The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-03-12
WOMAN'S VIEW OF THE SOCIAL EVIL
Miss Anna E. DickinsOn'S Lecture-The Disparity
Between Mans and a W0man's Punishment
for Guilt Some Wholesome Words.

GA Woman's Opinion Of It" was the sui
e iect of lecture, embracing the general socia
, relation of the sexes, delivered recently i
New York by Miss Anna Z. Dickinson. TIL
special subject of the lecture itself, and it
supposed relation to the Brooklyn scand Il
undoubtedly had the effect of imparting to i
an additional feature of interest and tn
large auditorium and galleries were vel
; filed. Theodore Tilron. accompanied b.
two Of his counsel, Gen. Pryor and Mr.. Nor
ris, were present in the body of the hall, anC
attracted a good deal of attention.
Miss Dickinson prefaced her address by
general reference to the great political ques
tons now agitating the notion, and which
needed settlement the third term the Lou
isiana difficulties and the Arkansas trouble
and while acknowledging their vast i'm
portance, she yet claimed for the subjects en-
braced in her theme far greater degree OF
attention and earnest thought. because Of the
| mlnutely yaster and greater issues involved.
| The neglect Of discussion on the subject was
strangely at variance with the general under
standing respecting the evils it entailed. and
men and women who were bold and honest
enough to expose the mockery which
surrounded it were pointed a. as
objects to be avoided, and true, noble
women We're deferred from a great and holy
themselves. People who would willingly dis
cuss drunkenness, and vice, and povety ele-
v4ted their noses in high disdain at the
mention Of the degraded Of the weaker sex,
and their coWardice was not unfrequently
mistaken for delicacv. and their selfiShness
for refinement of feelings. Peoples ears were
often the incest part about them. and they
who would refuse to listen to the story of
womans wrong and shame lilly read the
newspaper accounts of adulteries, seductions
and rapes set forth, not for the benefit of hui
mainly or the advancement of the race, but as
a caterer would put a daily dish befors
stated appetite to tempt it.
These things were known and were treated
with a sckly sentimentality by the editorial
pen, and through the advertising columns of
a newspaper one found such facts concerning
vice and degradation, of disease, physical,
mental and moral. as would make one shrink
away In horror from the abyss revealed in
human nature. In the theater, which was the
mirror that reflected the passing character of
human society, these stories were represented |
with dramatic power, and even in the pulpit |
they were preached with no suggestion at |
remedy and no invitation to discussion. The |
common society phrase, that young men
should be permitted to SOW their wild oats,
vas strongly suggestive; every one knew its
license TO the young men to follow the dictates
If their baser passions, the least false step on
he part of young innocent girl led to
ternal shame and ignominy, where no kind
land will be extended to uplift her and no
word of hope shall greet her ear.
4 case growing out Of domestic calamity,
nd rising by the prominence of the princi-
als engaged in 1t to national calamity, was
ow discussed the land over, and the senti-
lent which now found expression in civilized
could be well summed up in the
.atement that society held mans mortal /
rime to be venial fault. and woman's We
al tault to be N rial crime Add essing !
ersef with SPECIAL force to this branch OF
er subject, she indi ynantIy commented on :
re accepted notions Of modern society, that /
oman being the keystone of the home. her
II included the destruction of her husband, :
ar children and her home itself whereas the ,
an never goes down, his house remains in I
Ct, and society says his act touched nobody +
1T himself !
This sentiment was spreading miasma and +
oral death among the uprising generation, 5
I'd ei9ht-tenths ofthe sorrow, misery, suffer
e, sin and shame in communities arose n
ON the establishment Of the moral code at :
le bar of which man is to be tried and ac-
lifted and a woman is to be tried and con- i
3mned [applausel, and wss the direct out +
,owth on the part of men for liberty that !,
lould be boundless as license itself. The ,
iminality of this idea had its basis in the
lucation Of our youth. Boys were taught to 0
Ike pleasure wherever they could fluid it, L
id the result was moral looseness aud an il
difference to the principles of moral honor ST
nich, if exercised in the relations Of man j.
It'll man, would lead to social and general 81
tracism. 81
Yet such men, according to the moral code \
the world, are never punished for their el
ines; they are free to ride over the world; ia
ey become husbands and of good wives, n
e fathers of children, honored citizens, re- 1T
ectable members Of the community, and s.
lars Of the church. Laughter With q
ice and gesture upiifted IN dramatic unity, at
d with an expression Of the deepest ear tC
5tne,s, she told the story of young. con- Sc
ing innocent girl, who fell victim to the W
les of the man she loved too Well
9 portrayed the agoay the poor girl en- i,
red during the period Of secret sorrow. when -
2 prayed for night to bring in the security =,
only at night to pray for the -
urn of dawn. Time brought 10 others the ~
owedge of her shame, and the grief, the ~
ltempt, the unrelent ng hatred OF friends: u
til, in time at their solicitation, she plunged u u
0 the sea the cause of their sorrow and ~
IS. Discovery and conviction followed, and
en she expiated her crime on the gallows, ~
murderer, before the eyes of God, went gu
way undisturbad BY the rpproach of con IN
ence or the condemnation OF men. nj
Ine des.ructioriof woman was too often the 81
growth of love and the refining feelings of de
nature, and the code of morality that
lid consign her to a lfs of shame on the m
lsy preteXt of its necessity FIR the preser- an
ion intact of the morality of society, was III
N. \ ,nl II
aSphemy az nh9t .Fod. MISS DICKINSON KIN
nner of treating her subject was imp4s- WA
ned and eloquent, and was greeted with fee
iuent demonstrations Of enthusiastic APP Of
use. | ha
lLLIBkKAL RADICAL SENATOR'S, -,