Richland beacon., 1875-03-20
WOman's View of the Social Evil.

the general social relation of the sex
es. delivered recently in New York
by Miss Anna 4. Dickinson. The
special subject of the lecture itself
and its supposed relation to the
brooklyn scandal, undoubtedly hat
the effect of impartins to it an addi
tlonal feature of interest, and tb,
large auditorium and galleries were
well filled. Theodore Tilton, accom-
panied by two of his counsel, Gen
Pryor and Mr.. Morris, We're presen,
In the body Of the hall, and attracted
o good deal of attention.
Miss Dickinson prefaced her ad
dress by general reference to the
great political questions now acita
ting the nation, and which needed
settlement-the third term, the Lou.
isiana difficulties. and the Arkansas
trouble, and while acknowledging
their vast Importance, she yet claim.
ed for the subjects embraced in her
theme far greater degree of atten-
ton and earnest thought, because OF
the minutely vaster and greater issues
involved The neglect Of discussion
on the subject was strangely at vari.
ance with the general understanding
respecting the evils it entailed, and
men and women who were bold and
honest enough to expose the mockery
which surrounded it were pointed at
as objects to b. avoided, and true.
noble won Ell were deferred from a
great and holy work by the taint of
unsexing and disgracing themselves.
People who would willingly discuss
drunkenness, and vice, and poverty,
elevated their noses in high disdain
at the mention of the degraded of the
weaker sex, and their cowardice was
not unfrequently mistaken for deleca:
cy, and their selfshness for refinement
OF feelings. Peoples ears We're often
the incest part about them, and tbev
who would refuse to listen to the
story of woman's wrong and shame
daily read the newspaper accounts Of
adulteries, seductions, and rapes, set
forth, not for the benefit of humanity
or the advancement of the race, but
as caterer would put o daily dish
before a sated appetite to tempt it.
These things were known and were
treated with sickl y santimentality
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 rep
resented with dramatic power, and
even in the pulpit they were preached
with no suggestion at q remedy and
no invitation to discussion. The
common society phrase, that young
men should be permitted to sow their
wild oats. was strongly suggestive
every one knew its import, and while
it accorded unlimited license to the
young men to follow the dictates o.
their baser passions, the least false
step on the part of young innocent
girl led to eternal shame and ignomi-
ny, where no kind band will be ex.
tended to uplift her and no sympa-
thetic word of hope shall greet ber
ear.
A case gro wing out of q domestic
calamity, and rising by the promi-
nence Of the principals engaged in it
TO q national calamity, was now dis
cussed the land over, and the senti-
nent which now found expression in
civilized communities could be we'll
summed up iu the statement that So
cic,y held mans mortal crime to be
q venial fault, and woman's venial
fault to be o mortal crime. Addres.
sing herself with special force to
this branch of her subject, she indig-
nantly commented on the accepted
notions of modern society. that wo-
man being the keystone of the home,
her fall included the destruction of
her husband, her children aud her
home itself, whereas the man never
goes down, his house remains intact,
and society says his act touched no.
body but himself. |
This sentiment was spreading mi.
asma and moral death among the
uprising generation. and eight.ten,hs
of the sorrow, misery, suffering, sin
and shame in communities arose from
the establishment of the moral code,
at the bar Of which q man is to be
:ried and acquitted. and a woman is
TO be tried and condemned [applause1
and was tho direct outgrowth on the |
part of men for liberty that should
be boundless as license itself The
of this idea had its basis in
the education of our youth. Boys
were taught to take pleasure wber-
ever they could End it, and the result
was q moral looseness and an in
difference to the principles Of moral
honor which, If exercised in the re-
iations of man with man, would lead
10 social and general ostracism.
Yet such men, according to the
moral code of the world, are never
punished for their crimes; they are
free to ride over the world; they be-
come husbands ind of good wives.
The fathers Of children, honored cit
izens. respectable members of the
community. aud pillars Of the church.
Laughter With voice and gesture