The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1874-04-24
THE RIGHTS OF CoNsOIEEOE.

more to learn than that they must de-
eide all questions Of conscience for
themselves. We have been accustomed
all our lives TO be told that women gov
erned the public morals through their
social and domestic influence. Never
was there a greater fallacy than that
Undoubtedly men have some respect for
the greater acknowledged purity OF
women, and defer to it in some ways.
But they seldom allow our opinions to
govern their acting, either in public or
private life. This bOasted 'fnfiuence OF
woman" is chiefly conventional cour-
tesy of man to woman, Of one sex to the
other-and arises in the Difference the
sexes pay to each other INTERCHANGEABLE.
1t is q considerable force in itself, and
certainly gives TO society its greatest
charm.
But in matters of Importance women
have too long been accustomed to evade,
if not to ignore, moral responsibility, by
refusing the settlement of all weighty
questions Of morals, religion, or public
polity to men. 'I will ask my hus-
band, or''I will do just as my minister
tells me-" is considered commonly as
an Indication Of the most refined wom-
anliness. What has been the result
of this renunciation Of the rights Of
conscience? Has il been the elevation
of woman? We have only to look at
the position she holds in the different
countries of Europe, Asia and America
10 be convinced that it has not. In
Hindoostan, the priesthood have so
perverted their ancient religion and
misquoted their religious books that
mother willingly destroys her female
offspring, and even devOtes her own
body 10 the flames of the funeral pyre,
on the decease of her husband. Men
have killed in her the natural instincts
and affections of motherhood, and de-
stroyed the very strongest principle Of
nature-the love of life; all this, too,
with no stronger motive on their part
than the desire to obtain possession Of
the fortunes which, living, men owned,
and dying, left i'm the meek and credu-
lous hands of these religious % women.
Had the men of Hindoostan been more
highly enlightened, such things could
not have been; but being themselves
ignorant, have Joined with an avaricious
priesthood to fix these fanatical ideas in
the minds of women.
In Catholic countries we see the same
thing, just in proportion to the general
Intelligence or ignorance Of the male
part Of the population. In Italy, in the
islands of the Mediterranean, in South
America and Mexico, the very lowest
condition of morals exists among wom-
en-, not because the women of those
countries are any worse by nature than
in Protestant countries, but because the
priesthood are, and they derive their
views of right and wrong from the
church to which they belong, and are
baptised into at birth. Husbands and
fathers connive at the degeneration oi
daughters and wives. Now, since it Is
always the woman in these cases who il
called upon TO suffer the penalties oferror
would it not be a great step in the right
direction If these deluded women could
be aroused to the knowledge of inde
pendent conscientiousness?
In Christian, Protestant America, fe,
male children are not destroyed al
birth, widows are not burned upon fun.
eral pyres, women do not go to the con.
fessional as to brothel; but women dc
still decline 10 set up any opposition tC
wrongs which men commit against
themselves or against society, upon the
ground that it is lBl,0omdnly TO do So
They prefer that their fathers, brothers,
husbands-that manhood at large shall
hold their consciences as they do their
purse-strings.
Admitting that this course would an
swer best the ends of happiness OIL
earth, how will it be in that final reck-
oning up which comes at last. VIII
they excuse themselves as Adam did In
the garden-"The man thou gavest me
told me to do this thing, and did it,
That excuse did not answer in the one
case, neither will it in the other.
Even the Protestant churches-th,
most advanced in enlightenment of any
in the world-are not innocent of will
ingly or unwittingly abetting this mora
degradation Of women. They, too
have kept woman in the dark as to thei
moral responsibility, quoting to then
texts from the Scriptures, which wer
written in Oriental countries, under tn
influence OF Oriental customs. The re
ligiOn Of Christ, which was intended 3
lift up all alike, has been rendered
dead letter in great degree. Husband
and priests alike say 10 women, "Yo
do not need to think for yourselves
fact, the Scriptures forbid tive wi
decide these matters for you" Wi
they answer for us at the Great Day
Can they, dare they undertake to al
swer for the evils which this blind an
mistaken policy has engendered an
nOurished in the world?
The sooner women comprehend the
individual accountability TO God and
society, the sooner will society be purge
Of its manifold corruptions. Do nc
content yourselves with the false ide
that your 'womanly influence" is goin
10 purify the social or political syster
o' tnis country, so long as you sit dow
III silent submission to whatever 4
without lifting up your voice for wha