The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-06-22
ALTOGETHLR WRONG.

IhNludllOA VI ilo oeuSh'
ALTOGEEHIR WRONG.
The rights and wrongs of women are
popular themes Of discussion, and can
well be regarded with many different
views from each spectators standpoint.
1t REG quires masculine courage, however,
Of the highest order to attempt to discuss
them in all of their material aspects.
The principles Of the common law, which
principles have governed the legislation
and adjudication of ages, were that a
woman in entering into the marriage con-
tract surrendered her individuality with
her name, rclinquishcd all her freehold
and personal property to her husband, in
consideration of the superior power he
possessed to protect her from external
danger to which she might be subjected
after time or death had robbed her Of the
care of her father. She was in fact with
her property, by the act Of marriage,
simply transferred from the custody and
protection of one of the lords of creation,
her father, to the custody and protection
Of another, her husband.
The consequences of this theory, as
they appear to the eye of the modern re-
former, were very absurd, and unques-
1ona1I sometimes very unjust. The
wife having no legal existence apart from
her husband could assert no legal rights
independent of him, or seek the redress
Of no legal wrongs except by his actual
cooperation. 1t was not enough that he
should have absolute control of all her
property and personal effects, but she was
in her own right absolutely powerless to
redress any outrages that she might sut-
fer in her own person. She might be alb,
Quoted, torn from the bosom Of her fam,
lily, or be duped or drugged into q
violation Of her marital obligations, but
the law gave her no redress 1t is sad tc
DC compelled to acknowledge that this il
even so.
Mrs. Jane Swisshelm, who from the ear
ly Silurian age has kept her post faith
fully upon ramparts Of liberty, fraternity
and equality, giving blows and takin!
blows in the struggle between oppression
and freedom, fighting ever on the side o
the latter, with a sheroism that mus
have endeared her to the universal fe
male heart, she who invented the chemi
loon and thus made bIoomerism tolera
bic occasionally Y brings startling facts t
the front to illustrate her teachings o
confound her opponents.
She has recently stated case that
unauswerablU in its illustrations of tn
unjust usages Of society as at presen
constituted.
A married lady, residing in Berk
County, Pennsylvania, was recently gore
and tossed by bull AS general thin
the ladies of Berks County are of that re
bust order that Mrs. Swisshelm's state
mcnt seems incredible. But that
neither here nor there. Unless the state
mcnt is trayerled it must be taken q
true.
The lady was quite badly injured, an
as she was returning cross lots from
church female sewing society she quit
naturally dad on a quantity of goo
clothes, and these clothes were also goo
deal abraided and rent and soiled. No
ander the law, which is no respector {
persons but is of property, the husban
had well defined cause of action agains
the owner Of the bull for the damag
done to his clothes (mark you, his clothes
on the back of his wife, and only an inc
dental cause of action against the owne
of the bull for the loss of the services
his wife and the pleasure of her society
to which the law gave hi
right, while the poor woma
herself, torn and bruised, and trample
under the feet of an infuriated amin;
had no remedy in law whatever.
1t is no wonder that such a state of tt
law and of society lacerates the bosom
of many Others besides Mrs. Swissheln
And Mrs. Swisshelm very justly col
cludes her report of this Pennsylvan
case with the remark, "Once admit th
it is the wife herself who is injured
being tossed by bull, and you ha'
knocked the keystone out of the arch
society" The logic if not the law of tt
rtsc Is all with Mrs. Swisshelm. Such
STATE Of things is altogether wrong.