New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-07-10
MELANCHOLY DAYS.

To me RditOr OF The Trtbune.
SIR: The "WOmans Rights Question" has
been brought 40 amentably into public notice OF late.
and has received large share OF attention. because
of the demand for suffrage that hesitate 10 say word
more on the subject. Yet the time has nearly come
when the opponents Of this movement though so largely
outnumberng its friends have thought necessary or
wise to lift up their voices against it, All the talking
and the agitation have been sde-n the interest
OF that small minority Of American women who are am
bilious 20 be considered manly. since they cannot be
simply wOmanly And believe that the majority Of my
countrywOmen have been content to remain silent 80
long because they felt OF their strength OF
the innate weakness Of this called reform Many OF
the most thoughtful and earnest woman have preferred
to bush at the sad spectacle presented and to
stop their ears against the unseemy noise made by the
Away disconnected few.
81 shall be satisfied but OH here" to be the
motto OF these agitatOrs and all remember Dante
description OF that portion of the internal regions set
apart for those who would not be content to take the
goods the gods provide" but clamored constantly for
something higher and better Why, heaven itself will
not be high enough free enough, fear, to please
women who are not satisfied with their status in
the America of to-day. Never In the history
OF this planet have women occupied so grand
n position: never has their influence been so
marked as az the present tme and In our great republic
yet these infants, crying for the light, and with no
language but cry grope about in the free sunshine,
blind TO the fact that the night has passed away, and
dawn has been succeeded by full noontide. conceive
that being woman, have perfect right" Qf may
venture TO use that muchused and mueh-aoused "oru
to speak plainly and hasten to the bsrd po
Bile criticism, that women are aways n mn u don
women" by cOnfessinR that feel more ply imam con-
tempt for these unreasOning unreasonable harssters Oh
mine | pty them, lust as pity those unhappy ones
who suffer from physical Misunderstanding never see the
light OF heaven which shines upon them fu as orighty
as upon US who know its glory.
The published protests, signed by many Of the first
women IN america SnI and tIe recent exhibitions
OF the stuff the sufragans made Of JUSTIFY com
bat bese stnrtns sounds after SO long silence.
startled at first into the belief that we Were really Ii
US and wrong, we have not yet discovered rghted for
US and felt ready 10 cry out that the melancholy day
convinced me that we have nothing the minority
macontents have received little encouragement'
Congress and elsewhere. that they ought to hI9
their unabashed heads at least for time AZ ~
exist at all only in the distant future and may In
dulge the reasonable hope that for the present ne %
20 undsturbed. and the foundations OF society an
not be destroyed. Indeed have now lost al ea ~
for the future do not believe IN the p4ssloxo women
usurp only the places, but the attributes % ~ do
Aud that Is Just what they are aPparentyr should be
gwen to female medical students separaeS nrofess 10
camor for mixed clinics! Women VINO ,bing that
be modest and respectable, demanding Yin IA Tor
made modest men blush for them, anu Inhie Sacs as
themselves too II is such plain, dsagreeaD 70 keep
these that have Away led modest women ceuld permit
silence convinced that cause" when cum ort soon
such thing. to be said and done in it, namS IN only 10
die natural death We OF the opp0stlon ,rlk their
sit still and let the friends or this mo'ei"
destruction. ..,a talon nv the
assume from the first that the sanu '" This (. nv
leaders OF woman's rights unsexes niosa studv ~
tef aud assert that IL is based uPO - a. Dsst his
the whole question and careful suINcS 70 ia teili,ent
tory. / cOncede at what supPp as nerfect right
person can deny namely: that woman nas thnt aid
vote but the wonder is as DI md sin ong hasa the
concerning the growing OF bearu anu nnch ~ real deli
Is that she want 70 1r,htes must woman
have ost before she can desire 10 lose al the rest IL
cnnIs bpng myseIt 10 believe that any gOOu "ateN5,
oouin s ,he success OF this measure, would
he glad to say a good word for IT, Out my onserEatoh
novIe5gs NJ 7noontroyertibe facts, VIII not permit
sch heller would not, for moment clog the Wheels
sSCm ar law one obstacle in the way OF true re-
form: .P,-v,ri toyx.,t Let n. rang.
I the great world spin forever DOM the ringing gooeoi change
p, IA, ma irt assure ourselves that those grooves run
g. IN r,ht dir,ction that we are not going 10 take
Ia h. darn while rounding some treacherous curve.
% H. 20 travel backward like the crab. Change does
NOT unfortunately, always mean REFORM and II Il our
nty D, sxamne closely whore much IL 10 he rlsked
oyry ask that women should be- true 20 themselyes-
that ia TO the instinct which moves 10 Vumanlincss-
their erter natures that they may bc enabled 10
Judge rightly this question. which Is Ia many respeeA