Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1871-05-12

Inc winter pf0ctt-a g t.ac-A "a A-- Al
mands made on behalf O. women which re-
. fer 10 their property and their Labor, leaving
the claims of political privilege and socia
emancipation u the last.
raF LEGAL STATUS or wo--As
BIZ the common law Of England, unmarried
women Dosssss. and long hzve possessed, exact
+ ly the same rights and capacities 10 regard d
me ACQUISITION. MANAGEMENT Gnd disposition q
uroDe-tv as those hel and enjoyed by men.
Bot that system either took away or suspended
all these rights and capacities Of the woman
while married her husband acquired the use
Of her lauds during WeIlock. might sppropri-
sre 10 himself all debts AMI demands due 70 her
and become absolute oEne- Of al ler cnarJelf
she could enter into 20 corr-Ec-, acquire d.
property by laoor OF ty trade, and make NJ
transfer without MS consent All this has been
. CHANGED in most Of the American htates--ln
uaanv Of them completely aud radical lY changed
The legislation Of New YORK NAV he taken s.
the rvpe. Tne uarrlel woman there holds a.
be- property Tree from the control Of her nus
band. aai beyond the reach O. his creditors. II
is even more absolutely hers than his Is he
Own she may acquire IN any manner sn4
transfer G. pleasure Diving. sic may devise
and beoueath il by vii She may engage II
snv business or trade. she may make COZ
rrEc.s IN reference 10 the acquisition, transfer,
o~ uss O. her property. snl ID reference Gu 8
. business OF trade Iu which she ls engaged. or
into which she nav be shout g. eater de-
] general contracts having n1 relation 90 tne SUD
iscts ius- stated. are not binding Gnl she i-
thus protected from the c1use- uences OF her lr'-
F providence Itls plan tnsI uua1v0cate Of Vo-
F rnau-E rights cRu asa anything more nom ine
New YORK Legislature because all the priv
. 3eres possible nave been conferred. and any f1r-
. Their change would necessarily impose burden.
T Many States have COPIED tnf AeF ork statutes
IL full Others have merely made the wife s.
property absolutely her OWE. free from the
. coutruI Of her husband Snd the reach o. ms
+ creditors In New lorE there ls DC legal re
7 scrsiut or barrier u the vsy Of g lmE1- mar
+ riei or unmarried. entering upon and prosecu--
inc auv business. rrs DC. o. calling. There was
+ lett III. latelva rule requiring practitioners g.
the bar r. be males, uut that rs disappeared
and the lsst restriction. urou the trading, bus
ness and pr0fsssioua ACTIVITIES O. women vas
. thus sweut away Suoa being tla law u this
and IN many other states, ana the tendency
throughout the whole country being IL the sane
direction. ir Is proper o. inquire whether the
F change made by the Legislature has been accom-
PANEL or fol.ove- by any corresponding change
IN society and IN socia. practices. and whether
the results attained nave been On the whole oene-
hcisl
Legislation car effect H-tle c- nothing more.
The door has teen o0euei d The entrance BE-
still closed up. Z is not blocked 10y the avs, bur
nv me habits. opinions. ana if you please, pre-
induces OF society. The field for future labor BE-
7 therefore socis-, All not legislative Public
7 opinion must be changed. End uot statutes a.
I mas q
uows- ana capacity % aecor--au1 msT, i she
choose. become LAWYER. q physician, % mer-
cnaut. manufacture. q trader, farmer, AZ
g. on through the whole range Of occupations
and emul1vuan-z Whe.us- she VII CT vii not
enter upon and succesj IN any or al % these
spheres Of activity, depends NOS upon sentiment,
but upon iufezible and universal laws O. point
czl economy. Haranguss from the rosrrun sn1
lectures IL the lyceuu VIII u0t accomplish TINS
result Every instance Of O. woman pursuing
the melio.. profession with energy. win yea,
and with consequent success-znl sGcl instances
are not nov rare-ioes more 20 draw Other We
men 70 the sane pursuits am prepare society O.
receive then. thsn the n0rtar0ry lGcors o. MY
Mrt Stautons sni Miss Authonys. ] DO no,
nov discuss neither ssssrt nor de1v-tne III
ness OF women % engage II all these business
and mo fessionsl ac-iviues Whsthe- tnev ale
ft, they must prove f1r themselves I1e lega-
way j. open sosial Inertia opposes then
and that they can only overcome by persona
efforts TIE solution o. the problem simply lies
IN solving H.
