New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-05-17
THE ROMANS MOVEMENT.
VIEWS OF A POsITIvIST.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
SIR: The opponents of the Woman's Move
ment having held their anniversaries and received fair
reflection Of their views and purposes in the press may
be permitted TO opponent TO say few words on the
other side The very moderate interest which the public
displayed in their meetings might well justify you In
ignoring any communication the subject yet In your
columns you have overlooked the dangerous tendency
Of their teaching; and exposition of the movement
from point Of view OF Postvst may be OF interest,"
if not of value 1t is part Of wish to review these
last proceedings in this city, they developed no new
idea or statement calling for special attention. The
Woman's Movement stands substantially the same
ground now that it occupied in the time OF Augusta
Comte The points TO which wish to call attention are
mainly those upon which he based his opposition to It,
In order to get at the spring of this movement 1t is
necessary to bear mind that there has been great in
telectual movement In progress for several hundred
years. which in general has taken the form OF arevo
against Church and State in favor of individual rights
This revolt has proceeded until in its extreme assertion
IL entirely overOOks the side OF human relations
namely: human duties. Women from the beginning
have opposed this movement, and 1t Is only In recent
times very small minority have taken any part In It,
At present the general feeling among them is anpathy
tot They dislike the destructive character OF the philos
ophy Of ndividualsm 1t being their mission to intro
duce life into the world and to nurse and protect It, they
are naturally conservative and in their defenseess con-
dition in former times have chung to those
safeguards which nature, venerable faith,
and social usages have reared. In the pres
emit development Of society, however, some OF
the more papabe forms in which physical strength
formerly contributed to the protection OF person and
property have disappeared ana the depehuence r5 oi
woman upon man in these respects has diminished Inc
Industries too, in which women may compete Win men
at less disadvantage than In any former ne nave vastly
increased. Under these circumstances we nave snaI
body of women advocating the assumption by helr sex
of equal responsibilities and lahors with men In TAXING
this step they necessarily abdicate the position Wlc
entitled them support and which has made man from
the moment he has married, IN TINS respect
to his wife, The inevitable result If carried TO lts ogc
sequence would be more or less complete ISOLATION ISOLATION
of the two sexes and the eonseguene SuSr
which woman would labor in the sphere OF man
agency TO compete with him Connubai association
would inevitably be subordinated to advancement IN
practical life TO degree Of which we at present nave 10
conception. The disastrous effect upon man Oh ,nu re-
moyaI OF the checks and responsibilities OF the am
hardly be measured Thrown stCge1ef cauot find
selfish prOpeusities for means OF NE, we calot 1h
the level to which he would be reduced save among te
social independence of the two sexes were ever really az
tempted it would at once radically disturb tie & 10
favor Such an assim ation would 0tn t .emu
morally to destroy the principal charm when now draws
men toward women. II such principle OF repnsoh couu
De pressed to It's extreme natural limit venture 70
arm that will appear directly opposed 10 te repro
tat woman should pass the greater part OF her ne IN
the family; aud this law has never been eyaded to any
important extent 1t has always been accepted instnc-
lively though the sophistcal arguments against 1t have
never been adequately refuted Happily the mass OF
aversion for these Ideas and for the lack OF moral dis
cpne which gives rise TO them that, though still almost
unrefuted phiOsopicay their effects have
not been realized Nothing but woman's antpathy has
prevented the practical which logically follow
from these subversive principles.
Psychologists tell us that low down in the scale Of
animal life as we can 20, wherever there il percepbe
distinction OF SEX we lind that maternity is the first and
most fundamental duty of the female This Conception
of the duty OF the female Is accepted applicable the
whole animal world, including the human species The
great and true compensation is the rearing of
Children Mr. FrOthng CHAM said: First and Iast
nnder one aspect another In way another the
proper BIRTH rearing nurture, education, culture OF
niiJren anpears 10 be the end and aim of MARRIAGE
Prnniseuous intercourse Is unlawful because IL defeats
s end The successful rearing OF children the greatest
snyk which Is accomplished ON the planet All work chi
inmates I'm that" Let 1t be borne In mind that the princ
nal pton OF this work necessarily falls upon woman II
T. & ~ ho must bear the child nurse IT, and be teacher
and roycrnor during most OF It's early years. Men Of
good Sense have always felt more important 10 train
viii birth and lasts during the whole period OF physical
growth Is essentially the work OF women 30 specially
e. tio daned Tor Il that failing the mother femae
end II well chosen will in most cases. do better than