Wilmington daily commercial., 1873-08-27
nwnershin I'm wnnan.

A man was recently hanged in Massachusetts, ia
for taking vengeance on one who had practically
disputed his property in girl. The man was
brute, of course, but he had an opinion that a
girl who had given herself to him, in the compile
test surrender that woman can make, was in
come sense his-that her giving her1et to an
other involved his dshonor-and that his proper
ty in her was to be defended to the extremity Of
death. prominent newspaper, while recording
the facts OF the case akes the occasion to saw that
this idea OF ownership in women s the same bar
barism out Of which grow the eS Is and wrongs
that the woman movement" is lBtended to re-
move. II we were to respond that ownership in
women, only blindly apprehended as it was by our
brutal gAllows-bird is the one thing that saves
us from the widest doctrines and practices of
the free-lOyers, and is one of the strongest con-
servstve forces Of society it is quite likely that
We should be misunderstood but We shall run
the l.sk, and make the assertion.
There is an instinct in the heart Of eveiv
woman which tells her that she is his to whom
she gives herself. and his alone.-An instinct
which bids her cling TO him while she lives or be
hvee which Identifies her ife with his-vhich
makes Of him and her twain, one flesh. Whea
this gift is once made to At,ue man he recne-
nize its significance. He is to provide for her that
which she cannot provide for herself be is to
protect her to the extent Of his power: she is to
share his home, and to be his closet comnsniol.
his ownership in her covers his most sacrel i
possession, and devnlves upon him the graves,
duties If were otherwise. whv is it that a
women who gives herself away unworthlly feels.
when she finds herself deceived, that she is
lost:-that she has parted with herself to one
who does not recognize the nature Of the git
and that she who ought, and, by beiug owned
honored, is disowned aud dishonored: There H.
no true, pure woman living who when she gives
herself away, does not rejoice ii the ownership
which makes her forever the properly Of one
man. She is not his slave to be tasked and
abused, because she is the Gift Of love and not
the purchase of money; but she is his in sense
in which she cannot be another mans without
dlshonor to hlm and damna;iOn to herself
Our gallows-bird was. in his brutal way, light
II he had been living in savage society, without
laws. and with the necessity OF guarding his own
treasures, his act would have been looked upon
as one Of herois N ly all the beauties and braves
Of his tribe lhe weak point in Ills case VA.
that his ownership in what he was pleased TO call
his glrl was not established according to the
laws under which he lived He was not legally
married, and lad acquired no rights under the
law to be defended What he was pleased to
consider his rights were established contrary to
law, and he could not appeal to law for Their
defence He took the woman to himself con-
trsly TO law be defended his properly in her by
murder, and be was hanged He was served
night. Hemp would grow on rock for such az
he anywhere in the world, There IL no cure for
the man who seducss and slays but broken
neck.
1Aere e nothing more menacng in the aspect
OF social AdArs IN this count than the effort
among certain class OF retormers to break up
the identity Of Interest and feeling among men
and women. Men are alluded 10 vIttl sue,sr. Aud
blame IS being opposed 10 the Interests Of yo.
men, as using the power IL their hapds-A power
u-urped-to mslltaln their own FREEDOM nance
al me expense OF Wumans rights aud womaH's
Nell-belng. Marriage. under this kiud Of teach
lng. becomes compact Of convenience. iuto
which men ard women may enter. each psrty
taking along the person Sl iudeL endence eli1yed
II single state, with separate business interests
and separate pursuits. II other words mar
lIAge Is regarded simply a. the legal compa lIou-
slip OF two beings Of opposite sexes. who have
thelr oEn independent pursuits, with which the
bond is not permitted 10 interfere. l, conteu-
plates no idsntlacAtiou Of life and destiny. Tie
L4An holas no o"hersh!p IN woman which gives
Inn right 10 family Of children and a life de-
voted to the sacred duties Of motherhood TIE
man who expects such sacrifice at the hands
q Lis wife is reg arded ss tyrant or q brute.
Women are to vote and trade, aud practice law.
aud pTesch, and 90 to congress aud do eysry-
tl.lg that mau does I-resp pect!ye Of the mar
age bonds, Women are to he just as free to
DO anything outside Of theiI homes as men are
1aey are TO choose Their careers and pursue
tten with just az little reference to the ilterr.f
lnin!sTauon Of her families as their hus-
bands exercise. This is the aim and logical end
OF s.! tie modern doctrines concerning woman
lights, Tie identification OF woman with man
Sc the oasis OF the lns tuition Of the family is
A---~- - -4bs sONAc4sL4H II women. that
comes oi the s4ft of herself 10 HIM and the A..
Sumption OF IL. Possession ly in, with lie life
toiS L@.B 1t oblIgltloa. Az Glties Is con-
feI4led- !. is assumed that ! 4tetests winch are
AA4 must forever rtUall, ldeutlca., ara opposed
10 eAg- ether Men and women are ptttsd
a. 81 q eaei other IN $ Struggle for power.
Wei, .e; ii be understood then, that men sre
cit1seL iLsse -4ttzl-day doctI ues and tina;
they VIII Frl1Alu 60 -tiey are Determined that
iae Identity of iuterez. between men aud women
s-s.l lever be destroyed, tlat The ssc cIed owner
u = n women, bestowed il sll t.de ma. ia.e
s4a. 6e usutfineI, and that the untold nj ions
q true women u the world vino sympatL.ze with
item slA4. pe protected from the faise pli,o.o.
pines aud destructive politics OF the! few mis.
guided sisters who sex to turn the world up ide
down F9Itieal conventions may throw their
sops TO e!am5lug refufmers but they near
nothing by II. They never have redeemed a
pledge 10 these ref0rmers and we presume tley
hive never intended 10 do 80 They eApeet the
matter 70 0!ow over, with mdre or less Il ruder
e. with very IAN. H. tie mean me il the
0lscusslous thai have grown Jut = tuese aues.
tIoLs Lave tenaed TO open 4 broader ie i to go-
man omauly industry, or obllterated 1riu.t
laws rom the sistuto-bo0k lot eyelv man reislce
No good can come to woman that does not ben
cit LIN, and 40 harm that does not hurt him
Humanity is one, and man and woman rise or
fall together,-Dr, F. @, Holland, in ScriJnerf5r
SEPTEMBER.