The Aberdeen examiner. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1866-current, 1878-07-04

| speeches. all these one-slded rights 0
the husband, and the incapacities of tn,
wife came from what was then and is still
called by ponderous teohnicality, tn,
4 durability OF coverture. 1t was sup
pored by fiction of that patchwork
/ system called the common law. that tn,
husband and wife constitute but one per
son.
The London Fun, q paper that at rare
intervals says something funny, put tht
! problem, thus. 1t is said by the Law
/ that husband and wife are one but the
question is which one? Mr.. John stuar
I Mill says. with infinite seriousness, it i
the husband He said, and [ would not
impair the idea by changing his language
''ln struggles for political emancipation
everybody knows how often its cham
pion5 are bought oHby bribes, or daunt
ed.hy terrors. In the case Of women,
each individual OF tine subject class is il
q chronic state of bribery and intimida.
ton combined" 1t is by no means GER
| tain that we can ascertain precisely how
dreadful this condition really is. Within
my own knowledge / find the testimony
rather conflicting for no longer than the
other day one Of the loveliest Of women
said in my presence, that she decidedly
enjoyed ''tha chronic state ofbribery and
intimidation combined Another oi
Mr. Mills subiect-olass testified that she
had promised to obey, and she was real
ly fond of obeying, but praferrel to have
very few commands,
A very critical legal person hard push
ed for point might suggest that these
statements were made under durass, in
which case they would be altogether
, worthless as testimony. In the absence
therefore Of all evidence, the case must
be wholly left to the critical observation
of the gentlemen, and to the personal
experience Of the ladies. There was a
time in the history Of this great angle
Saxon race, be it spoken with bated
breath, when the husband was allowed
to chastise his wife, but the law being at
all times very tender; it was strictly pro-
vidod that it should be done in modera-
ton. | will leave ii to the ladies to esti-
mate the exact value Of this proviso.
Would [ tax your credulity too heavily,
if l were to say that this is the law in
Mississippi to-day? Let me quote from
decision made by Judge Powhattan
Ellis, about fifty years ago; that learned
and tender Judge said: "However alb
horrant to the feelings of the court, must
be the exercise of this remnant Of feudal
authority, to inflict pain and suffering
when all the finer feelings Of the heart
should be warmed into devotion, yet
every principle Of public policy would
require the rule we have laid down. u
[ am tempted to recall the lines from
Dickens, commencing "There ore feel
ings of the human heart, Mr. Botin,
The learned Judge, then added 'let
the husband be permitted the right OF
moderate chastisement, in cases Of great
emergency"
] am inclined to the opinion that if the
gentlemen who now adorn our highest
judicial tribunal ever set q chance at
Judge Ellis law, the "fealings Of the
court, will get the better Iof she rem
I,nant Of feudal apthoUitv",
The letters of married wGmen-- called
disabilities-u gradually 5eing renov
ed. They Can now own separate proper
ty buy and sell lands and personally
make many contracts, engage in trade
claim the earnings Of their own labor
and. ladies, [ trust you will contemplate
the announcement with composUre-
| they can make a Last viii and Testament
1t is easy to predict that few years vii
suffice for the complete emancipation ot
married women in this State so far a;
property rights and contracts are &C n
| cerned.
Early in the days of chivalry woman
was enshrined in ''song and story" Ev
cry tender grace was given her; gallant
knights girded on their armor and laic
their lance IN rest for the "loyeliest o.
her sex, and the hope Of beauty's smile
brought many a valiant heart TO DEATH
But her capabilities went only to gentle
ness, beauty and womanly srmpathies
| Ii she had au intellect it had not gener-
ally been discovered. But if chivalry
dld no more than exalt the popular idea
of womans emotional nature, it marked
an era in civilization.
Later came the idea among men of let
ters and men of societyof the wit, clever
ness aud intellectual charms Of the female
stars of society. Still there remained the
| fixed notion of the great mental interiority
of woman. The boy still grows to man
hood in the belief that ilhout any specia
merit Of his own, though he is frivolous
and empty, by the simple fact of being
| born male he is superior to one half ol
the human race, including Many whose
real superiority he may have daily OCCASION
to feel. And he gets all this simply, d.
Figaro would say, by taking the trouble tC
be born. lmagins the effect of this idea
especially 9m0ng uneducated classes, fol
| in genteel society it is kept in the back
ground. Can ii be supposed that il doe.
not impress and effect the manner of ex-
and as member of society And is i
possible that this same idea does not oper
ate as IA latent force in the inner life Of
ban, and in the formation and outwart
Jlance of the complex thing we cal
rely. 1t is surely a great deal TO say
Hd il is certainly as little as can be said
that she is superior IN the richness ant
lbeauty of her emotional and u.oral natuu
! to man
will venture to call your attention t
an exquisite picture drawn by The hand o
! "a master:
eyes rot DOWN dropt nor ,sscrbrighss5u
I fed, -
With tbe clean- poipied Ganlc of chastity,
tleaT without heat, undying, tend d'by
stre vostal thoughts in the TRANSLUCENT fan
.GS.alG IsIiLl; locks not wide, ,lIs.yead
0ff either sidesher fr'rS
npIt,ptua1lv did rpinn
pl,al golden charity.
Cdoa thy iixed mood.
~ !s.sS11s he cTrvrw anirbead -
Ealoly form Of feisttv 4ortithde
Paccent very low
LsEtndfshment, but most silver flow
subtlg.paced .cou, scl'in distress,
I; ;Night tothe heart Iind brain, tho unde ciie'
PNWinningi its way'ersh extreme gentlenrss
; Thro' all the uutwatks of suspiclons pride
y y "she world hath not anoth,r,
Though all hci1'rirest l0rmsare types Of the
And thou Of Gods in thy grcat'ehalitY
Ofsuch finished, chastenod parity
slt is not. alone in this fine emotion
nathrexihese peculiarly feminine grace
aud attfsNions, that she is admirable.
noble Soul, an exalted courage and n sPie
g did self poisc have distinguished the mo
J womanly women on great occasions.
is wonderful 40 contemplate the Prov
/ dcnce that has mingled in this compl(
> nature, exquisite genlleness and tcndcrne
y and a aweet and tender body with tho
stern qualities of the soul that have MAJ
q men -heTx ave filled the world wi
a 40