Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1879-02-13
Manhood Unnamed.


ey is needed TO carry them on. II i.
thought also, thatthey must have 1
sense Of manliuess and proper respon.
sibility which would prevent them, IN.
der any circumstances, from depending
on anybody but themselves ior the
maintenance ofiheir family. While all
this IS true Of course. Of the great ma.
jofity, i 4 surprising how many hus-
bands and fathers there are, gwen IA
The republic. who appear to disbeliege
that husbapdship or fatherhood, Or both,
involve actual accountability. They
may have notion that they ought to
take care Of their family, ifthey can do
SO without trouble, IL the means are
readily procured. But If there be dill
fcuties in the way, if sacrifices are to
be made, they fold their hands and
leave the issue 10 fortune, imagining
that they have done their duty by wish
ing that things might be otherwise.
This is mild and favorable presen-
tation Of the inner life Of any number
Of American families. whose heads are
intelligent and rank themselves as res
pectable. II these were invalids or
dipsomaniacs. il would not seem slngu-
lar; but that able-bodied, fairly educa-
ted men, with no more vices than are
with the masculine race, should fail
from any cause within their control 10
support those who in every sense be-
long 10 them. and whom they have de.
liberately chosen TO provide Tor hardly
seems credible. Perhaps we should
not credit it, were il not for the strange,
unexpected, often painful revelations
made here and everywhere through di.
vorce suits tried in the public courts
II is shown almost daily by unim-
peached and unimpeachable testimony
that husbands and fathers. assuming Ia
be reputable, and frequently held 10 be
so until detected as base counierieiters,
have for years done nothing towards
The subsistence Of wife and children
10 many cases they have not eyea
looked after themselves, but have mean
" eaten the bread--and yet il did no;
choke them---earned by the women
they have solemply promised to love,
honor and protect.
The popular opinion that woman ~
that she cannut make
her own way IN lhe world that she
needs (, I be ,ggassded ar I'D, cared fol
~ a0pie HsaA' ,s.ssss s-....-ss.. s.,..s.
on every side u each kysg snwr and
l.Ssl;,Ilas+ Sulld ~ 81
premely notifying 10 81 Is II we
should know how lafgeA proportion OF
women furnish food. SHELTER, and cloth.
ing for their husbands and the offspring
these have begoticn. The actual fig
urcs, could they be gathered, would put
all manhood 10 shame, aud expose a
widespread error. II has always been
the boast Of the Anglo-Saxon, paFiicu.
larly OF the Anglo. American race. thai
its men are manly; that they respect
and revere their women; that they
stand between them and the battle OF
life; that they will no, let their women
drudge and toll as 30 many foreigners
do, when they have the health and
strength 10 save them. And the great
mass make good their boast--it is so
much and so uniformly the Saxon hab-
il that they who shirk the obligation
my wellbe regardedas Of alien blood,
are they unquestionably are Of alien
spirit. Still, il must be conceded that
The exceptions are humilialing by many;
that there are men and Americans real
IL, and men and Americans nom:nally,
and that the two are irreconcilably dill.
ferpnt.
The first duty OF every and any man,
whatever his breed or creed whether
civilized or uncivilized, TO provide for
her be preteDds to love, and tor those
who are or should be the product Of his
love, IS ANONYMOUSLY neglected, though
seldom openly disregarded, over all the
land. Divorce suits unveil but por.
ton Of them. There are fathers innu-
merable who support their married
and their daughters children
because their husbands make no effort
TO do so; are absolutely lost 70 shame;
have fallen in this respect below the
lowest brutrs. There are brothers with
out end that feel called upon 20 main,
tain their sisters or brothers families
because unnatural husbands and unnat-
nral fathersare too lazy, too unprinci-
pied too contemplate, 70 take care Of
their own. There are honorable, con-
sclentious men who have RETAINED from
marriage and from having children, be-
cause they have never seen their way
clear TO their proper rearing, and vet
are expected 10 aud do give of their
hard-earDed substance to SISTERS and
brothers, and the progeny Of these
that have elected to marry and repro
duce their kind in the face ofprudence,
justice and the common good. The
sacrifices which many make that in no
sense appertain to them for unwIsely
welded kindred, unworthy from reck-
lessness and indisposition TO be adj
yised Of such sacrifice or Of the gener-
Gus deyotions shown, are more pathet-
ic and magnanimous than most OF us
could be led TO believe without detail
ing facts and the unroofng Of countless
houses.
What meanness, what injustice, is
perpetually practiced in the name Of
wife and children Men fawn and beg
and lie and swindle and seek to excuse
deceit and dishonor for their assumed