The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1872-03-22
ARE THE WOMEN OF AMERICA
SLAVES 2


The OregOniGn copies a composition
on this subject from the pen of Mrs.
Dahlgren, which we think deserves
more than passing notice. Says Mrs.
D.:
Where our laws act at all in domestic feuds,
the woman Is protected rather than the man,
and i is wise and well that this more redress
should be at hand, on account OF the physical
weakness OF woman. In the same spirit OF pro-
lection are laws which punish men with death
weakness OF woman.
Wonder if she meant Mrs. Surratt or
Mrs. Fair?
Are women such slaves, under the action OF
these laws. as TO need acknowledgements Alas!
mence when, guided by the illusive name OF
freedom, we are bid 10 stand forth on the plat
form OF equal rights. We claim more than this.
We claim 10 have preserved Tor us-Just WHAT
we have nOw-protectlon.
So this mans rights champion is only
''fooling," after all. She doesn't believe
in equal rights; she claims more than
this. Oppressed, down-trodden men OF
America, how do you like the picture
Continues this usurper of superior
rights:
Are the women OF America slaves socially :
We commence with what i called fashionable
life. Ask our ''queens of society" Let them
respond, or bid their subjects to do so for them
/ And amongst all classes, what nation was evel
50 chtvairous, 50 courteous 10 Its women Oul
men have made as spoiled children. is not
| that our trouble Observation-Disclosures? II has
often been a source OF pain to us TO witness the
slavery OF the men, who toll 10 support thell
wives and daughters in every costly folly
] During the long, weary, heated days OF summer
our cities are hlled with self-sacriicing men
] who never cease to labor, that the women q
their households may indulge in pleasure tS
/ safety. And the rural homes of the land-arg
| unequal burdens here put upon women? Hav,
l they here no voice, no influence? d? Have oul
| women, I'm the city and in the country, wOrT
] the fetterS OF slavery In all the glorious pas
/ and those fetters been so gilded that they knew
u nOts May we not rather suspect that man
! indignant at this long servitude, has invented
this cruel ariifice, by which, under the name o
equal rights, we are 10 be ruthlessly stripped o
every cherished privilege?
Clearly, Mrs. DahIgren, from he
standpoint of fashionable butterfly ex
istence, scenteth the battle afar of. Sh,
fears that noble, "self-sacrifieing mel
who never cease to labor, that thei
women may indulge in pleasure to sati
ety." suspect at last that theirs is tn,
condition Of servitude, and pitilesslN
asks, "are ioe to be ruthlessly stripped o
every cherished privilege ?"
All, Mrs. D., the noble, self-saerifiein,
women Of the land, who are not doll
and butterflies, who are not fashionabl,
''queens of society,"" but honest, able
conscientious help-meets TO large
Drained, noble-hearted men, these ar
the women who demand and will speed
lily possess the ballot, that unequal bur
dens may no longer rest upon their hus
bands shoulders. These are the womeI
who labor and wait, who watch an,
pray, who, appreciating the priceless
boon of personal liberty, thank God an,
take courage; for they see in the near
by future a condition of equal rights 70
men and women; equal opportunitie
for the expansion Of brain power anl
intellectual ability, that both may b,
benefited thereby.
Let Mrs. Dahlgren hug her chains o
fashionable servitude. Let her max,
slaves of men if she can; but we prefe
that in the nobler light of reason ant
philanthropy both men and womeI
shall snuff the air of individual freedom
that both shall live the life that God il
His wisdom designed for them when II,
gave them dominion over all the earth