The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1874-04-10

of the youth of both sexes is identical.
The girl has as mnch right by nature to
run, and jump, and climb, and skate,
and swim as the boy has; bone and mus
Gle, sound lungs and pure blood are as
essential to her happiness as to his, and
the wise and conscientious parent will
see to it that the daughter is not robbed
of her birth-right by a false and perni-
cious public sentiment.
"But," says one, al do not believe in
that sort of doctrine. Woman was
made for man, and she should be what
he desires her to be. We don't want
our women coarse and muscular
like men; above all things, a woman
should be tCOmdRly. Our girls should
be kept in doors, and, under the watch
ful eye of their mothers, should be
taught all the various accomplishments
of their sex. They should be taught
that fashionable beauty and refinement
are of inestimable value to women, and
that no pains should be spared to secure
for her these treasures"
And this is the physical training she
very generally receives. Her feet are
bound, not after the manner of the
heather Chinee, to such an extent as to
produce deformity, but but just suffi-
ciently to check the circulation and pre-
vent Overgrowth. Her waist is bound
to secure symmetry of form, and she is
carefully guarded from exposure to the
sun and wind, to secure delicacy of COM
plexiOn, and SO she is
Compelled TO suffer through the day
Restraints which no rewards repay"
And in the end you'll her the song,
Woman Is weak but man Is strong.
We do not claim that woman has as
great muscular power as man; but we do
maintain that she is not naturally the
weak, puny, miserable creature we so
often find her. Look at the hale and
hearty maid of Erin-the brown-handed
daughter of toil-who has sought in our
favored land fairer opportunities to gain
an honest livelihood. She is q speei-
men of the physical attainments of our
SEA kDlAE 10 llOl AOlNuAGA anu
pains till her complaints become mo-
nOtOuous and even wearisome to those
around her; but she is healthy and
happy, and possesses so kind and joyous
a spirit that we are pleased with her in
spite of the prejudices of caste. She is
qualified for physical usefulness, and she
takes her place as a menial in the house
of the wealthy, and nobody complains
that she is out of her sphere. Behold
her mistress, the child of luxury, Ian
guidly reclining among the cushions Ol
her sofa. She has been moulded TO suit
the requirements of fashion, and she
has gained the coveted prize, for society
proclaims her the embodiment of grace
and beauty. But she is totally incapac-
itated for usefulness in almost every
particular, for she has neither the
health, strength nor inclination for any
kind of labor. She is scarcely able to
meet the demands of society, and quite
too weak and nervous TO endure the
prattle and annoyance of her children;
so she leaves them to the care of the
servants, while she seeks amusement
, and excitement to cheer her dropping
spirits. But no one deems her unwoA-
anly or accuses her of being out of her
sphere. To labor for reward she con-
siders degrading, and she looks with
, contempt upon those who receive q poor
pittance for ministering to her material
wants. She seems to forget that labor
is a necessity of our existence, and that
somebody's hands must toll, and some
body's back must bend under additional
weight, that she may be supported in
idleness. She forgets that 'labor is
, worship" and that we are enjOined by
, Scripture to do with our might whatso.
ever our hands find to do. She ha:
seemingly come to the conclusion thai
} she is thing of beauty, and will be 6
: Joy forever, and so sue is content to be {
, mere parlor ornament. And these two
; women, whose lives are so entirely op
D posite, are both in there sphere. Society
, virtually informs us that God, who il
, no respecter of persons, made the on'
5 for life of unremitting toll, stamped
her with the empress of inferiority, anC
doomed her to q condition OF servItude
+ while He formed the other for a life o
= ease and elegance, set upon her the sea
{ of nobility, and placed her in the rank
) of aristOcracy; and that it is right an'
4 proper, by virtue of these distinctions
e that the one should spend her life il
e submissive servitude to the other
: But is the voice of society the voice o
: God
y Leaving this question for you to de
: eide, we will pass to the consideration
: of woman as an intellectual being. Ii
: this department we find her identiea
t with man. There is not single orgal
{ found in the brain of man but what
II also found in the brain of woman; an
: whatever course of instruction is re
t uaired to develope the mind Of the one
d is also required to develope the mind G
q the other. If the masculine mind
?. made broad and comprehensive b
G grasping after the intricate problems {
e life, so do like causes produce like ef
i fects in the feminine mind. We fin
Il the same variety of tastes and opinion
= among one sex as among the othel
q All men do not choose the same occupa
/ ton, and neither do all ioODlen, whe
s they have the privilege of choice. AZ