Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1872-03-30
For the JOURNAL.
WOman's Sphere in Nature.

In discussing this very important
question we should 90 as deep into
the nature of the subject as the cir
cumstances of the case will admit. We
should divest ourselves of all preu-
dice and party feeling which might
induce us to lean more TO one side
than the other. We must consider
womau's social position in her relation
to man. As women in any other po-
sition have never been found, they
could moi exist | will therefore con-
fine my argument to woman IN her
present condition or her position IN
the field where nature has placed her,
and in this field | will determine her
sphere i'll nature.
To learn the capacities and endow
ments of Gods creatures, from the an
imalculc to the archangel, we must de
termine its field Of action. All crea-
lures. from the lowest to the greatest,
have their field of action, or limited
sphere in nature. This | think, no
reasonable man will deny. To this
law of nature woman can be no ex-
ception. She has her natural sphere,
as we'll as the remainder of Gods
creatures.
The question now arises, where Is
woman $ sphere, or social position IN
nature? If we find woman field Of
action precisely the same as that of
man $ if we find women discharging
the same duties mentally and phys
callv as those discharged by man, she
must certainly be possessed Of the
same capacities and endowments or
in other words, she would be mans
equal in every respect, But if, on the
contrary, we find woman's field Of ac-
ton different from that of man, her
capacities and endowments must, as u
natural consequence, be also different
We have now arrived at the sticking
point. Ii onl V remains for me to how
what position woman has always held
in her relation to man. This point.
once determined, the thing is settled
and the field of discussion closed.
Among all of God Is social creatures,
no matter how low down in the scale
of creation We descend, the male is
looked upon and recognized as the
chief He fights the battles, protects
the female and her young when ever
there is any approaching danger
Where ever man and woman have
been known to exist, woman has al
ways looked upon man as her intel
lectual and physical superior. In all
ages, in all countries, and among all
races Of people, of which we have any
account, this course has been rccog
nized,
Now, must we, as reasonable beings,
assert that woman's subordination to
man. or mans claim to intellectual
and physical superiority was in direct
opposition to their own "sympathleS
and nature" and no fact Of human
nature? This, indeed, would be a
strange conclusion; it would be saving
that man and woman have livod to-
gether, from the time of the creation
to the present day, with perverted
natures, and take from us all power
of arriving at any perfect knowledge
as to our real humanity.
1t must not be thought that l, in
any respect, depreciate womans ex-
cellency not at all, Woman has her
superior qualities as well as man.
Wisdom, love, and moral power
are generally more fully developed in
woman than in man. | simpl y wish
it to be understood that man possesses
more intellectual and physical energy
than woman, and, in consequence Of
this fact, the ruling of our country
and general affairs Of the government
of the same, properly comes within
90, bara of Iut,r NJ {,