Has, asks Pro-. Pomeroy, the result Of the
change In the laws made corresponding
change IL society and social practices he
replies that the change has OF the whole
been very little;
It's plain ths. The grea. change which The
law mas made IL the relations Of husband and
wife mas DOT thus far been accompanied uor fol-
loved by any c1rrespCniInE change 10 society
and ID social prsctices i Is nov nearly ouEr-
ter Of century since the Legislature Of New
York INSIDE its first crslt innovation upon the
system which had existed f5- centuries and IL
is ten yesrs since ;he business freedom and cape
cities Of msrriei women were made complete
II We should 60 through the State and inspect
every household, We should IND that, N the vssi
majority Of instances. domestic and busiuess
affairs are conducted u exactly the same man
ner as though the Eife's property were Still III
de- the exclusive control Of her husband and
she were sill incapacitaiei from entering into .
valid contracts. Husbands YET carry on all the .
outward sctivliies. They uansge the farms. .
the workshops. the counting houses they FL .
the courts, and SIC found a. the aed-sides they I
are the earners Snd producers Wives are not .
croEding into the ranks Of any t-sde or probes +
sio1. They stin preside 81 The home, and make .
perfect the lie which w0u,1 otherwise be hsrd .
and barren. Iu fact, the sentiment tina. the .
family is the unit Of society has become % com
uleteiv iuwroucht into or English and Amer
can character and civilization, that 10 laws car
eradicate it, the fault Of the statutes il CUES
tion is, thst they are directly opposed 70 tins
fundamental fact.
HAvE I'M RESULTS OF -HE NV LEGIsL4TIoS
As WHOLE BEUy HEEEFICIAL1
In some cases good has resulted. II others
evil. Un some occasiluH which arise IN every
il is evident that justice and equity
nsve been promoted. TIE properly Of mar
RED woman DO longer belongs 70 her husband,
and is. therefore no longer liable 90 be seized by
bis creditors She msy thus make provision for
herself and her family secure from the effects Of
lis iilenesf, imp-0vidence, dissipation or vi,i-
'ul neglect. Il Is no longer possible that the
lsrd earnings Of 8 wife deserted by her nus band
should be swept away by his creditors, or dis
posed Ct by him 70 grstify his desires The IL
'tsnces where this good has oeen wrought are,
4 course, somewhat exceptional
! think that the experience Of lawyers and
y
With the general workings o. the law, vii sus-
All me IN the statement that the great and
most important practical result Of the new legiF-
stion IL to be found IN the opportunity aad
means which e has created for husbands 20 CO yer
lp and conceal their property. and 70 kes P il
eyond the reach Of their creditors. The rec ords
f the courts and the history o. litigation are
all Of examples and illustrations, A me- rried
lsn becomes insolvent- Ills wife never ha any
property and il ignorant OF business Z CON-
aeucss a business IL her name as her gent
yeryihing goes on IS before, except III Al the
ecal title II held by the wife he cond acts a.
be outside affairs, and she pIesiies e. hone ;
he family u supported, 81 before, by the profits
{ the trade; she never interferes viii and is
osoluteiy ignorant OF the particular hr siness {;
roperty Is thus acquired. sni as II Is theoreti-
ally owned by the wife. il is completely beyond
be rekch Of the husbands creditors The pes
ut system permits such &-rang snentE ; the
ourts hsve upheld them, and must uphold
hen. repeat. tins If the impo rant practical
esult which the statutes in rsfe renee 10 mar
led Eomeu't property have thus far effected.
hey could not change human nature They
ould not destroy the general Superior influence
the husband and the genera weakness and
ielding temper Of the wife and they have, by
leans Of this influence and weakness, created
n opportunity. which did not before exist, for
be success Of wrong and dishonesty.
We reserve to another DAY some additional
xtracts, giving Prot. Pomeroy's views on
he clam for political and social emancipa-
ion for women.
The Good Templars Of Phoebe City, Colorado,