New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-04-30
A WOMAN'S RIGHTS.

mot
distprbed corner will be stray truth OF TWO 'i''
has escaped their winnowing. Pending the suooe''
of woman's suffrage and woman's CLUBS thcio an
few convenient privileges which might DC scou'ou
the sex by quiet and unofficial acuOn' lno 'VVT
society only is needed to secure these rights anu '
is cast by each member without waiting 70 oounv 'no
ballots or decide majorities In sociai questions
pure, honest-mlndeu "oin"" '
majority for herself.
IT, r,obt in Wow lust now the privilege, which
IA n preferable name-it is offensive to be always
standing Oh ones rights-is that women should be
allowed to attend theaters and public lectures AZ
evening alone with the escort OF one OF Their own
sex This is a tangible concession which, small as 1t
strikes one would add sincerely to the pleasures OF
women. and be benefit TO them. too. Dear dark
eyed bellies, and sweet girls with luxuriant blonde
cheyelures may lift the finger of protest against tins
reonest; they have been so fortunate as never to
know the need of an escort But for the hOmely girls
and the independent ones who grow reasonably tired
of staying at home and waiting to be asked society
surely might relax its rules In behalf of the young
men, it is pleaded that they need no longer DO COM
pelled to be the unwilling escorts of plain sisters or
aunts nor make duty of asking the neglected glrs
of their circle to go ont with them once season.
The plain girls are willing to stand aside and play
wall flowers at parties. and run the Wheeler d VII
son at home and go upstairs when callers come;
Int IL ia hard when the day is over that Brunhilde,
Jane Maria and Cecilia round the corner cannot
don their gray bunonses and peaceably rue
in stage together TO the door of Wallacks
or Booths Theater, or to the concert at
Steinway and take their seats among respectable
people, for an evenings enjoyment without feeling
that their responsibility Is moved grain IN the
balance. new light would be thrown on the shady
ways of spinsterhood by this concession, and much
of the woe of being unsought and unattraetiye
ha p,ifip ted would
cheerful for the privilege.
The danger of unattended females going through
the streets at night is the principal thing to be con-
sidered.. Unless a woman lives in some out-ot-the-
way locality in this police-rdden city, this ought
not to be q reason for keeping her at home Laules
who live on or close to the different stage ana morse
car rontes may surely feel safe to ride from their
own doors to those of the theaters and ecturerooms
In some localities yet called respectable Young gen
tlemen returning home late from the theater or the
armory have been accosted by ugly customers WIN
suspicious requests to know the time OF nlght' ou'
thieves would not be ready to attack woman as
man, particularly the custom now prevails OF
dscarding the watch for dTessy toilet. There Is q
risk In going ont at night but this is confined to
downtown localities, and the numbers OF respect
able people returning home about the same hOur
would be sufficient to deter cowardly assaulers from
molestlng woman.
In going out unattended. woman does not feel
that she runs any serious risk from any but respecta
Bile people The lifted eyebrow, the doubtful glance
1.-two women present themselves In public, at even
ING alone is hard for refined creatures to bear and
many woman sits thrOugh solitary evenings at home
within stones throw of the church or the concert
room. because social rules forbid her to cross
the threshold alone She is not recognized in doing
So This recognition is precisely what is necessary
Respectable people should look the matter over,
weigh the faint risk against the acual and large adj
vantage to be gained by giving women this freedom
and then express themselves fully on the point 1t
not moro than thirty years since it was considered
ndecorous foryoung ladies to visit picture galleries
alone, practice which fine strictest matron woud
not think of forbidding OF course young girls
need the protection of older persons in any society
and any place. but that women of twenty-five should
be kept at home by harem laws is too oppressive Al
ready the best circles society reviewing the mat
tor of widening the liberty of women by this much
Those who felt inclined modestly to assert their
rights are assured that they follow the example Of
some of the leaders of Newly society. One lady
of position and connections. belonging to of the
oldest and weathiest KnIckeTbocker families is well
known to be in the habit of going out with her
daughter evenings, as her fancy may dictate, unat
tended. One of the brightest of NewYork journal
lsts whose dramatic criticisms won her reputation.
and who has lately tried her silver tongue at the lee
turer's desk, was seen at the French Theater when
Rstori played quietly listening under the chaperon-
age Of an older lady. A writer of less repute not
unknown to divers metropolitan newspapers in the
absence of the regular dramatic critic of the journal
on which she is employed takes his place and goes
the rounds Of the theaters accompanied only by
young lad or lady companion Her experience is
that she is exposed 10 scrutiny more unpleasant
than that of severely virtuous women, who, in the
company of their husbands, scan her with
contemplate erOntery. from those OF her friends
who cast shocked chances at her on hearing that she
has been out alone as they choose to phrase 1t. A
Quiet dress modest retiring yet self-complete de-
meanor is enough to disarm those from whom rude
ness most TO be expected, and the hashy men who
crowd the Hobbies of theaers will turn their gances
at the sight of a dropped eye and modest face,
while the woman Of society levels her opera-glass
full at the shrinking girl, and whispers comments
none too carefully concealed. 1t is precisely the
proval of respectable people that is due to tins war
rantable assertion OF privilege. Iheater managers
will find it for their interest to countenance the al
mission Of quiet, decent-appeariDg women, whom 1t
is as easy tell from soiled dove" rs TO tell gray
pigeons from white ones More tickets will be Sold
and the best dramas will be better supported If
women are allowed to attend alone. Ii is not the
stupidity of bUrlesques the indecences of opera
boufe that women care to patronize, but they
do sigh TO 90 when they choose with friend
or neGhbOr to q gay English comedy at Wallack's,
the opening nights at Booths, or to the Academy
instead of taking amusement cold hashed at Satur
day rnatin6es. where sooth to say they run full
much risk of being insulted covertly as they do
evenings. In the present state of New-YOrk man
ners where scarcely woman exists who has not to
complain of actual and intOlcrable insult in broad
day. in Fifth-avc and Madisonsquare stages or on
the promenade it is scarcely consistent to keep her