The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1871-03-16

sage. 7
Approved March s, 1871
lsr axeulsT.]
woMAN's COLUMN.
1ss~ Ars "aaSi.at;ss q Wss...,"
The social subordination of women
thus stands out an isolated fact in mod.
eru social institutions; a solitary breach
Of what has become their fundamsn.
tai law; a single relic Of an old world
Of thought and practice exploded in
everything else, but retained in the one
thing Of most universal Interest; as il
q gigantic doImen, or vast temple Of
Jupiter Olympus, occupied the site OF
St. PauPs and received daily Worship,
while the surrounding Christian churchs
were only resorted to On fasts aud tes-
rivals. This entire discrepancy between
ono social fact and all those which &C.
company it, and the radical opposition
between its nature and the progressive
movement which is tie boast of the
modern world, and which has success.
sively swept away everything else of an
analogous character, surely affords, to q
conscientious observer of human teuden.
oies, serious matter for reflection. It
raises prima facie presumption on the
uufavor.ble eide, far outveighiug any
which custom aud usage could in such
circumstance create on the favorable;
and should at least suffice to make this,
like the choice between republicanism
and royalty, balanced question.
The least that can be demanded Is,
that the question should not be consid-
cred Is prejudiced by existing fact and
existing opinion, bu. open to the discus
Sion on Its merits, Is question OF JUS
tice and expedieocy the decision on
this, Is on any other social arrange
ments Of mankind, depending on what
IN enlightened estimate Of tendencies
aud consequences may show to be mot
advantageous to humanity in general,
without distinction Of eek. And the
discussion must he a real discussion,
descending to foundations, and not rest
ing satisfied with vague aud general as
ss,tions. 1t viii not do, for instance,
to assert in general terra 8, that the ex
pe'ience Of mankind has pronounced
ia favor Of the existing system. Ex-
perieuce cannot possibly have decided
between two courses, so long as there
has ouly been experience Of one. Ii
it be said that the doctrine Of The
equality Of the sexes rests only on the
theory, it must be remembered that the
contrary doctrine also has only theory
to rest upon. All that is proved in it,
favor by direct experience, il thu,
mankind have heen able to exist under
it, and to attain the degree of improve.
'ment and prosperity which We now see !;
but whether that prosperity has been
attained sooner, or is now greater, than
it would have been under the other
system, experience does not say.
On the other hand, experience does say,
that every step in improvement has
been SO Invariably accompanied by
step made in raising tho social portion
OF woman, that historians and philoso.
piers have been led to adopt their ele-
walton or debasement as on tho whole
the surest test and most correct meas.
ure Of the civilization of a people or
an age. Through all the progressive
period Of human history, the condition
Of woman has been approaching near.
or to e"uality with men. This does
not Of itself prove that the assimilation
must 60 on to complete equality: but
it assuredly affords some presumption
that such is the case.
Neither does 1t avail anything to say
that the nature Of the two sexes sdapts
them to their present functions and po-
sition, and renders these appropriate to
them. Standing on the ground Of
common sense and the constitution of
the human mind, I deny that aoy one
knows, Or can know, the nature Of the
two sexes, as long as they have ouly
been seen in their present relation to
one another. If m,n had ever been
found in society without women, or
without mec, or if there had been a
society Of men aud women 10 which the
women were not under the control OF
the men, something light have been
positively known about the mental and
moral differences which may be inner
eot iu the nature OF each. What is
DOW called the nature Of woman is an
emioently artificial thing-the result Of
forced repression in some directions, 10.
natural stimulation in others. 1t may
be asserted without scruple, that DO
other class Of dependents have had
their character so entirely distorted
from its natural proportions by their re-
lation With their masters; for if con-
quered and slave races have been, 10
some respects, more forcibly repressed,
whatever in them has not been crush
ed down by an ireu heel has generally
been let alone, and if left With any lib,
erty Of development, it has developed
itself according to its own laws; but
10 the case of women, . hot-house aud