New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-03-16
.JVSTTCE TO UOUEN.

Nj. Christiancy brought to the attention OF
the Senate on the Gtl inst. the hard ease OF
Mrs.. Phoebe G.. Oakley of Bay County, Mich.
Ms. Oakley has one great misfortune. a
drunken Mr. Oakley, and several bl"sslngs-
tie littlc Oakleys. Practically, she IL the man
of the family. and as such she entered, ac-
cording to law, n piece of land. made improve
mcnts. and supported there the children aud
The festive Oakley This entry took place in
1872. Some exceedingly mean person. saved
from contempt ~ being infinitely below it,
has complained of her rs n trespasser to the
General Land Office. Her husband living a. to
the laws, however often he may be dead
through liquor, Mrs. Oakley cannot be
treated as "tho head of the family
For this reason she was in danger OF
being turned OF the land and diycstcd
of the improvements. Mr.. Senator ChIistiancy,
whose heart at this time is specially tender to-
ward women, offered bill confirming the
validity Of Mrs. Oakloys entry, and directing
the Land Commissioner TO issue patent to
her. This bill the Senate made haste to pass :;
the House no doubt will show equal alacrity !;
and tho enterprIsng Mrs. Oakley Will save her
little farm.
We mention this case particularly, because
there seems TO be feeling, strong, however un-
defined. that legislative bodies are disposed to
treat women with neglect with injustice. II
is often somewhat more than minated Gin con-
ventious) that the law making man Is n tyrant,
and that whatever rights women may have, he
is not disposed to respect them. We believe thc
exact opposite OF this 10 bc the truth. We
believe that, n n rule, the woman who pcti-
&, 4 Of NOS. ~ Ia "a :
n better chance OF success than man would
havo under tho same circumstances. We
might go further, aud show that the common
law is particularly careful of the rights
of women IN matters Of real property (;
that commercial law scdulously protects
her as trader; and that the divorce
laws. of which Heaven knows we have enough
and to spare have been framed with perhaps
an excess of ben, Violence for her defense
against cruelty and neglect II anything like
the ,uhiugatiOn of which We hear so much
really existed, our opinion Is that 1t would he
speedily remcdicd by sufficient legislation. The
specific cause known rs that oi " Woman :
"RigLts' occupies 80 little OF the public at
tcntion, because 30 many OF the wrongs com
planned Of ychcmcntly and yOluby have al
ready been rcdres-cd. If any remain unre-
dressed. il is only necessary TO point them out
The right of suffrage is another matter, and
IA We have often had occasion TO remark, Is
limited by considerations which do not apply
to wonan's right to her own property or to
protection against cruelty. Tie privilege of
voting il denied TO great many males as
well as To all females not indeed, upon the same
ground, but just AZ completely and p,imd tacie
lust IA aItifcally. There is no such thing as
universal suffrage in this country; there never
has been and there never VIII be. Whenever
il shall become evident to majority of men
that women would be the happier and the
better protected for voting, women will be al
lowed to vote provided il shall also he shown
that they desire TO vote. The last condition
was one upon which Mr.. Greeley was accus-
toned with his usual good sense TO insist He
was never satisfied that Il majority Of women
desired the privilege. and he questioned
whether they would employ ii 10 their own or
tho public advantage il it were thrust upon
them in disregard of their own Indifference.