The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1871-01-07
The Importance Of Female Chastity.

The Importance OF Female Chastity
Although it is true that chastity
is law OF universal obligation, it is
not true that mans guilt in violating
it is as great as that of women, be-
cause the degree Of guilt depends
on the degree Of temptation, which
in the case Of men is very strong,
both from temperament and circuln-
stances, and in the case OF women
very weak. Mems passions are fierce
and active; women's feeble and dor
mant. Moreover, the way in which
the work Of life has been divided
makes mems exposure to temptation
constant; women's very rare. The
race has, therefore, in forming its
moral Judgment on the quality OF
otfenses against sexual purity, al
ways treated the mans guilt as less
heinous than the woman's, and al
though this rule does occasionally
work astounding injustice, and mas
called into existence the great blot
on Christian civilization, the cold
blooded male seducer, it does i'll the
vast majority Of cases work what,
we believe, is i'll the courts OF hea-
ven, as we'll as those of earth, recog-
niZed as substantial justice. The
distinction has, however, utilita-
rian as well as a purely ethical ba-
sis, and one no less important Ger
tainly. Like most other Of the usa
ges kept up by society for the regula-
ton of the relations of the sexes, 1t
has for it's object the maintenance OF
the integrity and purity Of the fam
lily. The maternity of a child is a
physical fact, very difficult of con-
cealment, hardly ever successfully
concealed, and usually provable by
many witnesses. The paternity OF a
child is, ON the other hand, simply
an inference which derives all its
strength from the Importance at
tached to chastity by the female sex.
1t rests simply and solely on the
character of the mother. 1t is inca
pable of proof by any other testi-
mony than hers. All that is known
about it is locked up in her breast,
and to weaken her scruples, there
fore, is to throw doubts on the origin
of all her children; or, in other
words, to strike at the very roots OF
the family organization. If we had
things so arranged, therefore, that a
woman thought no more OF violating
her marriage VOWS than man, we
should have probably in very large
part of the world either to give UP
the family altogether, Or shut women
up, as they once were shut up. The
inference with regard to the pater'
nifty Of children, therefore, has to be
jealously guarded, not only because
it is in the nature of things weak
but because it furnishes what is, in
the present state of human nature
the main OF sole inducement to hus
bands to toll and accumulate fol
their wives and offspring. For, lei
it never be forgotten, the husband
must, except in an infinitesimally
small number of cases, be every
where the bread-winner. Children
must always look to their father fol
most of the arms with which they
face the world. Now, there ma.
come a time when, after having
heard the requisite number of tracts
a man will toll cheerfully for th'
maintenance and education OF sucl
children as his wife may see fit Il
introduce into the household, with
out caring whether they are his owl
4 or not. But we are still far ava,
from any such consumlnation. A
matters stand, brutal man will nel
ther dig nor delve for the support 0
any children which he does not pos
sess moral certainty he has begot
ten. He acquires this certaint,
through his confidence i'll his wife
purity, and society helps to .justif,
it by visiting her lapse from yirtl
with the deepest Of earthly damna
tions. To be sure, the arrangement
does not work perfectly; but thel
the world is full Of imperfections
brethren. We know you would hay
made a far better world if you hat
had a chance, and it does seem
pity that SO many things, and espe
cially the relations of the sexes, an
| the manner of perpetuating the spt
cies, should have'been settled with
out waiting for your appearance o
consulting you.
! a man in Connecticut, engaged i
digging well, was deserted by a
his hands ON the day of the Meride
fire parade. Looking for assistance
he met a sort of half wit, who agree
to help him, taking pay in cigars
They arrived at the well, which Wa
already forty feet deep, and the cit
zen was to go down and dig, Will
his assistant was to turn the Wint
J lass. Citizen got about ten fee
down, when the notes of a bras
band were heard. II declare sal
haIf-wit, ssthere's the music-I mus
go,n and letting go the windlas
away he ran. Citizen speedily LAM
ed at the bottom of the well, badl
scared, but not hurt. There he r
mained until late in the day, nobOd
going near the well on account I
the attractions in the town. FINAL,
, toward evening, a neighbor passin
by, thinking he would look down an
see how the work was progressin
, found our citizen and extricate
| him. He is not reynlntiOnizing Il