The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-11-05
THE u.O.uA.,"S CONGRESS.
4 synopsis Of some Of the Papers Reao

IL
Mrs. Rev. Antoinette Brown Blackwell read
an essay on Marriage and Work" The rev.
erend lady has left the pulpit and gives her
time mostly to her large family OF children. -
She said unmarried women were allowed to de-
veop their intellectual nature, but MARI ed
women had been too much like queen bees
waited upon and cared for but imprisoned.
Though there is great advance, we still hear
that il is IDLE to give the higher education to
girls-since they will marry-most of them.
few detached sentences from her essay are
as follows " Woman, be she matron or
spinster, is no longer nonenIty outside the
household Ihree-fourths of the members OF
our Congress are wITes aud mothers, and they
fairly represent the proportions among the
women, have stamped their individuality upon
our age. The best mothers are those who are
something more than mothers. Women with
their eager, mercurial natures, have no right to
narrow their versatile gifts into one, no matter
how noble or how grand. The rich married
class of America, and the class who must yet
have vast influence on the future of America.
The child is but an incident IN the mothers
life, love him as she may, and labor for him as
she does he grows up in few years and goes
his way. But the hfe1cork remains for a life
time. | think the mothers who have no interest
N public affairs, who never look outside of
home-who take no interest in. the great gr els
and struggles and upreachings OF humanity. do
not by any means give to society the noblest
sons and daughters. figure them to myself
as standing, IN narrow circle. around this
central figure of a mother, who does not look
beyond home, with their little backs to the
world, knowing and caring nothing about Its
hopes or fears. They will not grow up to be
the most helpful members of society we NAV
be sure"
Miss Anna Bracket, Of New York, read an
essay on Organization the Basis OF Society"
She CLAIMS that woman, as at present constr
tuted, is not really constituted at ALL e. isn't
organized; hasn't habits isn't ass orted in
mind; reads in hap-hazard way studies dit
to. She thinks the ''placid way in which mothers
allow their daughters to go on reading books
that stimulate Imagination and ennervate reason
bad policy. When an individual is organized
as well as . well-managed railroad is organized,
We shall reach the term civilization. Freed
from chaos, Western women will emerge upon
that which is freedom indeed-the nominal use
OF her powers. Girls, will tell you this. II
you would be relieved from misery, after you
leave school, do something in the worlds work.
1t ID your duty to develop the powers within
you-not because you fear you may sometime
come TO wsnt-but because you wish to do
some particular thing which you feel you can
do BEST Your powers are your own. Your
lives are your own not for money, not for
position, but to employ your powers in the
direction to which you feel most strongly In
clined. For heavens sake do something!"
Mrs. Livermore took up the theme, super
fuous Women" somewhat thus 90 1t is an
idea, prevalent from the beginning, that woman
was spoken into being because man was lone
some without her. Mrs. Stan ton well says,
however, that nowadays the head OF a wife is
the head she carries on her own shoulders. =
Just az the best teacher must know many
things she doesn't teach, SO the best wife and
mother must have an order Of culture wider
than that afforded by domestic life alone. -
startling statistics we're gwen, showing the ex-
cess of women over men. In Berlin there are
one-half million more women than men. In
Massachusetts there are $4,000 more women
than men. and 10 New York City 1870 900 more
manageable women than men. War and drunk
enness decimate men 30 that, though there are
JOG boys to every 100 girls, the women the
world over are in excess. SO that it is talking
against the facts to say that women are all to
marry. But look at the CONSISTENCY We sax
to all the girls they must marry, and then we
dare them to indicate that they desire it! Have
we any right to place them in so pitiable
dilemma The Social Science Societies use the
word superfluous women" as scientific
term. What sting there is in that Super
fuous simply because unmarried Mr.. Gregg.
the essayst says we must export them-just
as superHuous peach and wheat crops are ex-
ported to the seaboard.
The address was exceedingly interesting,
and the eloquent speaker was frequently APP
plauded by the large and attentive audience.
Mrs. Thomas, of Philadelphia, spoke on
ters widow in that city, to whom her friends
gave $3.50 that she might set up in business
Whereupon Mrs. Thomas sailed forth with the
widow to buy the stock Of goods-invested a
large share in green boxes to ill the shelves Of
the store that was to be. When the bill was to
be made out the merchant Of whom we bought
said, What is the firm name?" The widow
drew back affrighted. Mrs. Thomas came to
the rescue bravely, saying, ruth Rodgers a
Co" supposing the &C.," was sort of APP
pendage hike Esq.," only peculiar TO man
who has gone into business. "Dear creaturel "
quoth the widow, as they left the store,-
" You've saved mel how grateful ami She
went on to say that lady didn't know how TO
draw check, make ont note Of hand. a re-
ceipt. or anything except washing list