The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1870-05-05

woman's True Rights Upheld---Lau-
rel's Defence.

Ma. EpIruR.--There Is an old proTerb WEIGH
says, "a good cause makes stout heart and
fully realize its truth now in my own casei
for, supporting myself upon the truth and JUS
tice Of the sentiments have advanced, feel,
10 spite Of all of "Cclia's" denunciations aud
Misrepresentation, wholly untouched. Imust
acknowledge was little surprised that one
Of q Celia's" intelligence and abilities should |
Oppose herself so strenuously to woman's quiet, |
matrony rights and should grapple so earn !
es,y for those rights, which belong to, are
more suitable for, and were originally intended |
only formcn. Mr., Editor, what fine reasoucr
she would make II she only had the cause of
right on her side what an admirable opponent
of the diabolieal outrages Of the times. Let us
try to convince her Of the error of her waysj
but am afraid she is past recovery. | know
every one has right to his or her opinion, but
the question is, how can any body, 10 the face
of reason and revelation, for single moment,
foster such an opinion2 think the charge Of
inconsistency which she so boldly and triumph.
antly hurls at me is unfounded, as shall pres
emily attempt to prove. | am sorry, however,
to have reused her indignation by my, as she
calls them, "severe structures against Woman's
Rights" was not aware that | had made
any "severe strictures,' and am sure have
not, against what consider her rights. But
here arises difference Of opinion between US.
| hold that her rights are simply those of
modesty and virtue, principles which so truly
become a woman; and what other rights can
nd fnf
God forbid that | should, by word, thought or
action, prove myself opposed to the natural
and lrce-born rights Of woman Far be it
from me, but, rather. would stand up in bold
un6inching defence of those rights and protect
and uphold them to the last. Cecilia" says,
referring TO womans uttcranee, "the voice long
despised and contemncd." But has woman's
voice been "despised and condemned ?" In re-
lation to social fairs, which more nearly con
Germ her than any others, has she not, Gotten
and often again" spoken her mind Has she
not welded her pen with such freedom in the
| literary world as to weave for herself the
lasting "laurels Of fame" AID for all this, la.
she been "despIsed and condemned? ?" Nay,
honored, rather. But perhaps Cecilia" has
reference to her not having united with man
in regulating public affairs, carrying the laws
into execution &c. Certainly that is not her
business, nor the purpose for which she was
created. Our forefathers, the trainers of that
| constitution under which we have so long lived
and prospered, made no provision by which
women should be admitted into the exercise Of
| government, and, ! am sure, were in favor of
none. All the affairs of public ADMINISTRATION
were specifically intrusted, and given into the
hands Of phis men. And especially is IL a
wonder to me that women should wish TO vote
now since the passage Of the Fifteenth Amend
mcnt; for, since the white men have ALWAYS
been acknowledged as privileged, both by right
and by necessity, to exercise the power of
voting, the women and negroes, who have not
been so privileged, are thereby placed on
| disdgreedble level, at least to the eve of the
public. Would it notappall us beyond measure,
and make our cheeks crimson with shame, to
see those, near aud dear to us, a wife or sister
for instance, going up to the ballot box beside
some clumsy negro or brazen white man, and
| giving in her vote? Would not the sight be
tickening in the extreme7 Would not the evil
vastly eounterbalance the good, II good might
be effected BY that vote? Cecilia" may say,
"ihey needn't go up together, lot the women
form a circle TO themselves" But they must
tread over the same ground, they must go to
the same polls, and, oh horrors their names
must stand, side by side, on the same register
Now appeal to a reasoning, thinking com
munity, to tell me honestly IL this is the right
| place for woman, or If she had not better stay
at home and wait for her husbands return to
know the result Of the contest meanwhile at
tending to her duties there as the true wife and
mother shouldG 1t Is nothing more than right
for her to manifest an interest in the general
welfare of Der country, and, IL she plcases, to
write upon some popular and absorbing topic
of the day, but farther than this she must not
60. Here must her proud wares be stayed, 4"
W she would be honored and respected and re-
\ tain the credit for eomeliness and sobriety
which she has hitherto possessed. Here she
must pause; for she no sooner mingles with
the fcrcer passions of mans boisterous nature
than her purity becomes smiled, and she is
metamorphosed from "the sweet messenger OF
peace" and CANCEL Of earth" under which
glowing terms the enthusiastic poet and novel
ist has been pleased, in all ages, 10 describe
her, into mere inferior being. In allusion
to the text. II quoted, my dear Cecilia" II
you will observe The context, merely to prove
that woman "should not usurp authority"
over man; not with an intent to prove that she
should not speak at all on any occasion, for
that do not consider the Apostle meant
Certainly, If she were thus doomed to ''silence
and subsection" her lot would be miserable
indeed, worse than a slave. cannot con.
esive how you could imagine the text to have
such very literal Specification. Certainly |
did not imagine it, as my allusion to her "soft
persuasive voice" proves conclusively. Her
living in "silence and subsection" think, ID
simply synonymous with her marriage vow,
"to love, honor and obey" Certainly, il she
loves her husband, she will consult his wishes,
for we are prone to honor those we love, and
they may, tins, take sweet counsel together.
Sir Walter Scott says Of true woman; nHer
very soul is in home, and in the discharge Of
all those quiet virtues of which home Is the
centre. Her husband will be to her what her
father is now-the object of all her care, solici.
tude and affection. She will see nothing, and
connect herself with nothing but by or through
him." And moreover Cecilia" since you ask
me why attempt to "tsaeh man through the
columns of the Advocate, and enjoin me ia
practice what preaeh,"I must affirm thai
you have again misrepresentcd me. Did you
not notice In my piece, that among the right,
Of woman, which enumerated, one was ''thal
they might, through the medium of the arts o.
penmanship and printing, astonish the worlt
by the beauty and briliancy of their concep
items y do not write simnlv fnr Tho nnr.