The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-08-21
A WOMAN AGAINST THE WORLD.
respect or sympathy.

I 1t Is with reluctance that we touch upon the
latest scandal which has agitated and shocked
society and which has been caught up by the
journals Of the North and West with an avid.
ity that is revolving to every gentleman-to
every man who has been taught that a
woman's honor, a wife's pure fame are sacred
things never to be lightly assaled but aluays
to be upheld and defended SO long as there Is
! the shadow Of q doubt.
What a shameful thing 1t Is, how sharply 1t
emphasizes the infinite littleness of our race
to see the name OF fair, defenseless woman
caught up by that remorseless engine, the
press, and sent flying through the world
loaded with obloquy, while she must face the
''slow and moving finger Of scorn," through
all the embittered years that may be left to
her to live.
1t is pltiful spectacle! Full OF deep and
awful pathos. A woman against the world !
In nothing is there more striking contrast
between the civilizations Of the North and
South than In the treatment OF woman. There
is not now, nor ever was at the North that
deep reverence and sincere respect for woman
which has always been a marked character
istic of the Southern gentlemen and it is this
sentiment which makes the chivalrous defense
OF women a matter of duty. According to the
code OF chivalry q roman must always be
held to be innocent until proved to be guilty,
and hence the savage and unmerciful assault
made upon Mrs. Sprague has very naturally
filled the South with amazement and regret
The poisoned shafts Of SANDER, like
the not more hurtful shafts Of death,
Chi ,.Ir ~x,I.o IN
the land could q more fair o. lovely mark
have been found than this unfortunate
lady, whose beauty has Illuminated
the highest social circles in Washington.
whose illustrious father was the honored
and able Chief Justice Of the United States,
and whose husband had been the possessor
Of enormous wealth in Rhode Island, dis
tinguished officer In the army, Governor Of
the State and United States Senator. In her
aff1uence this woman demeaned herself as
became her birth, her station and her Gull |
ture; but her marvellous beauty and grace
gained her, no doubt, the enmity of those
who envied her while they were glad to sit In |
the sunshine Of her smiles and receive her
patronage.
Disaster came to her husband; his vast for
tune was almost utterly swept away, and he |
covered and sank beneath the blow. A
minute pattern Of a man, with spirit OF in
Unite littleness, he sought the common refuge
d weakness, and obscured his modicum Of
Drains with the fumes of liquor. GOODNESS
ana then arrangement came, and it Is known
Ihe Vile was treated with positive rudeness,
u not brutality. Then the demon of jealousy
5ook possession Of the man, and he grew sus-
plclous OF every one who approached his wife.
" nat wonder that the trouble which has
possibly two homes should come,
md come quickly.
IL is not urpurposet to analyze the difficulty
= 20 enter upon its details, all OF which are
'nly Too familiar to the world, but it is our
purpose TO stigmatize both Gov. Sprague and
ioseoe Conkling as unworthy to wear the
orms OF men. The former no matter what
is provocation is, acted like coward and |
rute. the latter has shamefully left a woman
Dear the whole brunt Of desperate trouble
rought upon her by himself, and has not 6