The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-04-25
Elevation Of Woman Damnablc
Hereay.O

Mr.. EDITOR,-In the argus of this morning
find communication from Westbrook signed
"Anaen and Amen" as if the writer thought
he had thereby finished the controversy for
ever, about woman and woman's rights. But
why not give his name? Is he ashamed or
afraid to be known for what he is worth? OF
ashamed Of his opinions?
L should not reply to such rgmarole-so hoy
lsb, so arrogant, and SO presumptuous-but
for what purpOrts to be an editorial endorse
ment, in these words, The above is strong and
Of IT. Aud who the plague is WE? Strong
and trenchant is it ? Strong" with what
strength ,iand "trenchant,' how ? Let us see.
In the first place the writer acknowledges
that "he has very little faith in argument"
Undoubtedly; but why take the trouble to say
SO? The fact is self evident; but then, the
Argus endorses him, and of course our mouths
are stopped.
But for all that" he adds, 81 cannot prevail
upon myself to hold my peace, while the most
dana1adble heresy OF this day and generation
shall proceed stealthSly to en,hrone itself in
he hearts of the people," Stedlthayl-to en-
throne itseif-stealthily! What would you lay to
u stedtthy coronation? But the ArguS endorses
every word OF it, and, therefore we are to
believe that open public discussions. continued.
mouth alter month, in the journals and pews-
papers of the day, in the halls of Congress and
in Parliament, in lecture-rOoms and legislative
oou'Ss3 III PuipitS dhu SIOu pidtIOrmS, OOLD
oversee and here, until agitation is felt and
| acknowledged through all christie dom and
| even among the Turks, with all their reverence
| for the "womanliness of woman" is stedlthul
But, continues our W. stbrook champion IN
burst of indignant eloquence-"brave words,
| my masters
| Madness is Il ere for a man any higher
virtue than this-is there any stronger reproach
or man than to deny him this? A lar more
queeniy grace-a far brighter, more excellent,
and mere comely crown, is oon,dnliness to
aC0nadn-a far greater reproach and deeper in
suit, to attribute to her the want of it,"
TO which answer, that I reverence woman
illness in woman, as l do manliness in a man
but then, hold that the highest type of man
hood has III it something OF tenderness and
aenteness-ln other words, something 1pi
acOnldnIl7aeSS; as in the Saviour himself-wHo
loUed Martha, and acept at the grave of Lazarus;
| just as the highest type OF woman hood has in
It something OF manhood, something of the
6ofdness, and self-relianCe, that characterized
| Deborah, and Esther, and Miriam, in other
days, and Charlotte Corday, Florence Night
lngale, Grace Darling, and thousands of other
devoted, brave women, who LETT their homes, il
not always their families, for the horrors of the
battle field and for the loathsome service OF
our hospitals, in the late war.
And let it be understood" he saws that
| for all purposes of civilization-for SUSTAINING
| as we'll as for giving polish and refineme ut
10 society, the womanlipess of woman is quite
as important, TO say the least, as the manliness
| of man"
Most assuredlyi But who asks man to fore
go his m&nlipess, or woman her womanlint IS J.?
All who are friendly to the federation of wo-
man. or rather to th- restoration OF woman,
70 her natural and indlienable rights" ask, moi
DbaL anything NAV be taken from either, but
hat something may be superadded to both-
meekn' SIS, genrleness and patience to man, and
strength aud self-reliabce and greater efficien-
cy 10 woman. But amen and Amen" goes
urther:
'EleUate Domdn!! Would it elevate man to
set him down to piece OF embroidery, or Other
domestic duties suited for delicate fingers?
TO any proper perception, woman is degraded
dowL 10 level with man, when she is removed
from woman's sphere, and l can imagine 40
greater insult offered to The sex, than when
they are told, that 10 admit them to the occu-
patrons aud duties of men, is TO elevate them'
How childish! How pitiful! aud how un-
worthy OF the occasioDl DO we ask that men
shall do embroidery? (Yet they do large por
ton OF it now in most countr es and in MANY
| clothing establishment Do we propose thai
women shall give up housekeeping or the nur-
sery? or that men should apron themselves and
wear caps, or dabble IN cookery, as thousands
DO at this moment, until the men-coOks have
the preference here, even in this country, in
our hotels and other feeding establishments.
And then, too. we are to be told that
| woman is degraded, when she is only admitted
| to the duties and occupations OF men! Really
degraded by adnission9 Are the women
who write books degradeds Are the women
who keep school degraded? or the women,
clerks in our post Offices, and Treasury Depart
ment; or women who lecture, and sing, and
preach-are they degraded? Time was, and
that but the other day, when they were al
lowed to do none of these things. They were
"blue-stockings" if they wrote-immodest, if
they appeared on the stage, like Sarah Sid
dons. or Miss O'Neal, or Pasta, Rachel, or
charlotte CushmaD, and strong minded women
and Rtonmora-if fhnu Aor 60
mouths in public, or ventured to think for
themselves. Shame on such de plorable iptatu-
ationl But then-"every word is true,'' ac-
eofdlng to. to the Argus and what is more,
Let us be understood. We propose not TO
abridge, but to enlarge the sphere Of woman's
usefulness-and therefore of woman's bappi-
ness and self respect; in other words, to re-
lift ian for higher companiOnship.
And now, one word for serious considera-
ton Weigh it well, 1 pray you. Haue the
ooe r. eoer ta.1ed to do and to do aceu ,ohateuer
man mas eather encouraged or permitted her to
doY And If SO, what becomes of all these OBJ
jections?
And here we have another flourish, which be-
ing interpreted means-fudge !-though what
ne means by that distinguishing mark 6et,oean
lished, and which He will not suffer to be
eefoced, with impunityr' we should be glad to
know.
Aud we ask, therefore, what can he mean?
Is he laboriDg under some dreadful hallucina-
ton? Has this "dananable hercsy" turned his
brain till he believes that we are trying to
make all our women alike-either by turning
all our women into men or all our men into
women? If SO, God help him! "Strong and
trenchant hey2" JOHN NEAL.
P. Son Wednesday evening next the
lists will be opened. Bring on your best men
1t you have any respect for yourselves, and
take issue with us. 1t shall be no child play,
we promise you. j. N.
News by the Latest Mails
A verdict of manslaughter has been found