The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-05-19
THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN.

The Indignation Of n Sensible Woman.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
Menacing indeed, is our political horizOn Men
acing, indeed are the signs OF the times The wo-
men OF the present day, the future mothers Of our
republic, Amazons whose wands and sceptres
are to change the political status Of govern
mental fabric. Women were not born to rule; they
were never intended to command; they not
fitted for the arena OF political life. Their truest
and best interests lie In the domestic circle, and in
the pursuance OF those virtues they will find the
kingdom they seek. Their rule will be the realm or
love, not that Of war. With the finer instincts or
their natures In the calm and rectitude OF every
day life they will find their true sphere. Unnatural
would be the conflict where women would rush on the
battle fields OF carnage and rapine. Unnatural
would be the civilization OF the day that would pre-
sent so awful a sacrifice. No man. be he worthy Of
the name, would raise arm against the daring
and erring sister whom he might encounter on the
battle field. Scout the idea; scout the miscreant
who would even propose so great sacrifice; scout
the villain, be it he she, who would propose so
damning an outrage on the civilization Of the nine
teenth century. 1t is outrage against the purity
of the sex 1t is an outrage the finer sensibties
OF our nature for madmen and lunatics to dream OF
such a thing.
man will toll and toll for the woman he loves.
man-a true man, mean-will endure almost
any amount Of physical eXertion for those he loves
His thoughts by day. his dreams by night, are with
the prattling infant whom he has called into ex-
istence. He esteems 1t his pride and his privilege
to minister to the wants OF their helpless natures.
He strengthens those cords OF love which their very
being has created.
We are proud to number among us those queens
OF civilization, those matchless heroines, those
examinations OF the Deity-for woman is an emana
ton OF the Deity. mean good woman, not those
lawless reptiles that infest public streets; not
those shameless creatures who have ceased to be
women except in name and who are doing
their best to blot with foul civilization the
degeneracy OF the times. Amend the league;
blot it out sooner than it should
degrade woman. How would any man like to see
his wife or daughter-innOcent, gueless perchance
until Notwithstanding rufianly crowd on the
the hordes and denizens of the Five Points You
would sooner bullet had pierced that gentle
breast You would sooner a monument at Green
wood marked her last resting place, and so would.
SO would lay, ten thousand times rather be en-
cences OF home, shrined in the inmost recesses
OF enc human heart. shall we be taken
captive ey the base adato1s OF n, the repro
miscreants? Such course would shake the very
citadel of freedom to its base. IL would rend the
consummate edifce reared with the sacrifice of so
much blood and talent by our fathers. Pests OF the
incarnate fendl diabolica instruments OF
hierarchy Of hell pusillanimous towards, who
would rend the integuments OF the most sacred
ties mark you the desolated hearths and homes,
abandoned at the impulse OF the moment perhaps.
Admit that this direful contamination, most de-
vouty not to be wished for should take place, what
would become OF our children Scattered to the
IOuT WlHuS OI heaven Jney WOulu never KNOW us
as SUCH We are all justly proud OF our parents.
Most people are happy in the thought Of having
had parents whom they recognized as such, and to
whom they owed their nurture and education as
well as their being. Most men and women have
natural feeling of pleasure in saying 'my husband"
or "wifeo They like the feeling that they belong TO
some one. They enter the marriage state with
perfect knowledge of its trials and Inconsistencies,
and they are willing to continue in IL notwithstand-
ing its grievances. There is q dignity and respecta
billy about 1t that enhances its blessings. There Is
in most unions inward conviction that 1t Is the
hpat al AZ inf m inbIn
and that is the contamination most dcvoutly to be
wished for. MAUDE ELLESMERE.