Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-10-25
MEMPHIS TENN WEDNESDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 95 1876

a
and weary body on her own bed.
This was her crime in the eyes of
the law. For this an officer of the
law forced his way through her
chamber window and served the
warrant sworn out by her brother
in-law, Mr.. Hiram Gage, and bear
her to the common jail. That Mrs.
Gage did not sleep that night in
prison; that she is not now in
prison to answer to a p'niten tiary
offence, she owes not to my legal
right she possessed, but The favor
of those who hold power over her.
Mr.. Cages two lawyers were sent
for, General Luke Wright and Mr..
Warriner, and, being gentlemen,
kindly consented toilet the case lay
over, and the sick woman to rest in
her own bedroom until Monday
morning.
Thus you see, women or Mem
phis, women of tennessee, you
have not one positive right to any
thing or place in your husbands
house. You hold your small house
hold properties your bed and bed
ding, pillows and chairs, spoons
and forks, etc, and your place as
mistress Of the house, only by the
sufferance Of your husband. The
moment he withdraWs that favor,
whether with or without cause, and
casts YOU out on the world, aud de-
priyes YOU of your children and
ISLANDERS your name, you had as
well give up the ghost, wrap your
mantle about your head, and die
in some obscure corner. The whole
world is against you; it tramplel
you under its cruel feet. Should
you refuse to die meekly and quiet
Iy, should you dare enter your old
home, you may be seized as a lelon
and house-breaker and 90 to the
penitentiary. Such is the laws
Justice to women. But a few
months ago Mrs. Gage was mistress
of an elegant establishment; friend
surrounded her. Where is that gal
lantry. tenderness and sympath,
men so boast they pay the femal,
sex because Of its dependency
What is moro dependent than {
woman driven from her home
robbed of her children and cast OIL
the world, without money, ant
I bounded to ruin and death by
rich and relentless husband? Wba
: man offers such needy women hi
homage or sympathy? Verify
the power Of the purse is great, bu
it is always on the mans sidc
Where are the summer-day friend
= who sought this woman in he
f golden prosperity; who ate at he
= board and danced in her halls
Have they spoken to her one wor
: of sympathy? Have they ey
pressed one hope that she migl
/ come out from the fiery furnsc
: of affliction untarnished2 ? Di
/ not Christ the divine say
n was better that {" ninety-nin
guilty persons go unpunish:d tina
: that one innocent should suffer!
i Is this divine precept also only al
2 plicable to males? Is it Chri
i tianity to reverse this lesson towar
: women? Our community act Us
it we're better to punish ninety-nin
:. innocent women than let one guilt
# go unpunished. is this the Wa
Christian preachers constrHe Il
!, words of Christ?
3 Mrs. Gage has yet to be prove
~ guilty of the charges laid at h
, door by her husband. The yirl
4 lence Of enemies, who would drag
"a woman to Jail because she wei
! into her old home, should at lea
!, make this community look critical
! at the evidence of guilt before tn,
condemn. Accusations are n
q proofs. Never were truer wor,
i than those of that master Of Il
o. human emotions:
Il "TriAes light as air
n Are TO the jealous combinations stro
u AS pro0is Of holy writ
u Il A. MERIwETHER.
y. SUNDAY, October %, 1916.