New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-10-22
THE WOMANS PARLIAMENT.
ADDRESS OF Mrs. c. 8. PIERCE.

organize Womens Parliament in accordance with call
issued the st of June last About 10 ladies assembled
| among whom Mrs. Fanny Fern Parton, Mrs. Mary
j. DAVIS Mrs. Elizabeth p Peabody, Mrs. Charles s..
Pierce, Mrs Billiard Mrs Dr. Densmore, and Miss Mar
wede Mrs Pierce chosen President of the Conven-
ton, and Miss Emma c. Ward, Secretary. On opening
the proceedings the following call for the meeting was
read after which Mrs c. Pierce delivered the follow
| ing address,
Mrs Pierce said that they had met to initiate move
opmen Of the peculiar interests OF women and Children
and to bring pure and elevatng feminine influence TO
bear directly upon society and the world The need OF
organization looking to these ends was obvious Even
equal IL was not pretended that they the
ana taKnF women p3h man IN To
| deny that they have, as SEX whole value OF
peculiarly their Nevertheless In the constitution
OF society hitherto, most extraordinary forgeulness OF
garded and have regarded themselves only as human
| beings individuals Their interests as human
been taken care by the legislation Of the latter exactly
II they men. Thus woman's enjoyment OF NE
OF any man be, and If she breaks the law her
ga cr anS her nS,Vdua interests in the family
g. bappy and successful m great measure according to
her Character and gifts takes OF herself man
does. But. for the interest OF women as
any provision. The wide domain OF our common
womanhoOd which ought at this late stage OF the worlds
81, darR and Mechanically WILDERNESS womans heritage
as a sex has yet be. entered upon. Who and what
they stand here all the day IDLE, each
apart from the Oh me 1h WeT ans prSegs
and freedom, aud wealth 10 themselves. They were
called the oppressors and tyrants Of women But was
wronged woman since the world began-crueily deeply,
to have one day 10 stand before Gods high seat
and for share M the dread crimes OF strength
ness Of knowledge against ignorance OF lust against
innocence, that must stamp man In the eye OF his
Of the womsnhood With Which God had crowned
them admit that could have been so beaten and en-
shaved In the battlefield OF life had been true To It's
Greater aud 10 itself Some time or other the sexes must
have started in the experience OF human existence
II they had left far behind IN the race they should
be they had tried hard TO win as men hyye
before they complain that the latter has determnedy
pushed them back suppose young married pair begin
nnS life together, the young husband puts roof over
to provide for both. Through him food, fuel,
clothing. furniture everything comes into fne
spirit keeping all order, brightness, and beauty, pre-
pairing aud fashOnng everything under her mana TOT MS
comfort delight: wasting nothing; advising and act
ING iuGclousy In regard all expenditures; having
children health aud beauty and being. In short just
help the needs for this world suppose AS his for
tune Increases he build greater and greater add
ton 10 his house and add Held to field aud farm TO farm
The circle OF their responsibilities to friends. aeqnant'
auces and dependents grow ever wider and more
important but his wife with him In all Perhaps once
bright and solitary win MN III one foo o thet loe
hut with equal grace and faculty she moves by MN
among the throng Of their friends in the palace OF their
IL all such woman - the true the ideal wife and, II
a
MANY such he loves her and trusts her his ideal
All is in common between them. He conceals
lie never acts without her approval any than she
would without hs sanction But suppose, as he began
g. cuIarec Ills house and put In servants, and
Organize many industries the wife declares the original
was her proper sphere tiAt aaere sns nao
working little writing ttle nursing her boys when
they we're DaDes put alIe .as S luz o t "a M ~
the processes he had invented IN order TO manufac'
ibored for him and letting the whole establishment
CO. on without mistress. Her husband has his own vast
business look after, but STILL II she would not help
him he would lie makes the rules aud reg
uiatons the servants aud workwomen as well as Tor
the workmen; he orders the meals he buys an the pro
Visions and pays all the bills He sends the children TO
school and places them where they have grown up Inc
ten through. The house Is dirty, disordery'
comfortess The servants are unPIineipieu' exLaS
| agant, and lmpudent. The meals are iIcookeu,
tho working-wOmen are ill'paid oyer,tasked, and
Fnf me husband never asks his wife help him He
has long ago set her down as child; as ioO lie gives
her a. money he thinks she ought TO nave ana
there Is an end OF it, He battles IN the world BY himself
He lights aud is wounded and beaten. or he wounds
| his debts and sometimes he is Overlooking
| and arroSanty rich. But whatever he does
| he does on his own Judgment and responsibility.
He never consns her. His will is his only law She IS
complete and perfect cipher en hst S TVS NJ pd
opposer aud demand equal voice Ia all MS alaiE an
the purse that he has neu Win SuT e o so ~ S
iss and education Of her children aud dependantsi
| raoe cue She may cry all day. and he will never
become by hcr long suplneness aud stupid ndneIenee
nv her seshness which she calls self Sacrce sue mas
spent all energies on the baby at her breast ana us
and her little narrow surroundings Perhaps she has
some few grains OF common sense leh IL so she ceases
,nomnaln and opens the door OF hex room and
looks out Everywhere grandeur eyeryw splend9r
everywhere d ss disorder E&' 20 e hs
| iaton 80 immense that she Is aghast she knows
| not where 20 how to begin she Is weak. 100
from her years OF long confinement her are u
strung her muscles relaxed ana shrnhn ne, i u. nv
mowers have TO waste, she Is 30 Ignorant Oh lhht
her husband has done aud doing that sac can scarce
1rasn the situation force herself 10 think out he
66robiems before her Nevertheless she eals her daugh
ters She at random any corner OF inc vast
what she does whether TO handle the broomor give
Little by little che reorganizes the great mansion anu n
that ia in A. The reins OF every department are III hot
hands and the servants come and go with the precision
OF machinery and the cheerfulness Oh ehuren n, S
husband buys judcioasly, she advises Nun o. ~
han ali e house IA fresh and beautiful she visits tne
schools and studies the masters that she nhy Aow
| cnmTch and her blessed life and earnest example
| nersnade men and women TO go there she exerts
M verv friendly and social Office and arrogating nothing
to herself she Influences her husband so nat ihsseau 0
,hs siobboThood she penetraes easily TO the work
houae the poorh0use the prison. III her nushnu uOes
bis c0 she e% %sm weh a H 50 SAe DIE
| ferent from each other and children from both,
mat the greatest Judgment ana tenderness Is ~, 70
oenders against the law And 80 she goes ON until out
OF CONFUSION has brought order out Of gloom cheer
crown 10 the stature OF perfect wife And the
busband-did he try 70 prevent and hinder all thus soon
at her and wish back In her old place Per
hans at first may have said little, but privately rs
though much. He may have let her work Tor Time VI
noticed and uneneourged In order to what mind she
was OF His criticisms may have been harsh aDon
her mistakes or her Ignorance, but upon the whole
him from the day when, leaving reproaeh and complaint
she set herself resoutey but quietly to do everything
| I'm hR