
suppression.
Much as l deplore the horrible crime
of child-murder, earnestly as desire its
suppression, | cannot believe, with the
writer of the above mentioned article,
that such law would have the desired
effect. 1t seems to be only moving off
the noxious weed while the root remains.
We want prevention-not merely punish
ment. We must reach the root of the
evil, and destroy it.
To my certain knowledge this crime is
not confined to those whose love of ease,
amusement and fashionable life leads
them to desire immunity from the cares
Of children; but it is practiced by those
whose inmost souls revolt from the dread
full deed, and in whose hearts the mater
nal feeling is pure and undyiDg. What,
then, has driven these women to commit
such deed =? This being answered, l
believe we shall have such an insight into
the matter as to be able to talk more
clearly of remedy.
Women are educated to think that with
their marriage their individuality ceases,
or is transferred to their husbands. The
wife has thenceforth no right over her
own body. This is also the husbands
belief, and upon which he acts. No
matter what her condition, physical or
mental--no matter how i'll prepared she
may feel herself for maternity--the de-
rnands of his passions must never be re-
fused.
He thinks or cares nothing for the pos.
sble result of his qualification. If it be
that an immortal being, with all its needs,
physical, mental and moral, shall come
into the world to sin, to suffer, to die, be-
cause of his few moments of pleasure,
what cares he 2
He says he is ready to provide for his
children, therefore he feels himself kind
father, worthy of honor and love. That
is, he is ready to provide for them food
and clothing by his self.denial, sound
bodies, good tempers and happy ante
natal existence. He gives his wife wealth,
leisure and luxury, and is, therefore. a
devoted husband, and she an undutiful,
unloving wife, if her feelings fail to re-
spond to him.
Devoted husband Devoted to what 2
To self-gratifcation at the expense of the
respect of his wife. | know men who
call themselves Christians who would in
sist that they are gentlemen, who never
insult any woman-but their wives. They
think it impossible that they can outrage
them they never think that, even in
wedlock, there may be the very vilest
prostitution; and if Christian women are
prostitutes to Christian husbands, what
can we expect but the sequence-infanti-
eide ?
Women who are in the last stages of
consumption, who know that their off
spring must be puny, suffering, neglected
orphans, are still compelled to submit TO
maternity, and, dying in childbirth, are
their husbands ever condemned? p? Oh,
mol 1t was only his right as a husband
he claimed, and if maternity or death
ensue, surely he could not be blamed for
that. he did not desire it. The usual
tenor of mems conduct in this respect
seems on par with that of Henry VIII,
who, when asked if the life of bis wife
or child should be saved as it seemed
that one should be sacrificed, answered
o, the child, by all means. Wives are
easily obtained"
Oh, there is dreadful volume of heart.
histories that lie hidden in almost every
family in the land 1t tells us Of trust
betrayed, of purity violated under sane
ton of law, of every holy feeling out
ragged, and purest love turned to fear and
loathing. IL the moral feeling in the